What yarn should I use to re-knit a hoodie (ideally like the original)?
March 9, 2018 9:42 AM Subscribe
[knit-filter] I actually asked this on ravelry and got mostly unhelpful responses. I knitted a hoodie with yarn that, for whatever reason, broke really easily and the sweater became unwearable. I loved the heft and softness of the yarn (Eco Cloud) but feel like, if I go to all the trouble, I need to try something else. Looking for a soft, durable yarn of approximately the same weight as Eco Cloud. A few more details below.
I knitted myself this top-down, one-piece hooded sweater. I loved it, but wore it under a dozen times because it tore extremely easily. Last week, out of curiosity, I started frogging the whole thing and the yarn broke what seemed like every 25 yards. So, don't know--either "chainette" yarns break easily or I had moths or....whatever. After you darn something a few times, it starts to look shabby.
I want a sweater that's like the sweater I frogged except I get to wear it more than under-a-dozen times. I asked on ravelry and got two suggestions (Berroco Ultra Alpaca which I went to the yarn store and squooshed some and it's stringy and not that nice, and Drops Nepal which I don't know that I can find around here) and people trying to guess why my yarn broke, which at this point I don't care.
So basically what I'm trying to approximate, if at all possible, is the softness, the I guess I mean drape of it, and to some extent the soft gradation of the color. I used "charcoal." Bonus points for things you can get in large, slightly more affordable hanks, but now I'm asking for a unicorn, essentially.
I knitted myself this top-down, one-piece hooded sweater. I loved it, but wore it under a dozen times because it tore extremely easily. Last week, out of curiosity, I started frogging the whole thing and the yarn broke what seemed like every 25 yards. So, don't know--either "chainette" yarns break easily or I had moths or....whatever. After you darn something a few times, it starts to look shabby.
I want a sweater that's like the sweater I frogged except I get to wear it more than under-a-dozen times. I asked on ravelry and got two suggestions (Berroco Ultra Alpaca which I went to the yarn store and squooshed some and it's stringy and not that nice, and Drops Nepal which I don't know that I can find around here) and people trying to guess why my yarn broke, which at this point I don't care.
So basically what I'm trying to approximate, if at all possible, is the softness, the I guess I mean drape of it, and to some extent the soft gradation of the color. I used "charcoal." Bonus points for things you can get in large, slightly more affordable hanks, but now I'm asking for a unicorn, essentially.
Best answer: Berroco Vintage DK comes to mind.
I often substitute Berroco for a variety of Cascade yarns. I also find the Berroco to be a bit sturdier than the newer Cascades. Ever since Cascade changed from Peru to China for manufacturing, there's been a decline in their yarns. All my old stuff made in Cascade is great (2012-2016 or so). All the stuff after that --- the yarn falls apart or splices or rips or has three knots in the skein. It's not the same.
posted by zizzle at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
I often substitute Berroco for a variety of Cascade yarns. I also find the Berroco to be a bit sturdier than the newer Cascades. Ever since Cascade changed from Peru to China for manufacturing, there's been a decline in their yarns. All my old stuff made in Cascade is great (2012-2016 or so). All the stuff after that --- the yarn falls apart or splices or rips or has three knots in the skein. It's not the same.
posted by zizzle at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
If you really want a chainette yarn, perhaps Woolfolk's Far?
I don't think I would use a bamboo yarn for something as heavy as a hoodie. The lack of resilience in the yarn will shorten the lifespan of the garment.
posted by praemunire at 10:10 AM on March 9, 2018
I don't think I would use a bamboo yarn for something as heavy as a hoodie. The lack of resilience in the yarn will shorten the lifespan of the garment.
posted by praemunire at 10:10 AM on March 9, 2018
No specific yarns to recommend but alpaca lacks "sliver cohesion" according to Wikipedia, not having the scales that wool has. A pure Merino would be stronger and possibly soft enough.
posted by Botanizer at 10:12 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Botanizer at 10:12 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Have you tried looking at yarnsub? I just popped in eco cloud and it had some reasonably good suggestions, esp since some of the drawbacks for some of them is that they are more lofty- which might be good for this particular project.
posted by jrobin276 at 10:15 AM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by jrobin276 at 10:15 AM on March 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have a hank of that Eco Cloud and yea, it’s pretty soft. It’s a merino alpaca blend. I’d recommend something with silk in the blend to lend some strength, it will also help with drape. Unfortunately the trade-off is that soft yarn is usually also pilly, which you can help by knitting it at a tighter gauge.
One of my most beloved and abused FOs was made from Malabrigo Silky Merino. I think it would make a great sweater, but it probably costs at least as much as the Eco Cloud.
I’m going to make a plug also for Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok, which is a rustic looking wool, but is surprisingly soft. At this site you can get the large hanks on sale, I think Cast Iron is the color you want. I haven’t actually used it yet though.
posted by cabingirl at 10:16 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
One of my most beloved and abused FOs was made from Malabrigo Silky Merino. I think it would make a great sweater, but it probably costs at least as much as the Eco Cloud.
I’m going to make a plug also for Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok, which is a rustic looking wool, but is surprisingly soft. At this site you can get the large hanks on sale, I think Cast Iron is the color you want. I haven’t actually used it yet though.
posted by cabingirl at 10:16 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I think that sweater would be amazing with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, Sublime Extra Fine Merino Worsted, or Plymouth Worsted Merino Superwash. The Cashmerino would be my number one pick, if you're okay with the microfiber content.
