There have been times when I priced a project made with the recommended yarn, only to discover the cost was my entire yarn budget for the whole year. Sometimes I can’t afford to make even an accessory sized project from some yarns. I appreciate the value of those yarns but, I need affordable options,so, thank-you for sharing your experiences with these more affordable yarns.
Knit Piks "palette" fingering weight yarn is great as well I have made two sweaters from it. Also Patons makes a great wool/nylong sock yarn that is near indestructable.
My favourite go-to's for budget wool yarns are Briggs & Little and Holst Garn! Briggs & Little is 100% Canadian wool and while not itchy it's decently rustic and dry, and I wouldn't say it's soft lol. Comes in a ton of different weights. Holst is quite greasy pre-washing (which I actually love) but blooms BEAUTIFULLY and imo is /rustically/ soft and squishy after blocking. I've only used their fingering held double (so DK) and have loved the projects I've made.
I found Holst Supersoft to be somewhat comparable to Jamieson’s Spindrift. I’ve made stranded socks from both. Enjoyed knitting with both but found Supersoft to be softer. I would happily knit a whole sweater from this yarn.
Hello from Washington! Thanks for your video on affordable yarn. I’m astounded when I look at patterns on Ravelry and I price out the yarn recommended by the designers. I don’t really want to spend $200-300 on yarn for one sweater and that seems to be the norm. And if you add a strand of lace weight mohair/Suri to it, which is really popular now, the price can go even higher! So thanks for the recommendations and the honest viewpoint on your experiences with the yarns that you’ve tried. Cheers ❤
anything DROPS which I usually get off Wool Warehouse UK (I’m in the US). I’m not entirely educated on the ethics of drops but they do have extremely affordable natural fiber yarns.
I‘ve heard that Drops should be not so ethical, but never find anything that prooves that or get a bit deeper in that topic. I guess cheep yarns always means less money for everybody involved. But that would also be the part on the here introduced yarns, too. Does anybody has more Information about that?
@@miriams.5893drops just uses shorter fibres overall which are cheaper. The main issue comes in the form of shedding or feeling scratchy. The main "shady" part about drops afaik is their pattern practice where they sometimes do more or less blatant rip offs and post those - or so I've heard. I never really used drops patterns because whilst they are free, they tend to be tricky to read. Keep in mind they also do save up on advertisement money, don't think I've ever seen them anywhere in store or advertised. So there is that
Cascade 220 worsted does come in a non-superwash option. I have used a few yarns from Hobbi and they are quite a good value. Drops and Holst also have good options too, as does Briggs and Little. As a Canadian, everything costs more due to our depreciated dollar. As well, I have super sensitive skin which is a real challenge to find next to skin softness for me. I generally use a blend to help with this. Great reviews. Thank you.
i am testing Lion Brandi Local Grown. I just found it in Joann Fabric Store in America. It is nice and soft. I like it better than Patons wool worsted, which is my former favorite.
You are a goddess. Thank you for this post. I want to use natural fibers, but the cost has been prohibitive on my budget. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you! You rock!
My personal favourite is Cascade 220 because of the softness and vibrancy! I just love the colour options and the love the way it feels. It is always a pleasure to knit with.
Great topic! This knitting obsession can become very expensive. Two more brands that I like are Woolstok by Blue Sky Fibers and Lamb's Pride by Brown Sheep Company. Lamb's Pride is 85% wool with 15% mohair and has a nice hand. I need to look for a local-to-me source of Briggs and Little that doesn't involve international shipping. I have never seen and touched it at an LYS.
@@christineb2797 I'm on the littleknits mailing list but you just reminded me I haven't been seeing their emails lately. I know my email app randomly skips over some emails, so I just did a search in my emails and the missing littleknits emails showed up?! And now I see I JUST missed a great cascade sale with a free shipping offer, grrr! The yarn is still on sale but the free shipping has expired. I'm debating now because I hate that I missed the free shipping. Anyways, thanks for reminding me about litteknits! 🤗
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I also live in the US and need some budget yarns. However, if you ever have the opportunity to travel to Norway (or probably the rest of Scandinavia), I highly recommend picking up some Sandnes Garn yarn. My mom lives in Norway and she got me a bunch of Sandnes Garn Sunday for about 4-5 dollars a skein. It's super sturdy and smooth yarn and much cheaper when purchased within the country than trying to get a hold of it here in the US.
Great round-up of affordable wool yarn, thanks for doing this. I have knit with all the yarns you mentioned (including Hobbii's extra fine merino) and thought they were all great. I especially love Cascade because there are just so many colors and it wears so well. (I don't know about the superwash for garments because I prefer non). I would also add Purl Soho's Good Wool to the list. It is a sport weight Andean highland wool that is glorious to work with and comes in 383 yd (350 m) hanks for 100g. There are a few dozen colors to choose from, and they are lovely. Purl Soho has frequent sales, so I would recommend checking it out.
@@Rebecca_GoodWhen I signed up for Purl Soho’s emails, they sent me a 20% discount coupon, which worked with their 40% off sale over the holidays. I was delighted!
I loved this video! I have also used the fisherman’s yarn from Joann’s it’s so squishy! I would love to see a similar video with your affordable online fabric store recommendations.
I’m a big fan of wool of the Andes and palette by KnitPicks. I like the variety of colors and find the heathers are great in blending colors for shawls. Thanks for this.
I think many knitwear designers use yarns that are easily available for them. For example, Petite Knit is Danish, Sandnes Garn yarns are Norwegian, so from a neighbouring country and are thus readily available in Denmark and not so expensive (in Finland where I live a ball of Sandnes Garn Double Sunday costs around 6-7,5 euros or about 6,5-8 dollars and Finland is also part of the Nordic countries with Denmark, Norway etc.). Knitwear designers from the USA most probably use yarns that are produced in the USA or nearby and those yarns might not even be sold for example in the Nordic countries, so knitting is just about always about substituting yarns, be it due to price, material, availability, ethics of producing the yarn (eg. mulesing) etc.
This is fantastic. For so long, I've stuck to sock knitting just because I can't afford to knit sweaters, but I've really been wanting to branch out and have been going on a similar hunt. I feel a spreadsheet coming on! Thank you for this. It's very helpful! Also, we share taste in books, and I also have that moon lamp!
