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Clara
queen bee
USA
4362 Posts |
 Posted - 04/08/2009 : 7:29:31 PM
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To pull us back into the realm of real actual yarns after last week's, ahem, adventure, I thought I'd take a closer look at Fleece Artist Sea Wool.
Several years ago, Hand Maiden caused quite a stir when it released a new yarn with seaweed in it. Knitters around the globe exclaimed, "No way!" but rushed out to try a skein. Called Sea Silk, that yarn quickly became phenomenally popular for lace projects—and it remains so today.
Hand Maiden is the luxury fiber arm of Canadian hand-dyer Fleece Artist. And Fleece Artist soon followed suit with a wool-centric version called Sea Wool. Since then, a very similar version of this base yarn has been made available to other hand-dyers as well.
full review
While a lot of hand-dyers now have a nearly identical base yarn available for their own lines, I still consider Sea Wool one of the originals, which is why I chose it. Plus the Fleece Artist colors are so striking. What do you think? Have you tried it?
Clara
Your friendly Knitter's Review publisher
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2009 : 8:15:08 PM
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Great review. I have a skein of this yarn but it has fallen into the "no pattern is worthy" category so it continues to live on in my stash. It really is beautiful yarn so after reading the review I'm going to make an effort to match it to a pattern.
GFTC of NYCmy knitting photos on Flickr or Ravelry
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Bethany
Permanent Resident
USA
1546 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2009 : 8:51:32 PM
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[cynicism]So this is basically a blend of merino and Tencel with a trivial amount of something exotic to make it sound cool?[/cynicism]
Mind, I'm sure it's great yarn -- both because of the colors and because merino/Tencel is a nice blend -- but I'd be astonished if throwing a little bit of seaweed into the vat with the wood pulp really accomplishes much except sound neat.
Oh... and bamboo yarn? It's just rayon made with bamboo instead of wood.  |
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Lanea
Permanent Resident
USA
5158 Posts |
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teri@fiberandthread.com
New Pal
2 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 06:29:29 AM
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I have used SeaSilk since it came out. Go figure, I'm from Nova Scotia. Anyway, I find it to be a lovely yarn to work with and wear. I made my sister a scarf using the pattern that came with the yarn the first time I bought some and it was lovely.
The only problem I have with this yarn is the limited number of yards per colour-way available. I would love to get ahold of it undyed so I could dye my own.
I have not yet tried the sea wool.
teri in chester ns |
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Cheerleader9
Permanent Resident
USA
1563 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 06:39:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Clara
To pull us back into the realm of real actual yarns after last week's, ahem, adventure,
Clara
Your friendly Knitter's Review publisher
Well dear Clara, you really caught me with your kitty litter review! Don't you know that I believe everything you say? Please tell me that I'm not the only one that said YUCK but if Clara reviews it, I guess it's ok? A real GOTCHA of me
Barb in AZ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheerleader9
http://www.ravelry.com/people/Cheerleader9
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gwtreece
Permanent Resident
USA
7254 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 06:43:12 AM
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I use sea silk in about 1/2 of my lace projects. I love it, I haven't tried sea wool but I have wanting some.
Wanda
My Blog
Ravelry - gwtreece
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 07:41:35 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bethany
I'd be astonished if throwing a little bit of seaweed into the vat with the wood pulp really accomplishes much except sound neat.
If you hold the skein up to your ear you can hear the ocean. I think that is a result of adding the seaweed.
GFTC of NYCmy knitting photos on Flickr or Ravelry
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 07:58:08 AM
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This is one of my favourite yarns but it has never ended up being used for me. I took my son to the LYS and he fell in love with...Seasilk. That became a pillow and bed socks(complete with thrums).
He then took to Seawool, which became a scarf. A scarf so precious he will only wear it outside our house so as not to lose it.
Maybe the sea aspect is psychosomatic(psychological) but being a Pisces it appeals to me. The yarns stand on their own merits so the marine connection is a bonus for me.
Brought to you by the tongue in cheek-y monkey
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 09:33:27 AM
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I've got to agree with Bethany on this one. (GFTC, I loved your comment about hearing the ocean!) It seems like just another way of having something "new and improved" to get people to try a new yarn. Sort of like aloe in sock yarn. Gimme a break. We're going to "deforest" the ocean to make yarn? Haven't we got enought different yarns available without doing that?
We're all bored so quickly that we jump unquestioningly on the the next new, kitschy, faddish thing to come along. Not just yarn, either. Look at cell phones, pdas, tvs, mp3 players, etc. (My DH can't find one he can use they've all gotten so small and his hands are so big!) We need to slow down and enjoy what we have instead of replacing it with the new, while greedly anticipating the next entrant in the race.
ooooof (jumping offa my soapbox)
chris
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 10:34:09 AM
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Actually the seaweed here isn't depleted. It is often "wasted" along the shoreline. It is also sustainably farmed.
Brought to you by the tongue in cheek-y monkey
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jreiz
New Pal
Canada
15 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2009 : 2:18:25 PM
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I've loved the (Fleece) Artist since my first viewing/purchase; SeaSilk became a little scarf for one Aunt, in memory of another Aunt who had recently died, I have found a VIBRANT red wool/nylon mix,just waiting for some time! I'm fascinated by the innovations that have come down the pike recently, and quite willing to give most of them a try; it amazes me that the idea of transposing one source of cellulose to another took so long (wood pulp > bamboo, par example) - I do agree that we have a lot of innovation for the sake of the "next thing", but I opt to choose which new thing means "it" for me - that helps to stop me feeling overwhelmed ... HTH!
Jenni in Edmonton, with all of the next week off - maybe time to ball-up the VIBRANT red? |
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Macuhica
New Pal
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2009 : 08:27:13 AM
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| Thank you for reviewing this particular yarn. It's one of my favorites for socks: it knits beautifully, wears even better and feels perfect. ... Whether seaweed does anything or not, I can't say, but I no more suffer from unhappy and easily irritated feet. On Ravelry, you can see several of my seawool socks. |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2009 : 08:55:07 AM
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Macuhica, I peeked at your Ravelry page. I noticed that you did both Rivendell and Guernsey socks in FA Seawool. They look beautiful! I knit those patterns also but I used Koigu for both. I am definitely going to get my skein of Seawool turned into a pair of socks.
GFTC of NYCmy knitting photos on Flickr or Ravelry
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Macuhica
New Pal
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2009 : 08:31:25 AM
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| GTFC, I have on my Ravelry page two more socks in Seawool: Marina Piccola and Spring Thaw. There are some not as yet listed on Rav because the second sock is still in works. So, believe me, this is one excellent sock yarn. |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
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frenchknits
New Pal
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2009 : 4:57:58 PM
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| I loved Clara's suggestion of using Sea Wool for the Clapotis shawl and ordered the two skeins available in Peacock (my first online yarn purchase!). By the time I hit the "send" button, someone must have beat me to it: there was suddenly no more Peacock available, and I'll have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the yarn... Guess I wasn't the only one who went for two skeins of Seawool! :) |
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Fleece Artist Sea Wool
