Archive of Thread: Yarn Recommendation for learning Back

2 years ago
Sue,

I am going to learn on my plastic bed, KX 350 knitting machine. I think one of my problems is that I do not have good yarn to work with. I do not have a source here. All my yarn comes from Walmart and I can't find anything but acrylic and it is all the same, that Bernat baby yarn. I really do not like it. It is soft, but I, personally, don't like working with it. I was told new MKers should not try to learn with acrylic. I think I know why. One reason is that the yarn keeps splitting, The twist never stays and the strands separate. I split stitches when hand knitting and crocheting, too, but it was easy to fix and I knew how to hand knit and crochet, was not in a learning mode.

I know you sell yarn on your site, so I am going to buy some from here. Given I am using my mid size kx350, can you suggest which yarn to purchase and how much for a good learning supply. I will need to buy some for the waste yarn, too.

I spent the afternoon cleaning and packing my kh881 away and setting up my kx350.

I am not worried about color. I am not looking for yarn, simply because it might be cheap, but something that would work well with this machine.

Could you recommend a dial tension range to try with that yarn to begin with? How much should I buy of the waste yarn and the good yarn for practicing casting on, binding off, shaping, swatching, etc. I don't want to worry about running out and causing myself to skimp on my use.

Thank you very much. 

I am going to learn this.

2 years ago
Hi Cynthia!
I admire your determination to do this!

I don't think the problem is acrylic yarn.  Many knitters use acrylic.  I'm guessing that the yarn you are using isn't very tightly spun and you it's causing you grief.

I'd love to sell you yarn, but you will pay a fortune to have it shipped to Canada!  I'm sure you can find sources that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

The KH350 is a 7mm machine.  It's a mid-gauge machine.
Look for balled or skeined yarn that's been assigned a 3 or 4.  Look for this gauge range 17-24 stitches to 4".  Right in the middle would be best - possibly 20 stitches to 4"

 

Is there anyone in the "brain-trust" that can help Cynthia?  What yarn is available to her in Canada that she can use on her machine?

2 years ago

Sue, I am in the USA. I am not in Canada. Is there one you sell you could,recommend? I would probably use the same kind, if I like it, after I figure this out and attempt a simple shaped sweater.

The yarn is extremely loosely spun. 

Thanks

2 years ago
Sue, would this be a good yarn for practicing?

https://www.knititnow.com/store/product/54/jaggerspun-heather/ConeDetails

If so, how many cones would be a good amount for using to do a lot of practicing: 

casting on
swatching
shoulder and neck shaping
increasing, decreasing, fashion decreasing,
binding off
manual ribbing

If I bought two cones would that last a while? I would get two different colors so that I could use the same yarn for the waste yarn in swatching, but a different color.

I am thinking two cones of different colors? 

I know you said balled or skeined yarn. is there a reason? I might just take a chance on Amazon if it needs to be ball or skeined. 

2 years ago
I would personally use cheap acrylic, that seems far too expensive for practising... 

2 years ago
That is my problem. I am using cheap acrylic now. It keeps splitting. I had that problem with the cheap acrylic when I was hand knitting, too. 

I play, or attempt to play, a cello, viola and violin. I started out with cheap ones. I ended out upgrading because the cheaper ones, although cost effective at the time were hard to learn on because simple things were not easy to do. I don't mean easy in a way that would hunt at the instruments are simple to learn, they are not. Basically, it is harder to learn with supplies, or in my instrument analogy, instruments, that are not of a good enough quality to learn from. It makes it harder. 

I used to think to learn with cheap, low end supplies, but I have learned, that makes learning more difficult, and in the end, costs more. It is the same with trying to learn to watercolor with low level paints. They don't work as well and cause the learning to be more difficult.

I would rather learn on a mid quality yarn, so I can be assured the yarn is doing what it should be doing; and when it is not doing what it should be doing, I can be sure that it is my end, and not the yarn. I hope that makes sense.