I've found that bamboo doesn't hold up to wear on garments like sweaters. I only use it for scarves and the like. And I don't ever wash it because it seems like it falls apart. Look for something that's machine washable, even if you only intend on hand washing it.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:17 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've found that bamboo doesn't hold up to wear on garments like sweaters. I only use it for scarves and the like. And I don't ever wash it because it seems like it falls apart. Look for something that's machine washable, even if you only intend on hand washing it.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:17 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: This is already way more helpful than my ravelry inquiry. Thanks, everyone. I may go somewhere and squoosh some of the Berroco, see how it feels. It's more synthetic than I usually use but maybe whatever.
posted by Smearcase at 10:27 AM on March 9, 2018
posted by Smearcase at 10:27 AM on March 9, 2018
Realise that squishing in the skein is not a really good indication of how a yarn will feel once knitted and worn. Something like Ultra Alpaca changes quite a bit when washed, as do most rustic/woolen yarns. The only real way to determine if you'll like the fabric you get when you're done is to knit good sized swatches of a couple of different yarns and wash them.
posted by jlkr at 10:57 AM on March 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by jlkr at 10:57 AM on March 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
If it helps at all, the Berroco is super soft. It can feel a little more synthetic-y than 100% wool, for example, but I've found that it acts more like wool than it doesn't and it's fairly light and holds its shape well.
I'm anti-gauge and disagree with jlkr. Gauge wastes time and yarn, but I do agree that it can be difficult to tell how a yarn will work up until it's been knit up.
posted by zizzle at 11:43 AM on March 9, 2018
I'm anti-gauge and disagree with jlkr. Gauge wastes time and yarn, but I do agree that it can be difficult to tell how a yarn will work up until it's been knit up.
posted by zizzle at 11:43 AM on March 9, 2018
zizzle: I can never figure out why people think that swatching is a waste of time. (and note that I said nothing about gauge.) If I've got the wrong combination of yarn & needles, I've wasted much more than a swatch's worth of time and yarn.
Sure, if it's a yarn+needle combination I've used before, I don't swatch, but the rest of the time, especially for a sweater? One evening for a swatch versus weeks for a sweater if it doesn't work out? no contest. I wash my swatches, too; because lots of yarns change texture/hand/definition when washed, and I'd rather know that before I start than after I finish the sweater.
posted by jlkr at 12:33 PM on March 9, 2018 [10 favorites]
Sure, if it's a yarn+needle combination I've used before, I don't swatch, but the rest of the time, especially for a sweater? One evening for a swatch versus weeks for a sweater if it doesn't work out? no contest. I wash my swatches, too; because lots of yarns change texture/hand/definition when washed, and I'd rather know that before I start than after I finish the sweater.
posted by jlkr at 12:33 PM on March 9, 2018 [10 favorites]
I'll put in a recommendation for Plymouth Worsted Merino Superwash. I think it's softer than Berroco and is sturdy at the same time.
Yeah, swatch and wash and block your swatch. That will give you a really good idea of whether it pills, what the drape is like, and as a bonus it tells you your gauge. I use gauge swatches as coasters after the item is finished (once I had to unknit a swatch for extra yarn but I knew the whole time I was playing chicken!) :)
posted by sockermom at 12:39 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yeah, swatch and wash and block your swatch. That will give you a really good idea of whether it pills, what the drape is like, and as a bonus it tells you your gauge. I use gauge swatches as coasters after the item is finished (once I had to unknit a swatch for extra yarn but I knew the whole time I was playing chicken!) :)
posted by sockermom at 12:39 PM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Generally, you're working at cross purposes if you want something both soft and durable. Soft feel largely comes from having thinner individual fibers, which often have a shorter staple length and are more easily broken, too. Durability comes from having longer fibers (which tend to be thicker, too). Spinning plays a part, too. A single-ply yarn is going to feel softer and loftier than the same fiber spun down tighter and multi-plied. The chainette yarn has gotten popular because it feels more like a single-ply, but uses less fiber overall, so it's lighter and more economical. But it does break more easily because it's not actually multi-ply.
For a hoodie, which is going on over other garments, I would go with something sturdier. I'm not a big fan of acrylics, but the Vintage is a good blend, holds up really well, and the price is right. The Berroco Remix is a non-wool blend that works up soft and sturdy, too, and is a bit more multi-season. Personally, I think being able to throw a hoodie in the wash is important.
I think Ultra Alpaca would be too drapey and wouldn't hold up great. For all-wool durability, my favorite worsted/aran yarn is Peace Fleece. My Peace Fleece sweater is bulletproof (but don't throw that in the wash!). It's certainly not baby soft though.
Malabrigo Rios is a good balance of sturdy and soft, superwash multi-ply. It's hand dyed and more expensive than Berroco, but I would single it out as a great choice that intersects with your various needs.
(IAALYSO)
posted by rikschell at 7:02 AM on March 11, 2018
For a hoodie, which is going on over other garments, I would go with something sturdier. I'm not a big fan of acrylics, but the Vintage is a good blend, holds up really well, and the price is right. The Berroco Remix is a non-wool blend that works up soft and sturdy, too, and is a bit more multi-season. Personally, I think being able to throw a hoodie in the wash is important.
I think Ultra Alpaca would be too drapey and wouldn't hold up great. For all-wool durability, my favorite worsted/aran yarn is Peace Fleece. My Peace Fleece sweater is bulletproof (but don't throw that in the wash!). It's certainly not baby soft though.
Malabrigo Rios is a good balance of sturdy and soft, superwash multi-ply. It's hand dyed and more expensive than Berroco, but I would single it out as a great choice that intersects with your various needs.
(IAALYSO)
posted by rikschell at 7:02 AM on March 11, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
Generally I think what you want is a bamboo yarn. If you can't find a good recommendation online, does your LYS have a good enough selection that you could just go in and ask them for a recommendation? My LYS is super helpful when I'm trying to select a yarn.
posted by DoubleLune at 10:01 AM on March 9, 2018 [1 favorite]