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Ruby Plaid
Seriously Hooked
USA
657 Posts |
 Posted - 09/19/2005 : 08:19:02 AM
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let's all beat up on Red Heart! Kidding. Or am I?
I tried to make a scarf with Red heart a couple of years ago when I first learned to knit. Not only was it scratchy, it stuck to the bamboo needles so badly I literally couldn't knit with it. It just didn't budge.
I'll stick with Knit Picks for affordable, not to mention non-acrylic, yarns. [meow]
My groovy knitting blog is here: http://www.xanga.com/RubyPlaid
Visit my crafts website: http://www.geocities.com/hotelcrafty |
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msgb
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
531 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 08:15:44 AM
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| My DH doesn't wear sweaters but one day a year (Christmas). He gets cold but refuses to wear one. He wants a sweater that has a v-neck so I am making one that is of Red Heard No Dye Lot for him. The pattern is from FCEK the Fall 2005 issue. Hey why should I invest a lot of money into an item he will wear for maybe 4 hours. I have made him about two others out of quality yarn. I have also made him a few afghans for him to use while watching tv. It gets cold here in the Chicago area during the winter. Those were made with good quality yarn as well. I just figure that he has seen the yarn and he likes it so why not. Not my favorite but for him I will do most anything. |
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kadiddly
Permanent Resident
USA
3076 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 09:02:47 AM
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I have a couple skeins of Red Heart. They've been sitting in the bottom of my basket, except when I need a practice yarn, for the better part of two years now. It's just so...rough. I made my first several scarves out of them, and family members who were unfortunate (okay, they really liked them, mostly because I made them) enough to get one said that they were very warm and useful for the wet Midwest winter. That said, the only acrylics I will use nowadays are Lion Brand blends and Caron's Simply Soft. I really love Wool-Ease for scarves now - warmer, nicer feel, and still machine washable and not too expensive for the yardage, and Simply Soft really is soft - I love it for baby blankets! And I also agree - for cheap, non-acrylics, go to KnitPicks or eBay. I just spent $16 at KnitPicks and got 8 skeins of 100% wool (WotA) and merino wool (Shadow). Granted, it's not the 300+ yards per skein that Red Heart and Caron have, but I think it's worth it.
God created man before woman because it is always necessary to make a rough draft before creating the masterpiece!
Backstage Stitches |
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KysKnitnMom
Permanent Resident
1050 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 2:28:23 PM
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I use Red Heart no dye lot to knit/crochet "snuggles" for the Hugs For Homeless Animals project ( http://www.h4ha.org/snuggles/ )and it works great! The "snuggles" get washed in hot water and dried on high sooo many times that anything else wouldn't hold up. I doubt I would use it for anything else though. But those shelter animals love it :)
Megann, in sunny San Diego.
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about.... |
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PatriciaG
Chatty Knitter
USA
290 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 4:31:03 PM
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Megan,
What a great program - Snuggles. I went online and have been reading a lot about it. I'm going to start some. There are several organizations in my area that accept them. I think I may crochet mine. I can use double yarn and go much faster, I think than knitting. I will probably switch back and forth. Any input as to which might hold up more? I think a tight stitch with no holes so their paws and claws don't get caught. I've got some old Red Heart just pining for me to use and this is a great cause. Do you have any tips for me?
Patrica in West Sac., CA.
"How did I get over the hill without getting up to the top" |
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fmarrs
Guardian angel
USA
9776 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 5:46:36 PM
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I just bought a few more skeins of Red Heart. Unfortunately, my shopper picked up regular Red Heart instead of the Red Heart Soft I had asked for...............but..........guess what???????? It has changed. It is much softer than it used to be and this was black yarn. That used to be the stiffest one of all. You still won't pick it over the more expensive yarns, but it is different and it is better.
fran
http://www.geocities.com/martian_mischief/ |
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KysKnitnMom
Permanent Resident
1050 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2005 : 1:30:09 PM
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Fran, I have noticed that some of the regular Red Heart certainly is softer than it used to be too. It was a nice surprise :) I haven't tried the black yet... I feel a trip to Walmart coming on.
Patricia... I'm so glad you are going to make some snuggles! I don't do anything fancy for my snuggles. I just double strand and do the entire blanket out of single crochet with a big hook. They end up very cushy and comfy for the animals. Since the cages have such hard floors it provides a little more comfort for them. Since I don't do anything fancy with the stitches I always use really fun variegated yarn. They go sooo fast. Oh yes, and as far as how they hold up... I am making the snuggles the way I made my son's first afghan that I have been washing and drying for literally a decade and it's still great! Have fun :)
Megann, in sunny San Diego.
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about.... |
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Boondoggled
Chatty Knitter
USA
305 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2005 : 08:10:45 AM
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Ok, after trying to make my daughter a number of things out of LYS type yarns only to have her reject them, I went out and got some of this yarn to make her a poncho. I got the Monet colorway, and I have to say, the way this yarn is dyed is EXCELLENT - the colors knit up so nicely. Yes, it is making my hands sweat while I knit. And, yes, it feels sort of creepy. And, yes, I think I am supporting the oil industry with this yarn.
But 2.17 a skein, and for this kind of dye job? I just cannot get over it. If my daughter will wear it, I'll knit it. |
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NCmusiclady
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2005 : 11:07:19 AM
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I'll tell you what - the kids really like the colors! I just finished a skinny scarf for one of my students - washed it, of course, before giving it to her - and it DID come out soft.
And she just loved it! We've had some warmth here, considering it's mid-November, but she still insists on wearing it on her way to school in the a.m.
I told her mom that the yarn is indestructable.
When the earth is gone all that will be found...will be tupperware and red heart yarns! |
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klingklang77
Chatty Knitter
Australia
102 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2005 : 9:57:36 PM
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I learned on red heart, and that helped but I will not make something out of it. My skin cannot breathe in acrylic, and I like natural fabrics. I normally make socks, and acrylic isnt good for that. I just started making sweaters, but I think I will stick with natural fabrics. I do look for cheaper yarns and draw a line on spending too much, but it is my hobby and I enjoy using certain fabrics, so I dont mind spending a little bit extra.
Lisa |
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collieknit
Warming Up
84 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2005 : 10:17:36 PM
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| Acrylic is such funky stuff. Red heart has all the charm and efficentcy of an american motors gremlin. Any yarn that doesn't require a dye lot is suspicious. |
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adalton124
Seriously Hooked
659 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2005 : 05:50:17 AM
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LOL that it is a suspicious yarn b/c of no dye lot!
I have an afghan my mom crocheted for me out of this yarn. Frankly, it's not the softest stuff, but the stitches look great and with two dogs and a cat in the house I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can wash and dry it as often as I want to w/out fear of felting or stretching or pilling or anything else happening to it in the wash.
I wouldn't wear a sweater made out of it, however. That brings back too many memories of the childhood vests my grandma used to force me to wear. The white one with the cherry buttons and red trim was the worst. ugh! (seriously, you had to see it to hate it like I did. I looked like a walking christmas doily wearing this thing)
Angela |
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