I've used Hobbii yarns and they are really nice and soft. I've made a lot of hats from their happy sheep line and no one has complained that they are itchy. I've also loved the Brown Sheep Company wool
Just remember to always wait for a sale when shopping at Hobbii they are fairly expensive imo but they always have sales that change often. @@Rebecca_Good
I like Briggs and Little , a Canadian yarn, I get from Maritime @Family fibers. It is $7.55 for 100 gm and is $2:00 off per skein through the month it is sturdier than wool of the Andes and I think more robust than Fisherman’s wool. It’s a real workhorse, a favorite of folk such as fisherman and farmers . Thanks for your research
Thanks for sharing these with us. I found Knitpicks a while back and they have very afordable yarns. Cascade seems to be another good one, although I have only tried the fingering weight and it is super soft. Honestly, I don't hardly even go to the box stores anymore as they just don't have any variety and you can't get a sweater's quantity either. Anyway, thanks for sharing these brands with us and good to know.
Bendigo Woollen Mills in Australia has very economic 200gr balls of pure Australian Marino wool for between $14 - $18 Australian dollars, I have used this many times and I’m always happy with the finished garment.
Its frequently called 'spit splicing". I think there are a couple of videos that show how to do it. Superwash yarns won't do it though because they don't felt.
Just watched this video again. I am planning to knit a sweater in an undyed brown wool yarn, and I remembered that you had talked about Lion Brand Fishermans Wool. Also, I have knitted with Knit Picks yarn in the past, but had forgotten about them. They also have a brown worsted yarn that is undyed. If you are looking for a silk mohair yarn (which has become popular to knit along with a strand of fingering weight merino), Knit Picks has a more affordable one. Thanks for all the info, Rebecca. I have been enjoying your videos while I mend from surgery. I, too, both knit and sew, and I can't wait to get back to creating again!
Thanks for the vid! I'm going to be trying Premier Yarns "Stitch Please" wool on a hat very soon, at only $4.99/100g skein it's very reasonably priced 100% wool, but I have no experience with it yet
I appreciate this video, as I have been thinking a lot about 100% wool. I have a LOT of acrylic yarn, but I will use it to make all manner of blankets. Acrylic yarn is my choice for blankets and children’s clothing. However, for adult wearables, wool is my choice. I’ve been on the lookout for wool yarn, so this videos is particularly helpful! Thank you!
Thank you for this. I am not an accomplished knitter. So as I venture into bigger projects, cost can be staggering. I am not a small person. I have used fisherman wool. I do like it. Oddly I had some old (years) skeins of tweed listed as 100 percent wool. I made my first sweater. I did use an acrylic /wool blend. But as I gain experience with garments, wool is my preference. thank you again.
I like the merino yarn from premier and michaels. I also have tried patons and I'm sitting here crocheting sweaters for my dogs thinking about making them in wool after getting my pattern and sizing worked out
Hi from Windsor Ontario. I love Knitpicks and have yet to be disappointed with a yarn from them. Definitely in Canada here yarn can usually be very expensive in general, so thank you for this video❤ The oldest woolen mill still operating in Canada is Briggs & Little. They have good prices too. You might want to try them out.
Great suggestions! The other advantage of using these kinds of yarns is the colour choices, and the fact that you don’t have to watch out for colour differences when knitting and changing balls, so I prefer making larger garments from these kinds of yarns. I prefer to use hand dyed yarn on smaller projects. I love all the suggestions you have made I will definitely try to get hold of the briggs and little. I’m Canadian and it’s made here so should be accessible.
Thank you! My partner has a huge fabric allergy that rules out most synthetic fabric, including polyester (unfortunately it’s in EVERYTHING). They can’t even have their plushies on their bed anymore and Im on a quest to remedy that with Amigurumi. This was helpful
Another option is exploring fiber farms within comfortable driving distances. With live in a rural area in upstate New York and home to many small fiber producing farms. Every spring the county hosts a Fiber Tour with many farms hosting open houses, meet and greets with their animals and offering processed fiber for sale at each farm. There is also a small fiber processing facility about 2 miles from us and they have a variety of fibers for sale at any given time. Each fall the county fair grounds also hosts a Fiber Festival with many farms selling any number of products. These are not necessarily local farms so just be aware of that if you chose to buy local but is a great choice for comparing varieties of fibers. In our area the fibers include rabbit fur (not hide and you have to sit and comb a big soft rabbit to fully understand the emotional benefits connected with obtaining this fiber and there are always a bunch of calm, lovely rabbits on call to meet and greet! ), goats , alpacas, and sheep. I am currently working with wool from Romney sheep from the local convent and I look forward to buying some of the Angora from their goats this spring. To locate these fiber events look to newspapers each spring as we are quickly approaching Fiber Festival season.
Thanks for this helpful video I’ve used cascade 220 worsted and think it’s a real workhorse I’ve tried a couple of yarns from Hobbi but so far only cotton so I’d be interested in others’ views on their wool thanks again!
My go-to yarn sources for wool are Holst Garn and ice Yarns. I definitely recommend them as affordable options. I have so many cones of Holst and a person can easily make 2 to 3 sweaters based on the size they make and what they make. I have Tides (my least fav but it makes nice garments), Supersoft (great for colorwork, a bit rustic, but it softens when washed and can highly recommend it if you really want a 100% wool sweater), and my personal favorite Coast (wool and cotton; highly recommend to have best of both worlds since I get hot very easily). And for Ice Yarns that's where I've gotten a lot of my acrylics from that I test knit projects before making it in wool yarn just to make sure I get the measurements right. But they definitely have good wool yarn, especially the sock yarn! Made my first pair of socks out of it and they've held up pretty nicely for being 2 years old. I try not to buy from other sources since it's so much more expensive when penny pinching.
Thanks that was a very interesting and informative video. I don't know if in the USA you have access to Drops yarns but they have several 100% wool yarns which I use all the time. Their alpaca yarns are especially beautiful. There are often offers on the yarns so at the moment I am knitting with Karisma a DK and it is on sale at the moment for £1.60 for 50grms. For people in the UK Wool Warehouse sell Drops yarns on line.
Thank you for this video. I am interested in knitting and beginners seem to always be steered towards acrylic yarn. I don’t want to knit something I won’t use because of how it feels and then have that put me off knitting all together.
