I am going to go out on a limb here and TESTIFY how much fun I had doing this little wrap fest of yarns for Ariann. I encourage all of you to try it – something about playing with the yarn this way, in close proximity and close comparison, makes a lot of things CLICK.
You can see many fundamental characteristics, up close and personal, as you make this little chic stick – loft, density, tensile spring, controlability – all things that make a yarn good for a project or a dudley.
It also totally reinforces, for me, the fact that the ball band on any yarn is just a starting point. For instance, I assumed Karabella Aurora 8 is best knit with a size 8 needle for a gauge of 18/24. However, this yarn and one with a similar recommended gauge, Rowan Cashsoft Aran, totally benefits with a slightly Tighter Gauge.
This is easily accomplished by using a #7 needle – making the gauge 4.75 sts per inch instead of 4.5. It helps the fabric made from yarns with a more delicate fiber content become slightly more crisp and well behaved. Just that one little adjustment can make your garment last longer and wear better.
Good to know that about the Karabella. I generally love all their yarns. I’ve never heard of K1C2 – I’ll have to keep an eye open for it.
Thanks for the lesson – it’ll make me slow down and test the yarns and not to assume the needle recommendation is the one to use. Love your graphic – makes all the sense!
That is so helpful. Thanks for posting that! I never would have guessed that the patons and the aurora 8 could be the same gauge. Good to know!
I’m really liking Arianne.
and as a weaver, I really appreciate what you are saying about WPI. Enlightening – although nothing short of swatching (ohhhh, bad word) will really tell you what the yarn will act like on a certain size needle.
Another yarn that I love that benefits from a smaller needle than called for: Classic Elite Inca Alpaca. I knit it on a 4, although the ball band calls for a 7.
Thanks for the WPI info. I’m enjoying both Ariann and CeCe, very well written patterns. I would love to see something on wool comparison. I’ve discovered on my own, that merino (Paton’s Classic) pills like crazy. Do all brands of merino yarn pill so much? Is it the softness of the wool that causes pills? Do you always sacrifice softness for more durable yarn? Is there somewhere on the internet that does a good job of this kind of comparison?
GERMANTOWN!!! Oh, the memories…
That picture is great. So beautiful.
Hi there – thanks for all of the Ariann yarn suggestions here. I decided I deserve a present for getting through the massive work deadline I was telling you about at the last KIP, so I just ordered some heathery plum Berroco Ultra Alpaca…can’t wait to cast on!