2 years ago
I've heard that this yarn knits nicely, but I haven't tried it  - their website says competitive rates to the USA - Cashmilon 4ply Acrylic (yeoman-yarns.co.uk)
Sue have you used this?
Joy 🙂

2 years ago
Hi Joy!
Yes, the Cashmilon is very nice.  It's great on a standard gauge machine and they offer lots of colors.

2 years ago

According to a website I just looked at, the Cashmilon is 28 stitches per 4 inches.It says a number 3, though, either on that website I just saw it on, or the other website I found it on.  Sue said the best to practice and learn with on my midsize would be 20 stitches per 4 inches. So, I am thinking this might be a little too "thin" for my kx350 mid-gauge machine, learning period.

It would have to be available in the US, and in stock, wherever I buy whatever yarn. 

My only option is online, purchased in, and shipped from, the USA. That makes it difficult because I cannot see or feel it. So, I need a place I can trust and depend on.

2 years ago
Yes, Cashmilon would be too thin for your machine.  It's a very nice acrylic for the standard machine

2 years ago
Hi Cynthia, I didn't read correctly you were using your midgauge, but I have used that thickness yarn on my LK150, (6.5mm, same as yours) but on the lowest tension, or tension 2.
Sue, have just seen your reply - similar thickness knits fine on my LK150 lol...
Joy 

2 years ago
Joy, You are right!  I remember a knitter telling me she knit socks with sock yarn on her LK150 and I was so surprised! That's not something I would have even thought of trying.

Cynthia, this whole discussion highlights how yarn choices are so personal.  

I hope you just dive in, order a few balls or cones of yarn that seem interesting and try it.  Keep notes as to what you like, the tensions you use and anything you experience with each yarn.  When you find one you like, use it again and again while you are learning.

2 years ago
I agree with Joy that Acrylic is fine, both for practicing and for making nice garments.  Don't know if "skein" means something different in the US, but in the UK it means a long hank which has to be wound into balls on to cones.  I would definitely recommend getting coned yarn if you can, but I know this not always as readily available in the heavier weights.  

I have been pleased to find some coned Double Knitting (also known as DK and I think it is Sport Weight in the US) for use on my mid-gauge machine.  For any machine I generally like to use a yarn which knits in the mid-range of the Tension Dial.  This gives plenty of scope for turning down to do a firm ribbing or turning up for a loose cast-off.

Don't worry too much about what you buy to use only as waste yarn.  You might as well use cheap stuff for that and it doesn't have to match the gauge of the main yarn as long as it's a reasonably similar weight.

Jenny

2 years ago
Joy, I will have to keep the Cashmilon in mind when Imgetbthe hangbif this and wantbto knit something with the standard in a finer knit.

Jenny, that was great info,that I did not have to,use the same yarn for waste yarn, just similar weight. 

Sue, thanks for all of,your hwlp. I ammordering 4 skeins of the Tamm in different pastel colors. I still like,the cone I found on your site, at least by the photo, but I will,wait in that purchase. When I decide to do a sweater, for me or my grandkids, I will come back to that one. �

Thank you all for helping me out. I hope others benefit from this discussion. 

2 years ago
Ok, I purchased the following

https://www.knitknackshop.com/shop/tamm-yarns/tamm-nordic-worsted-weight-coned-yarns/nordic-t6034-dusty-pink/
https://www.knitknackshop.com/shop/tamm-yarns/tamm-nordic-worsted-weight-coned-yarns/nordic-t6050-pastel-lilac/
https://www.knitknackshop.com/shop/tamm-yarns/tamm-nordic-worsted-weight-coned-yarns/nordic-t6030-pastel-pink/
https://www.knitknackshop.com/shop/tamm-yarns/tamm-nordic-worsted-weight-coned-yarns/nordic-t6081-pastel-green/

Cannot wait to receive them. In the meantime, I am going to clean the machine again to get rid of the lint from the previous yarn, and watch some videos.

2 years ago
Ooh they look pretty 😊

2 years ago
Yes, they are. I can not only check the yarn, but see how those colors look after knitted. Fingers crossed. The order is still processing. Being a weekend, probably mid-week before it is shipped.