Wool of the Andes is my go-to choice for sweaters, vests, hats, scarves and mittens. Cascade 220 comes in a non-superwash worsted weight, which is also Peruvian Highland wool, but has a slightly thicker feel than Wool of the Andes. I have found that the solid colors of Wool of the Andes feel thicker than the heathers. Since I do a lot of simple stockinette garments to wear to work, I gravitate toward the heathers for their rich shadings. If you venture into stranded colorwork, Knit Pick’s Palette yarns are ideal. They are also 100% Peruvian Highland wool but in fingering weight, and with a HUGE variety of colors to choose from, to the point of being overwhelmed.
Schoolhouse Press might be a good place for you to find 100% wool yarns that are affordable. They care a lot about quality but focus on traditional knitting, not trends. So the wool they sell tends to be rustic. It might be a bit higher priced than big box yarns but the quality is better and you can still usually get a sweater quantity for under $100, sometimes $50 depending.
Thank you for researching wool yarns. I am concerned about the work I put in on a garment and the resulting pilling with acrylic. So you also have to research acrylics thoroughly in order to find the softest, least pilling type. 😊
I’ve knit with the Patons and like it, but it is a little scratchy. I have done fisherman’s but haven’t tried it yet. I didn’t realize that the solids were only 100%, thanks for pointing that out. I also have some “I love this wool” from hobby lobby and haven’t tried it yet. It’s $6.99 regular price and goes on sale 30% off every other week. 100g 220 yards. I also really like universal deluxe worsted and DK, but it’s Superwash. It’s around $12 regular price.
@@Rebecca_Good I just remembered that Joann’s now has some 100% wool by Lionbrand called something like “local grown” it’s in some of the bigger Joann stores
I know it has been a while but I would throw Berroco Lanas and Lanas Light out there. I haven't had my sweater for too too long but it's looking and feeling good so far.
Thanks for watching! I ordered a sweaters quantity of Drops Lima, which is a wool alpaca blend and the total was less than $30 US so I'm excited to see how it knits up. I'll have to check out the Alaska yarn as well. Thanks for the tip!
I'm a crocheter and am at that point where I want to do more items of natural fibre, and less acrylic. Indeed the world of yarn is a lot for people with a lot of money I must say. I enjoyed your video, even though I live in Europe, and the only one I know that is available to Europe is Hobbii. It always annoys me a little that most online stores don't mention that they don't ship to Europe. I am myself doing a project to test out different wool yarns, to see what is affordable... but also to learn what is out on the market, so it was curious to find your video. So far in my own research I've found that Hobbii is the best/most affordable. They are a reliable company with a lot of yarn, a lot of variations.
I just finished a hat made of Hobbii Friends 100 % wool. They cost 4,45 EURO for 50 g (100 m), but quite often they have sales. I really like how soft and strong the yarn is, and also they come in many colours.
TY for this. I am not ina position to plop down $200 for a single sweater, but really any to stay with natural fibers. Any advice on finding budget good alpaca?
@@Rebecca_Good You are most welcome Rebecca. I’m a thrifty knitter too and love that you cover the angle. BTW, Briggs & Little yarns are dyed in the wool giving them a lovely tweed effect and making them much easier to match colours bought at different times or from different lots. There’s a TH-cam video showing their process and includes some background on the mill. I love their story (being Canadian myself) and product. I believe they are open to direct selling from the mill. I rarely see them in local yarn stores. Yarn Canada is a big distributor.
Did you find the fisherman’s scratchy? You didn’t Sat it was soft or not but you made a scarf with it but I felt it thought it was scratchy for me. Maybe a outer garment with a shirt under. Everyone has different sensitivity. Thanks
I found that after soaking it (the finished knit) in eucalan and laying flat to dry it felt much softer to touch. It’s comfortable to wear as a scarf. Hope that helps :)
I just finished a gansey type shawl in Fisherman natural It was soft to me and a light #4 imo ! This is a wt I prefer I have used Cascade 220 and had no problems! I have used the Patons for socks and hats Also lovely! A swatch is advised to ensure proper size after blocking! Iwould use any of these again! I loved Eco Duo and am disappointed it's not available! I have just enough for a scarf😢❤
Buy drops wools until youre spending months knitting a fairisle sweater on 2.5 mm needles and want it to last for decades. Nylon or silk add durability to garments and can make the garments lighter. (Fewer skeins needed) .
Question: you mention knit Wool of the Andes feeling a bit lighter than others. But then you say you sized down a needle size. Was that to make a better fabric? Because I can't seem to mentally adjust down a needle size for a lighter yarn to meet gauge. Maybe I'm just confused this morning.
For instance, if the pattern called for worsted weight yarn and say a needle size 8, when swatching with a lighter weight worsted yarn I'd get a less dense fabric, more spaces between stitches. By going down to a size 7 needle, the stitches would be closer / create a more dense fabric. I hope that helps.
Affordable wool yarns are everywhere and easy to find. The problem is that some people do not really have a grasp of the crafts of knitting and crochet. And this is analogous to cooking. For example, do you need a recipe to make tuna salad, or scrambled eggs, or vegetable soup or chili? Because you shouldn’t. You should be able to season to taste, to look and see if you put enough carrots in the soup. Remember, we’re talking cooking, not baking, which is more of an exact science. Cooking is more of an art. This applies to knitting and crocheting. You shouldn’t need a pattern for a dishcloth or a scarf (a long rectangular one). Just like you should learn how to brown ground beef, you should learn how to make a swatch, figure out how many sts/in you’re getting, and therefore how many sts to cast on to make a scarf as wide as you want. The reason I’m comparing crafting and cooking is b/c food companies and yarn companies use the same tricks. When I was a kid, I noticed that a recipe on the back of the box of whatever specified a certain brand of some other ingredient. I knew that it didn’t matter what brand of mustard I used. Yarn companies know that most people can’t envision what they could do with a yarn without being told, so they pay designers to make patterns for their yarn. Or someone with creativity and vision buys a yarn and makes something with it, then gets the pattern published. As long as the yarn you’re choosing is the same thickness and has the same properties as the yarn used in the pattern (like elasticity, drape, etc), then you can sub the yarn. Inexpensive wool yarns are everywhere. Big box stores carry Patons Classic Wool and Lionbrand Fisherman’s wool. Online, Knitpicks is inexpensive. And to find inexpensive wool yarns on other websites, you just need to filter by fiber type and by price.
