Monday, February 20, 2006

What Yarn to Use?

Though the suggested yarn, Karabella Soft Tweed
, is lovely, its a bit on the pricey side. So I've been looking around for possible alternate tweed yarns to use for this sweater and so I've listed below some choices I've found, and what other people are using so far. I make no guarantees on these, but I can say for sure they have the gauges listed below!

An Additional Note

Kate Gilbert, the pattern author, wrote in to say the following about the yarn:

Go for something that will make a firmer fabric. The fabric needs to have enough body that the front holds its shape well and doesn't flop with the weight of the facing.

This means that something with a lower # of sts per inch will work better with this pattern.

On to the list!

What are you using? Leave a comment and let us know!

Tweeds with 16sts per 4" gauge:
(This is the same gauge as the suggested yarn.)
Harris Aran
Rowanspun Aran
Summer Tweed
Yorkshire Tweed Aran

Tweeds with 18sts per 4" gauge:
(These yarns have the suggested pattern gauge)
03 Tweed
Cascade 220 Tweed
Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed
Tahki Donegal Tweed
Skacel Irland
Maggi's Tweed Fleck Aran
Prairie Silks
Plymouth Stone Cotton
Sunbeam Aran Knit

Other Yarns People Have Chosen to Use:
Reynolds Lite Lopi (18sts/4")
Knitpicks Wool of the Andes (18-20sts/4")
Knitpicks Andean Silk (18-20sts/4")
Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran (18sts/4")
Brown Sheep Kaleidoscope
Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (18sts/4")
Reynolds Dover (16sts/4")
Pervian Collection Sierra Aran (18sts/4")


11 Comments:

At 5:16 PM, Blogger Mintyfresh said...

I'd love to join in, please! I just bought some Wool of the Andes for it. My email is mintyfreshflavor at gmail

 
At 8:05 PM, Blogger MissyJoon said...

I will give you my 2 cents--I love to knit with Lopi, but it is scratchy and itchy to wear--I knitted 2 sweaters with it for my kids, and they complain if the cuffs rub against their bare skin!

Also, I would love to join you--but I am afraidyou all will be finishe before I start--I can't see passed thr kniyying olympics!!!

 
At 10:43 PM, Blogger Jerry & Maxy said...

I, too, would love to join, but I won't get to this until after the Olympics and the Pearl Buck Swing Jacket. But I thought I'd passon a discovery today - I found the Karabella the yarn calls for at Flying Fingers for 35% off. Here's the link:
http://www.flyingfingers.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=20_189_565

 
At 4:47 AM, Blogger Jackie said...

well, I've invited you both! I started the KAL and I still have to finish my hourglass before I get started!

 
At 9:15 AM, Blogger Koko said...

I'm now working with Lopi. I can't say I'm totally satisfied with it because I can't knit neatly with it and also a bit itchy to wear. But I think the yarn itself is quality.It's shiny and there is no knot in a ball.


Jackiy, I visited your blog now.
is charming... You said you had learnt color at the yarn store. I'm keen for studying color now.

found the 'hourglass sweater' on your post but I couldn't find it. Where I should go?

 
At 7:14 PM, Blogger mathomhouse said...

Thank you VERY MUCH for such an extensive substitution list! I think this jacket will go on my Next Year's Projects list, as I'm swamped for a while, but will keep this bookmarked.

 
At 1:56 AM, Blogger tcknits said...

I just found the list of yarns that could be substituted for the Karabella.As luck would have it I have some of the Knitpicks Andean Silk in the stash, so that's what I'm going to use.

 
At 6:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am swatching for this project in Peace Fleece (even though I am knitting another project frantically on deadline right now). Peace Fleece is the same gauge as the recommended yarn. I almost got gauge on US7s, so I am going to try again on US6s tonight. I swear everything I knit is on US6s!

Thanks for starting this blog! I am getting tons of inspiration and so much good advice.

 
At 9:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i am using malabrigo merino, one of my very favoritest yarns. so yummy to knit with. off the top of my head i *think* i'm knitting to the same gauge as the original pattern.

 
At 12:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just ordered some beautiful teal at WEBS - Donegal Tweed. I will definitely need to re-size because I need a finished size 52".

 
At 7:48 AM, Blogger noisy girl said...

I'm using Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Highland. It's a beautiful yarn. Not sure if the gauge length is slightly less than that specified, or if it's my knitting style...? Anyway, my swatch was spot on.

 

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