A Yarn Tasting

A number of years ago, I offered a yarn tasting opportunity to students.  I was rereading old posts and came across this topic again.  This is something that I like to do from time to time.  I have new ideas for old topics or have learned something new.  I can offer new insights to this courtesy of recent events.

If I were to go to any big box craft store, I could find all the usual yarns, smooth acrylics, boucle acrylics, a smooth wool or two, some dishcloth cotton (smooth but sheds when washed the first time), a possible eyelash or furry yarn, and recently a chenille yarn.  And that would be about it.  Most of it is worsted weight or heavier.

However, I attended a fiber festival recently, as you have seen from a recent post.  On a first go around, most of what I have seen there was smooth fingering weight wool, usually merino or merino and nylon.  But further investigation reveals other things.  There were smooth cottons, some linens, some silks both smooth and on the textured side, wools from lace weight to super bulky smooth to boucle, alpaca, and there was even a hemp and a few linen and linen blends.  Notice what isn't here??

I decided that I wanted to taste quite a few things.  I got a little of many things.  I have a silk that is smooth and delicious.  I have wools that are fine and smooth and soft to a heavier, more textured and not so soft.  I got some of my favorite alpaca.  I didn't get any linen but am kicking myself now.  I did get hemp.  I have more cotton than I need at home so I didn't get any.

I definitely suggest going to a fiber festival to try new things.   There's almost never yarns from the huge commercial sources that you can get at a big box craft store.   You will support local dyers and spinners.  Local is relative,  not the people next door but not across the country either.

Try something new....