I really enjoyed your analogy, and completely agree. It's all about experience! You definitely learn as you go and your eyes open to what is actually needed. I've used the yarns you suggested, and I've discovered more affordable wools since making this video. I think for beginners, they just try and use popular patterns and suggested yarns, and it takes time to discover the more affordable options available.
Where do you find Wool of the Andes for 3.99? I’m only seeing it for 5.49. Regardless, it is still affordable and I agree with you. I love this yarn. I received some for a gift and made two sweaters with it. It is an amazing yarn for the money. Fiber events are a good place to find less expensive farm wool yarn. I’ve gotten some great skeins for reasonable prices at fiber events. I’ve also blown the budget… cascade 220 also comes in a non-superwash worsted weight and it is a true worsted, not light. I also don’t know if you have shopped the Webs house yarn, Valley Yarns. If not, you might want to check them out.
Lots of great info thank you! I purchase wool of the Andes from knitpicks, here’s a link www.knitpicks.com/yarn/wool-of-the-andes-worsted/c/5420103 I’ll check out valley yarns!
Interesting, I've found the Patons did, and the Cascade, but I made a sweater out of the Fishermans that is a Solid Workhorse, no pilling & I wear the heck out of it. BUT, one thing I've started to realize (I'm a crocheter fyi) is that if I use a bit smaller hook than is called for, and crochet a bit tighter, there seems to be much less piling and the fabric is sturdier (albeit also more stocky/less drape.) When I used to use Fishermans there was a Michael's that stocked it next to the grocers so I took a 50% off coupon in Every time I went to the grocers until I had a sweaters worth. :)
I typically go down one needle size to get the density of fabric I like, maybe that’s why I haven’t seen a lot of pilling yet? I know eventually you have to depill all wool sweaters.
@@Rebecca_Good Maybe? :) I'm not sure. I know that I recently got a very good deal on a very fluffy icelandic yarn, crocheted a sweater super-fast using a huge hook size, and even after just a few wears it is looking a bit 'meh'. I've decided to frog it & recrochet it using a much smaller hook. Basically, all of my garments that I've crocheted with a loose gauge have just not lasted long. So I'm Swearing that I will Remember that THIS Time lol. (You know how you learn A Thing & then a few years later you realize oops, you forgot again?)
Finally! Someone else who can’t afford those expensive yarns that accompany most patterns….thankyou for this video, it’s very helpful!
Glad it was helpful :)
There have been times when I priced a project made with the recommended yarn, only to discover the cost was my entire yarn budget for the whole year. Sometimes I can’t afford to make even an accessory sized project from some yarns. I appreciate the value of those yarns but, I need affordable options,so, thank-you for sharing your experiences with these more affordable yarns.
I agree it can be super expensive! Good to know more affordable options :)
Knit Piks "palette" fingering weight yarn is great as well I have made two sweaters from it. Also Patons makes a great wool/nylong sock yarn that is near indestructable.
Thanks I’ll try it too :)
My favourite go-to's for budget wool yarns are Briggs & Little and Holst Garn! Briggs & Little is 100% Canadian wool and while not itchy it's decently rustic and dry, and I wouldn't say it's soft lol. Comes in a ton of different weights. Holst is quite greasy pre-washing (which I actually love) but blooms BEAUTIFULLY and imo is /rustically/ soft and squishy after blocking. I've only used their fingering held double (so DK) and have loved the projects I've made.
Thank you I’ll check both out!
I found Holst Supersoft to be somewhat comparable to Jamieson’s Spindrift. I’ve made stranded socks from both. Enjoyed knitting with both but found Supersoft to be softer. I would happily knit a whole sweater from this yarn.
I find Briggs & Little to be extremely scratchy next to skin.
Good review on alternative wools, thanks. Also, your wall of books looks fabulous.
Thank you!
Hello from Washington! Thanks for your video on affordable yarn. I’m astounded when I look at patterns on Ravelry and I price out the yarn recommended by the designers. I don’t really want to spend $200-300 on yarn for one sweater and that seems to be the norm. And if you add a strand of lace weight mohair/Suri to it, which is really popular now, the price can go even higher! So thanks for the recommendations and the honest viewpoint on your experiences with the yarns that you’ve tried. Cheers ❤
You are so welcome! I agree, want to keep knitting without spending so much.
anything DROPS which I usually get off Wool Warehouse UK (I’m in the US). I’m not entirely educated on the ethics of drops but they do have extremely affordable natural fiber yarns.
Thanks I’ll check it out :)
I Second this, they Wool Warehouse, have amazing sales often on Drops too and shipping is pretty reasonable to the States.
I‘ve heard that Drops should be not so ethical, but never find anything that prooves that or get a bit deeper in that topic. I guess cheep yarns always means less money for everybody involved. But that would also be the part on the here introduced yarns, too. Does anybody has more Information about that?
I like stitch from Premier yarns
@@miriams.5893drops just uses shorter fibres overall which are cheaper. The main issue comes in the form of shedding or feeling scratchy. The main "shady" part about drops afaik is their pattern practice where they sometimes do more or less blatant rip offs and post those - or so I've heard. I never really used drops patterns because whilst they are free, they tend to be tricky to read. Keep in mind they also do save up on advertisement money, don't think I've ever seen them anywhere in store or advertised. So there is that
Thanks for sharing. I needed this info. On SSI with plenty of time but very limited $.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! So glad you popped up on my feed. Love the wall of books. I’ve liked and subscribed. Happy knitting 💚🧶💚
Awesome! Thank you!
Cascade 220 worsted does come in a non-superwash option. I have used a few yarns from Hobbi and they are quite a good value. Drops and Holst also have good options too, as does Briggs and Little. As a Canadian, everything costs more due to our depreciated dollar. As well, I have super sensitive skin which is a real challenge to find next to skin softness for me. I generally use a blend to help with this. Great reviews. Thank you.
Thanks for the info!
i am testing Lion Brandi Local Grown. I just found it in Joann Fabric Store in America. It is nice and soft. I like it better than Patons wool worsted, which is my former favorite.
I need to try it out! Thanks :)
You are a goddess. Thank you for this post. I want to use natural fibers, but the cost has been prohibitive on my budget. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you! You rock!
