Let's Knit Magazine - Your knitting, your style

I was just wondering what other people’s views on acrylic yarn were?

I know it is cheap and squeaky and not so feely nicey next to skin, but I do find it is great for a quick creative fix, especially accessories and novelties and when used in conjunction with something sparkly or sheeny.

I’ve nether used Acrylic on a garment but is it so bad? Beginners yarn? Best left for try outs?

I use nothing else for toys, and I use it for SOME blankets. If I want to make something really special for someone then I buy “proper wool”.

I have used acrylic for some blankets as they are great to chuck in the wash without worrying about them going to pot.
It is all down to personal taste......and pocket of course.!!!!

no its fine, my DD doesn’t like the feel of wool so I made Candy with King Cole acrylic and it has a nice silky feel to it. I would use it again.

take a look
http://letsknit.co.uk/knitting_forum/viewthread/606/

Thanks for the responses, normally as gifts I buy something special, but can’t escape the usefulness of acrylic altogether!

It depends what I am knitting and who its for
If I think the recipient will want to handwash/wool wash in the machine I will use nice yarn. If not I will use acrylic. I think some acrylics are quite nice really. I am doing a baby blanket in Sirdar Snuggly and it feels nice IMO

I use acrylic a lot..

Hi, I don’t normally join in to threads, just read them, but I’m getting a bit braver (or is it more brave??).

I have a huge yarn stash (but not as big as others have confessed to). Most of it is acrylic, so I’m trying to use it up before MOH goes mental and chucks it out....

I recently bought some sirdar cotton to use in cake making, but it doesn’t really work as well. It’s a bit too soft and doesn’t hold the cake shape as well, although I’m sure it would make a lovely cardigan or jumper. So I think I’ll go back to my original plan of using up my acrylic stash. I find that some acrylic is better than others - I agree some is a bit wirey. I really like Sirdar bonus. It’s nice and soft, good quality and washes well.

I would love to use organic yarns but they’re a teensy bit on the expensive side.

Some do just feel wiry, but agree that some of the more luxurious feely yarns. I seem to find the more ‘branded’ acrylic has a nicer feel to anoymous wilkinsons bought stuff.

Ooh cake making, I do that myself, what kind of cakes do you do and any pictures?

I used to use a lot of acrylic and then discovered cotton or cotton and wool blends, and tend to use that for cardis and things next to Freyas skin, but there are some acrylics that are realy nice and soft,but if you hunt around you can get some cotton or cotton blends quite cheaply, I get some mercanised (whatever that is!) cotton from LYS and it is only about £2.50ish for 100 gms, and it knits up lovely, when I was in YorkI got some organic cotton for £2.70 i think for 50gms and that was lovely, acrylic/cotton or wool mix is good too x Janet

Oh and glad you have decided to post too, Welcome x

Thanks for the welcome - I’m glad I’m not the only one who likes knitting cakes. Here are some piccys - all made with acrylic and from my own patterns.

PS. You may recognise some of the cakes from my ‘Sprinkles’ pattern in May’s LK. I’d love to see piccys of them if anyone else has given them a go.

WoW! Love them! I shall post some pictures of my cakes soon - as promised on some other forums, unfortunately I have lost the box for my camera which contains how to download my piccys. But soon! They are really lovely and it is satisfying knitting food somehow. x

I have no problems with acrylics. I do tend to go for branded ones though, Patons fab is good and washes quite well, Sirdar bonus is also very good. James.c. Brett marble is lovely and soft, I knitted myself a jumper in this and its washed fine. If I want a wool mix with it I go for Sirdar country style. washes well and at the moment on http://www.kempswoolshop.com it’s only £1.20 a ball in the clearance section.

cakesknitsandcosies - 28 May 2008 09:48 PM

Thanks for the welcome - I’m glad I’m not the only one who likes knitting cakes. Here are some piccys - all made with acrylic and from my own patterns.

Welcome to the forum,the cakes are great,never knitted a cake as of yet.

I have no problem with acrylic as long as it is decent quality. I don’t like the ones that ‘squeak’ as you’re using them! Price doesn’t seem to be a factor is how good they are, B&M;89p a ball acrylic baby yarn is actually really nice, whereas Netto 99p is horrible and unusable, I’m unsure what to do with the ball I have.