Intro and Hex Coat Yarns
Hi everyone,
I joined this KAL a few weeks ago but was working on finishing a bunch of UFOs in August. Now I've had a chance to look at the Knitting Nature book again (LOVE it as I'm sure you all do) and decide which project I want to start with.
I'm thinking I want to make the Hex Coat. I had a ball of Lite-Lopi in my stash so I swatched it up in moss stitch on addi turbo 8s
I was a little large on the gauge so I'd go down to addi 7s if I used this yarn - however, I'm thinking of using a different yarn that is a little softer. I haven't used Lopi for anything before and I like the definition of the stitches in it, but it is a little rough. I went to Yarndex to try to find other yarns to substitute and read some of the posts here and this is what I came up with for possibilities:
Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (too soft?)
Brown Sheep Worsted
Malabrigo - too soft?
Cascade ecological wool - too bulky?
elann peruvian highland wool - too pill-y? I have a ball of this in my stash that I haven't swatched yet but I was reading some threads on Knitter's Review saying that some people didn't like their finished projects with this wool.
Any thoughts/feedback/experiences would be appreciated! I'm more concerned about enjoying the process and finished product for this LARGE project than saving money, per se. I figure that whatever I buy I'll be getting a great value for the $$$ as I will be knitting with it for quite awhile!
Looking forward to hearing from you all!
posted by Robin @ 6:12 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Hi Robin,
I did the Hex Coat in the hottest days this year with Lett Lopi which seemes to be the same as Lite Lopi. Yes, it is rough, but I think the coat needs a rough yarn not to hang out on his weight. And you don´t wear a coat like this one nacked skin...
But if I would do it again I would have chosen a smaller needlesize than the 5mm (US8) I used to get in order to get an firmed texture.
Have fun with this project but I can say you will never like to knit hexagons after having finished this project ;-)
Claudia.
Thanks, Claudia - I hear what you're saying about the rough yarn being helpful to maintain the structure of the coat. I did think of that too. And you are right also on your point about it not being directly next to the skin so the roughness not being so important - very true. Maybe I will just suck it up and use the Lopi - I actually did enjoy working with it, which I didn't expect.
I was actually thinking about using Cascade 220 - it's about the same weight at the lite lopi, though I haven't swatched yet. I think the Eco wool would be too thick.
I second Claudia on the vote for Lite Lopi - I love my Hex Coat that I made out of Lite Lopi, and it did get a bit softer with a washing. I just love how nubby and textured it is without looking too unkempt or unstructured. Then again, you should use whatever yarn you love and you feel like you will love wearing, because this is a whole lotta coat to knit and it would be a shame to end up not liking it!
i think lite lopi has an excellent price point.
i think any yarn with microfiber in it will be too heavy (does the debbie bliss cashmerino have microfiber in it?)
malabrigo is certainly soft, and will certainly get fuzzy or pill.
brown sheep worsted ... i don't know. compare the yardage/oz. i don't think you want to gain any wt. with a long knitted coat, and next to skin, brown sheep lamb's pride is itchy (to me). (just ask my devil hat and skully sweater)
debbie bliss aran tweed ... yummy! again ... compare yardage and wt.
and, now that you've knitted a lite lopi swatch, test it! wash it in a wool wash, carry it around with you, ... how does it hold up, is it softer?
i want to knit this coat too, but ... later. i have just fallen inlove with scarfstyle's lady eleanor and must knit that first!
good luck :)
Good idea on washing the swatch - I am always a slacker about that. And the microfiber is probably too heavy.
I actually plan to use Malabrigo for my hex coat, which I hope to knit a swatch for in the next week. I know it will be soft, but I'm hoping it will be heavenly!!
I'm coming to this post reeeeeaaaaaalllllllyyyyy late, but I bought Beaverslide Dry Goods worsted (90% wool / 10% mohair ) for this one. I haven't swatched it up yet, but it has the organic, loosely-spun look of lopi (it's a 2-ply mule-spun yarn), but it's very soft.
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