You are so welcome! I'm so glad you found it helpful!
My personal favourite is Cascade 220 because of the softness and vibrancy! I just love the colour options and the love the way it feels. It is always a pleasure to knit with.
Thanks for sharing!!
Great topic! This knitting obsession can become very expensive. Two more brands that I like are Woolstok by Blue Sky Fibers and Lamb's Pride by Brown Sheep Company. Lamb's Pride is 85% wool with 15% mohair and has a nice hand. I need to look for a local-to-me source of Briggs and Little that doesn't involve international shipping. I have never seen and touched it at an LYS.
Great tip! Thanks :)
You might try Maritime Family Fibers for Briggs and Little. They only ship in the USA
Thank you so much for this! I am always looking for options. Love the info as you have worked with these. Wool is the best!
You are so welcome!
Cascade 220 also comes in a worsted weight that's non-superwash, widely available.
Little knits is a site that sells a ton of discount cascade yarn . I’m local so I can pick up, but I don’t think shipping is wildly expensive
@@christineb2797 I'm on the littleknits mailing list but you just reminded me I haven't been seeing their emails lately. I know my email app randomly skips over some emails, so I just did a search in my emails and the missing littleknits emails showed up?! And now I see I JUST missed a great cascade sale with a free shipping offer, grrr! The yarn is still on sale but the free shipping has expired. I'm debating now because I hate that I missed the free shipping. Anyways, thanks for reminding me about litteknits! 🤗
Thanks!
@@christineb2797
I have ordered a LOT of yarn from Little Knits, from basic to luxurious. Highly recommended.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I also live in the US and need some budget yarns. However, if you ever have the opportunity to travel to Norway (or probably the rest of Scandinavia), I highly recommend picking up some Sandnes Garn yarn. My mom lives in Norway and she got me a bunch of Sandnes Garn Sunday for about 4-5 dollars a skein. It's super sturdy and smooth yarn and much cheaper when purchased within the country than trying to get a hold of it here in the US.
Thanks! I’d love to someday :)
Great round-up of affordable wool yarn, thanks for doing this. I have knit with all the yarns you mentioned (including Hobbii's extra fine merino) and thought they were all great. I especially love Cascade because there are just so many colors and it wears so well. (I don't know about the superwash for garments because I prefer non). I would also add Purl Soho's Good Wool to the list. It is a sport weight Andean highland wool that is glorious to work with and comes in 383 yd (350 m) hanks for 100g. There are a few dozen colors to choose from, and they are lovely. Purl Soho has frequent sales, so I would recommend checking it out.
Thanks for sharing!!
@@Rebecca_GoodWhen I signed up for Purl Soho’s emails, they sent me a 20% discount coupon, which worked with their 40% off sale over the holidays. I was delighted!
Lots of solid information. This is so practical. I will share this with other knitters! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I loved this video! I have also used the fisherman’s yarn from Joann’s it’s so squishy! I would love to see a similar video with your affordable online fabric store recommendations.
Great idea!! Thank you ❤️
I’m a big fan of wool of the Andes and palette by KnitPicks. I like the variety of colors and find the heathers are great in blending colors for shawls. Thanks for this.
Thanks for sharing!!
I think many knitwear designers use yarns that are easily available for them. For example, Petite Knit is Danish, Sandnes Garn yarns are Norwegian, so from a neighbouring country and are thus readily available in Denmark and not so expensive (in Finland where I live a ball of Sandnes Garn Double Sunday costs around 6-7,5 euros or about 6,5-8 dollars and Finland is also part of the Nordic countries with Denmark, Norway etc.). Knitwear designers from the USA most probably use yarns that are produced in the USA or nearby and those yarns might not even be sold for example in the Nordic countries, so knitting is just about always about substituting yarns, be it due to price, material, availability, ethics of producing the yarn (eg. mulesing) etc.
Very true and worth considering :) thank you!
This is fantastic. For so long, I've stuck to sock knitting just because I can't afford to knit sweaters, but I've really been wanting to branch out and have been going on a similar hunt. I feel a spreadsheet coming on!
Thank you for this. It's very helpful! Also, we share taste in books, and I also have that moon lamp!
I should definitely make a spreadsheet :) how cool we have the same lamp! Thanks so much for watching :)
This video and all the comments are a great resource! Thank you ❤️
Glad it was helpful! :)
Cannot say enough about Juniper Moon Organic Merino! Just under 400 yds for $15, incredible color range, and really wonderful woolen spun finish.
Thank you, that sounds amazing!
I've used Hobbii yarns and they are really nice and soft. I've made a lot of hats from their happy sheep line and no one has complained that they are itchy. I've also loved the Brown Sheep Company wool
Good to hear thank you :)
Just remember to always wait for a sale when shopping at Hobbii they are fairly expensive imo but they always have sales that change often. @@Rebecca_Good
Thanks SO much for this video!!! It has REALLY helped me as a new crafter!!!
You are so welcome!
a breath of fresh air 🎉
Thank you!
Thank you for this helpful video. I crochet, great tip on felting edges together.
Glad it was helpful!
Great information on these lovely yarns
Thanks so much!
Purl Soho is great and I love their free patterns and wonderful tutorials.
Thanks!
Huge fan of Patons. It is the workhorse of my stash.
I loved working with it!
I like Briggs and Little , a Canadian yarn, I get from Maritime @Family fibers. It is $7.55 for 100 gm and is $2:00 off per skein through the month it is sturdier than wool of the Andes and I think more robust than Fisherman’s wool. It’s a real workhorse, a favorite of folk such as fisherman and farmers . Thanks for your research
Thank you so much I’ll try it out!
Thanks for sharing these with us. I found Knitpicks a while back and they have very afordable yarns. Cascade seems to be another good one, although I have only tried the fingering weight and it is super soft. Honestly, I don't hardly even go to the box stores anymore as they just don't have any variety and you can't get a sweater's quantity either. Anyway, thanks for sharing these brands with us and good to know.
You are so welcome!
Bendigo Woollen Mills in Australia has very economic 200gr balls of pure Australian Marino wool for between $14 - $18 Australian dollars, I have used this many times and I’m always happy with the finished garment.
Thank you! I’ll check it out :)
I agree. Lovely yarns, not at all scratchy, and large colour range. The 200 gm balls are great. Very economical.
