A Tale of Two Yarns - 2nd annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, Day One

Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them. (for more information: http://eskimimiknits.com/knitting-and-crochet-blog-week-2011/)

Sock yarn!

I know that I am declining specificity about label or fiber content, but I just love sock yarn. Who among us doesn't love sock yarn? So many possibilities afoot!

Love:

The endless possibilities. Self-patterning/striping yarn is amazing. Everytime I knit with a self-patterning/striping yarn I ponder the person who dyed this fiber. How was it they were able to exact out this pattern in the dye process. I do not have a schematic brain, so the very idea that someone can graph this out and perform it boggles my mind! Knitting with sock yarn has become an exercise in intellectual process, the wonderment of the talents of others.

The stitch definition of the fingering/sport weight yarns are superb and make me feel so talented. Did I make this fabric? Am I that consistent with my gauge? Boy! Am I talented!

Loathe:

Crampy fingers after hours of making those defined talented stitches. Little needles, skinny yarn = cramped fingers for me. After a project in sock yarn, I'm ready for a project in chunky weight yarn.

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Chunky Yarn!

Again, no label or fiber specified. I particulary enjoy chunky weight yarn after a sock yarn project.

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Love:

Just how quickly chunky weight yarn projects knit up. I can have a sweater in a matter of days vs. weeks in worsted; a hat in hours. I marvel at the thickness and the bulky stitch definition. What perfect "Vs" that bulky yarn produces. Knitting with bulky yarn makes me feel like an invincible knitter who can crank out a wearable garment in the span of a week.

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Loathe:

Crampy fingers. Big, fat yarn and big, fat needles = crampy fingers for me. Executing cables in chunky yarn (a la Heather Hoodie Vest) absolutely ruins my knitting digits for the night. After a project in chunky yarn, I'm ready for sock weight yarn again!

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Not coincidentally I am currently knitting in chunky weight and am planning the next project in sock weight.

Knitter Know Thyself!