Never tried felting two ends together. Thanks for the tip.
Its frequently called 'spit splicing". I think there are a couple of videos that show how to do it. Superwash yarns won't do it though because they don't felt.
You're so welcome!
Just watched this video again. I am planning to knit a sweater in an undyed brown wool yarn, and I remembered that you had talked about Lion Brand Fishermans Wool. Also, I have knitted with Knit Picks yarn in the past, but had forgotten about them. They also have a brown worsted yarn that is undyed. If you are looking for a silk mohair yarn (which has become popular to knit along with a strand of fingering weight merino), Knit Picks has a more affordable one. Thanks for all the info, Rebecca. I have been enjoying your videos while I mend from surgery. I, too, both knit and sew, and I can't wait to get back to creating again!
I love working with fisherman’s wool! Thanks for sharing & I hope you’re feeling 100% soon!!
Please try the non-superwash Cascade 220. It’s very popular and very very nice to knit up and the resulting garments are really great.
I'll check it out! Thanks :)
Yes! Cascade 220 non-super wash is my absolute favorite sweater yarn. It’s so soft and knits up beautifully. Plus it has so many great colors
@@angelagenx6629 I definitely need to order some and give it a try!
Thanks for the vid! I'm going to be trying Premier Yarns "Stitch Please" wool on a hat very soon, at only $4.99/100g skein it's very reasonably priced 100% wool, but I have no experience with it yet
Thanks!
I appreciate this video, as I have been thinking a lot about 100% wool. I have a LOT of acrylic yarn, but I will use it to make all manner of blankets. Acrylic yarn is my choice for blankets and children’s clothing. However, for adult wearables, wool is my choice. I’ve been on the lookout for wool yarn, so this videos is particularly helpful! Thank you!
I’m so glad! Thanks for watching :)
Thank you for this. I am not an accomplished knitter. So as I venture into bigger projects, cost can be staggering. I am not a small person. I have used fisherman wool. I do like it. Oddly I had some old (years) skeins of tweed listed as 100 percent wool. I made my first sweater. I did use an acrylic /wool blend. But as I gain experience with garments, wool is my preference. thank you again.
You are so welcome!
I like the merino yarn from premier and michaels. I also have tried patons and I'm sitting here crocheting sweaters for my dogs thinking about making them in wool after getting my pattern and sizing worked out
Thanks! And I love that idea :) going to be very cute.
Hi from Windsor Ontario. I love Knitpicks and have yet to be disappointed with a yarn from them. Definitely in Canada here yarn can usually be very expensive in general, so thank you for this video❤ The oldest woolen mill still operating in Canada is Briggs & Little. They have good prices too. You might want to try them out.
Thank you! Will do :)
Great suggestions! The other advantage of using these kinds of yarns is the colour choices, and the fact that you don’t have to watch out for colour differences when knitting and changing balls, so I prefer making larger garments from these kinds of yarns. I prefer to use hand dyed yarn on smaller projects. I love all the suggestions you have made I will definitely try to get hold of the briggs and little. I’m Canadian and it’s made here so should be accessible.
So true! I’m in the USA but a lot of people have recommended Briggs and little :)
Thank you! My partner has a huge fabric allergy that rules out most synthetic fabric, including polyester (unfortunately it’s in EVERYTHING). They can’t even have their plushies on their bed anymore and Im on a quest to remedy that with Amigurumi. This was helpful
That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for your video, it is very helpful ❣️
Thanks for watching!
I went to MacAuslands wool mills in PEI, Canada. What a treat! You can order online too.
That sounds amazing! I would love to visit a wool mill someday.
Another option is exploring fiber farms within comfortable driving distances. With live in a rural area in upstate New York and home to many small fiber producing farms. Every spring the county hosts a Fiber Tour with many farms hosting open houses, meet and greets with their animals and offering processed fiber for sale at each farm. There is also a small fiber processing facility about 2 miles from us and they have a variety of fibers for sale at any given time. Each fall the county fair grounds also hosts a Fiber Festival with many farms selling any number of products. These are not necessarily local farms so just be aware of that if you chose to buy local but is a great choice for comparing varieties of fibers. In our area the fibers include rabbit fur (not hide and you have to sit and comb a big soft rabbit to fully understand the emotional benefits connected with obtaining this fiber and there are always a bunch of calm, lovely rabbits on call to meet and greet! ), goats , alpacas, and sheep. I am currently working with wool from Romney sheep from the local convent and I look forward to buying some of the Angora from their goats this spring. To locate these fiber events look to newspapers each spring as we are quickly approaching Fiber Festival season.
That's a wonderful suggestion thank you! I'll look into Fiber Festivals.
Try Briggs and Little yarns. I just made a Petite Knit pattern with the sport weight used as a DK. About C$7 per 100g.
Thanks for this helpful video I’ve used cascade 220 worsted and think it’s a real workhorse I’ve tried a couple of yarns from Hobbi but so far only cotton so I’d be interested in others’ views on their wool thanks again!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
6:07 sometimes it would be cheaper to raise the sheep yourself😂 but I love them. Since discovering past red heart lol anyhow
Fair :) thanks for watching!
Thank you for this information. It was very helpful
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful :)
My go-to yarn sources for wool are Holst Garn and ice Yarns. I definitely recommend them as affordable options.
I have so many cones of Holst and a person can easily make 2 to 3 sweaters based on the size they make and what they make. I have Tides (my least fav but it makes nice garments), Supersoft (great for colorwork, a bit rustic, but it softens when washed and can highly recommend it if you really want a 100% wool sweater), and my personal favorite Coast (wool and cotton; highly recommend to have best of both worlds since I get hot very easily).
And for Ice Yarns that's where I've gotten a lot of my acrylics from that I test knit projects before making it in wool yarn just to make sure I get the measurements right. But they definitely have good wool yarn, especially the sock yarn! Made my first pair of socks out of it and they've held up pretty nicely for being 2 years old. I try not to buy from other sources since it's so much more expensive when penny pinching.
Such good info thank you! I’ll check both out :)
Wool warehouse, ICE yarns, Lindehobby are great online shops.
Holst garn is great if you don't mind that it's not as processed as the others.
Ice Yarns and Holst Garn are my fav. A chore to wash the Supersoft but it's def worth it!
Thank you!
Thanks that was a very interesting and informative video. I don't know if in the USA you have access to Drops yarns but they have several 100% wool yarns which I use all the time. Their alpaca yarns are especially beautiful. There are often offers on the yarns so at the moment I am knitting with Karisma a DK and it is on sale at the moment for £1.60 for 50grms. For people in the UK Wool Warehouse sell Drops yarns on line.
Great tip thank you! I’ve actually just ordered some drops to try from LindeHobby and am looking forward to testing it out :)
Plymouth yarn makes a washable wool in the $11-14 range. I got it at my lys. Came in sport or dk and worsted.
Thanks!
Thank you for this great info, living on a fixed income this will be very useful 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for this video. I am interested in knitting and beginners seem to always be steered towards acrylic yarn. I don’t want to knit something I won’t use because of how it feels and then have that put me off knitting all together.
It’s a great idea to start with wool, so much nicer to knit with!
Wool of the Andes is my go-to choice for sweaters, vests, hats, scarves and mittens. Cascade 220 comes in a non-superwash worsted weight, which is also Peruvian Highland wool, but has a slightly thicker feel than Wool of the Andes. I have found that the solid colors of Wool of the Andes feel thicker than the heathers. Since I do a lot of simple stockinette garments to wear to work, I gravitate toward the heathers for their rich shadings. If you venture into stranded colorwork, Knit Pick’s Palette yarns are ideal. They are also 100% Peruvian Highland wool but in fingering weight, and with a HUGE variety of colors to choose from, to the point of being overwhelmed.
Thank you for sharing :) I’d love to try color work someday!
Schoolhouse Press might be a good place for you to find 100% wool yarns that are affordable. They care a lot about quality but focus on traditional knitting, not trends. So the wool they sell tends to be rustic. It might be a bit higher priced than big box yarns but the quality is better and you can still usually get a sweater quantity for under $100, sometimes $50 depending.
Awesome thank you!
Thank you for researching wool yarns. I am concerned about the work I put in on a garment and the resulting pilling with acrylic. So you also have to research acrylics thoroughly in order to find the softest, least pilling type. 😊
Thanks for watching! I don't enjoy the feel of acrylic yarn next to skin, but think it's great for blankets/kids garments/etc.
Thank you. It was very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve knit with the Patons and like it, but it is a little scratchy. I have done fisherman’s but haven’t tried it yet. I didn’t realize that the solids were only 100%, thanks for pointing that out.
I also have some “I love this wool” from hobby lobby and haven’t tried it yet. It’s $6.99 regular price and goes on sale 30% off every other week. 100g 220 yards. I also really like universal deluxe worsted and DK, but it’s Superwash. It’s around $12 regular price.
I haven’t tried hobby lobby wool yet, will check it out. Thanks!
@@Rebecca_Good I just remembered that Joann’s now has some 100% wool by Lionbrand called something like “local grown” it’s in some of the bigger Joann stores
Oh cool I’ll look for that too.
I know it has been a while but I would throw Berroco Lanas and Lanas Light out there. I haven't had my sweater for too too long but it's looking and feeling good so far.
Thanks!
Very helpful video. Thank you!🙂
You're so welcome!
Thank you for this great video! Just subbed :)
Awesome! Thank you!
Thank you for this video! Did you ever end up trying DROPS? Their worsted "Alaska" yarn is about $2.50 per 50g.
Thanks for watching! I ordered a sweaters quantity of Drops Lima, which is a wool alpaca blend and the total was less than $30 US so I'm excited to see how it knits up. I'll have to check out the Alaska yarn as well. Thanks for the tip!
@Rebecca_Good Oh I've been wanting to try Lima! I tried Drops Nepal (Lima's worsted version) and loved it! I hope your knit turns out well~
I'm a crocheter and am at that point where I want to do more items of natural fibre, and less acrylic. Indeed the world of yarn is a lot for people with a lot of money I must say. I enjoyed your video, even though I live in Europe, and the only one I know that is available to Europe is Hobbii. It always annoys me a little that most online stores don't mention that they don't ship to Europe. I am myself doing a project to test out different wool yarns, to see what is affordable... but also to learn what is out on the market, so it was curious to find your video. So far in my own research I've found that Hobbii is the best/most affordable. They are a reliable company with a lot of yarn, a lot of variations.
I'll look at that. Thank you 👌👌@@nony_mation
Thank you @@nony_mation , appreciate it a lot. I'm currently in Spain.
must be this one: So Many Swatches!!🧶In Search of the Perfect Vintage 3 Ply Yarn for Vintage Knitting
@@nony_mation
Thanks for sharing :) I’m so happy everyone has so many good recommendations in the comments!
I just finished a hat made of Hobbii Friends 100 % wool. They cost 4,45 EURO for 50 g (100 m), but quite often they have sales. I really like how soft and strong the yarn is, and also they come in many colours.
New subscriber-thank you for this video!
You are so welcome!
Great video! Thank you!!!
You are so welcome!
TY for this. I am not ina position to plop down $200 for a single sweater, but really any to stay with natural fibers. Any advice on finding budget good alpaca?
Glad it was helpful! I’ve never worked with alpaca before, but would love to try it out.
@@Snowshoeingisfun thank you!
Briggs & Little fan here!
Thanks!
@@Rebecca_Good You are most welcome Rebecca. I’m a thrifty knitter too and love that you cover the angle. BTW, Briggs & Little yarns are dyed in the wool giving them a lovely tweed effect and making them much easier to match colours bought at different times or from different lots. There’s a TH-cam video showing their process and includes some background on the mill. I love their story (being Canadian myself) and product. I believe they are open to direct selling from the mill. I rarely see them in local yarn stores. Yarn Canada is a big distributor.
I found it sooo scratchy.
@@missmayflowerIt is definitely rustic, not next to skin for most folks. I like it for over garments and blankets. Great for weaving too.
Excellent, thanks!
You're welcome!
Did you find the fisherman’s scratchy? You didn’t Sat it was soft or not but you made a scarf with it but I felt it thought it was scratchy for me. Maybe a outer garment with a shirt under. Everyone has different sensitivity. Thanks
I found that after soaking it (the finished knit) in eucalan and laying flat to dry it felt much softer to touch. It’s comfortable to wear as a scarf. Hope that helps :)
I just finished a gansey type shawl in Fisherman natural It was soft to me and a light #4 imo ! This is a wt I prefer I have used Cascade 220 and had no problems! I have used the Patons for socks and hats Also lovely! A swatch is advised to ensure proper size after blocking! Iwould use any of these again! I loved Eco Duo and am disappointed it's not available! I have just enough for a scarf😢❤
Great video - very 'watchable'! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks!❤
You're welcome 😊
Buy drops wools until youre spending months knitting a fairisle sweater on 2.5 mm needles and want it to last for decades.
Nylon or silk add durability to garments and can make the garments lighter. (Fewer skeins needed) .
Thanks for the tip! :)
Question: you mention knit Wool of the Andes feeling a bit lighter than others. But then you say you sized down a needle size. Was that to make a better fabric? Because I can't seem to mentally adjust down a needle size for a lighter yarn to meet gauge. Maybe I'm just confused this morning.
For instance, if the pattern called for worsted weight yarn and say a needle size 8, when swatching with a lighter weight worsted yarn I'd get a less dense fabric, more spaces between stitches. By going down to a size 7 needle, the stitches would be closer / create a more dense fabric. I hope that helps.
Wool of the Andes is really scratchy. Cascade 220 is amazing. Good value, soft, durable.
I’ve tried cascade 220 now and love it! Will order again for sure.
Another wool and other natural fiber brand that is reasonably priced is DROPS yarn if you can get a hold of it.
Thank you!
How do you wash 100% wool items without shrinking?
I soak in warm water with a wool wash like eucalan, and then lay flat to dry after rolling in a towel to squeeze out most of the water.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Affordable wool yarns are everywhere and easy to find. The problem is that some people do not really have a grasp of the crafts of knitting and crochet. And this is analogous to cooking.
For example, do you need a recipe to make tuna salad, or scrambled eggs, or vegetable soup or chili? Because you shouldn’t. You should be able to season to taste, to look and see if you put enough carrots in the soup. Remember, we’re talking cooking, not baking, which is more of an exact science. Cooking is more of an art.
This applies to knitting and crocheting. You shouldn’t need a pattern for a dishcloth or a scarf (a long rectangular one). Just like you should learn how to brown ground beef, you should learn how to make a swatch, figure out how many sts/in you’re getting, and therefore how many sts to cast on to make a scarf as wide as you want.
The reason I’m comparing crafting and cooking is b/c food companies and yarn companies use the same tricks. When I was a kid, I noticed that a recipe on the back of the box of whatever specified a certain brand of some other ingredient. I knew that it didn’t matter what brand of mustard I used.
Yarn companies know that most people can’t envision what they could do with a yarn without being told, so they pay designers to make patterns for their yarn. Or someone with creativity and vision buys a yarn and makes something with it, then gets the pattern published.
As long as the yarn you’re choosing is the same thickness and has the same properties as the yarn used in the pattern (like elasticity, drape, etc), then you can sub the yarn. Inexpensive wool yarns are everywhere. Big box stores carry Patons Classic Wool and Lionbrand Fisherman’s wool. Online, Knitpicks is inexpensive. And to find inexpensive wool yarns on other websites, you just need to filter by fiber type and by price.
I really enjoyed your analogy, and completely agree. It's all about experience! You definitely learn as you go and your eyes open to what is actually needed. I've used the yarns you suggested, and I've discovered more affordable wools since making this video. I think for beginners, they just try and use popular patterns and suggested yarns, and it takes time to discover the more affordable options available.
Where do you find Wool of the Andes for 3.99? I’m only seeing it for 5.49. Regardless, it is still affordable and I agree with you. I love this yarn. I received some for a gift and made two sweaters with it. It is an amazing yarn for the money. Fiber events are a good place to find less expensive farm wool yarn. I’ve gotten some great skeins for reasonable prices at fiber events. I’ve also blown the budget… cascade 220 also comes in a non-superwash worsted weight and it is a true worsted, not light. I also don’t know if you have shopped the Webs house yarn, Valley Yarns. If not, you might want to check them out.
Lots of great info thank you! I purchase wool of the Andes from knitpicks, here’s a link www.knitpicks.com/yarn/wool-of-the-andes-worsted/c/5420103
I’ll check out valley yarns!
@@Rebecca_Good this is so interesting. When I click your link it is 3.99. When I go to knit picks on my own, it is 5.49. So odd.
That is odd!
@@donnacohen-avery8086US $ versus Canadian $ perhaps?
@@Belenshares US is used for both countries.
Check out Little Knits in Seattle, WA
Will do!
I have used all the yarns you mention. My only complaint is that they all pill a lot.
Have you found one you recommend?
Interesting, I've found the Patons did, and the Cascade, but I made a sweater out of the Fishermans that is a Solid Workhorse, no pilling & I wear the heck out of it. BUT, one thing I've started to realize (I'm a crocheter fyi) is that if I use a bit smaller hook than is called for, and crochet a bit tighter, there seems to be much less piling and the fabric is sturdier (albeit also more stocky/less drape.) When I used to use Fishermans there was a Michael's that stocked it next to the grocers so I took a 50% off coupon in Every time I went to the grocers until I had a sweaters worth. :)
I typically go down one needle size to get the density of fabric I like, maybe that’s why I haven’t seen a lot of pilling yet? I know eventually you have to depill all wool sweaters.
@@Rebecca_Good Maybe? :) I'm not sure. I know that I recently got a very good deal on a very fluffy icelandic yarn, crocheted a sweater super-fast using a huge hook size, and even after just a few wears it is looking a bit 'meh'. I've decided to frog it & recrochet it using a much smaller hook.
Basically, all of my garments that I've crocheted with a loose gauge have just not lasted long. So I'm Swearing that I will Remember that THIS Time lol. (You know how you learn A Thing & then a few years later you realize oops, you forgot again?)
Haha yes eventually I’m sure it’ll stick :)
Anyone have a link to the expensive wool yarn video
Thanks for watching
🥰
I will say… I knit so slowly that if I only buy yarn for a current project “only” then it truly is not that pricey. 😂😂
Haha well that’s reason to invest then :)
Nobody ever mentions Lindehobby! They have much better prices and options than Hobbii
I’ve tried them recently!
❤
Looking for ethical wool , it’s important to check if mulesing is involved , it is a controversial practice .
Thanks for your input! I’ll look into that.