100% Nz wool (Rug Yarn)

I bought these cone Nz wool from Someone online. I didn’t realized that she was using them for making rugs.
Are these yarns any good for Knitting projects like hats or some accessories?
Its says: Rug Tufting machines. 3 plies.

Thank you for your help!

Does it feel really rough or otherwise seem like a bad idea for knitting things? You could do a test piece and wash it to see what it’s like. If you don’t like it for hats it might be good for something like slippers that would be worn over socks.

2 Likes

It matters what kind of yarn it is when it comes to wear and tear, and when it comes to comfort (prickly-ness around the forehead for a hat would be unpleasant, heels wearing out in a sock would be sad), but otherwise I guess if it feels comfortable to knit with, is a practical choice for whatever you are planning to make, and you use the right needle size then it’s ok to knit with. We probably have little idea what ancient Egyptians knitted with - or, at very least, it was probably rather different from yarn we can buy or create for ourselves these days - and I’m sure there are people knitting with all sorts of strange (to us) and wonderful things that we’ve never thought of. Swatching is not just for gauge, is it, it’s for whether or not you actually like what you create, whether its drape/thickness/comfort/whatever, whether it is appropriate for what you want to make and whether or not you can manage the process of creation. There are plenty of yarns out there that are meant specifically for knitting with, but that some people just find hard work, or not the right choice, or perhaps the right choice for the project but annoying to manage? I like the look of some of the bouclé yarns, but oh, how irritating they can be to manage!! I don’t much like being unable to ‘read’ my knitting and have never been good at ‘reading’ twiddly, fiddly yarn!

2 Likes

Thank you @GrumpyGramma @Lalla. Thats a great idea to make swatches first to see how the yarn feels on my hands. :blush:

1 Like

I have knitted with rug yarn once – funnily enough I knitted a rug – it was very hard on the hands and took me a long time.

This yarn doesn’t look as thick and stiff as the kind I used. I think tufted rugs use slightly softer wool, so this may be suitable for other projects if it feels nice in a swatch.

Lovely colours!

1 Like

Thank you for your reply @kushami.
I knitted this Sample swatch to check the roughness of the yarn. It feels a little bit like a sandpaper even after its been blocked.

What kind of rug did you make?

Does it have wash instructions on it? I’m just wondering how it would be if it was washed several times and if it either softened up or felted - knowing if either happens could help you decide what to use it for.
It looks quite soft in the photo, shame it feels like sandpaper. The old fishermen’s sweaters where very scratchy with coarse wool I believe but we have expectations of gentle cosiness now don’t we.

1 Like

Thank you for your reply @Creations.
Unfortunately it doesn’t have any washing instructions. I might have to try to block it again to see if it makes any difference. Yes, it such a shame not to do anything with it. I hope I can find something to make use of it.

1 Like

Such lovely colors. What about a project that works with a bit stiffer yarn like a market bag?

1 Like

Oh dear, sandpaper is not good for garments. But it could make a lovely hardwearing rug or blanket.

I made a rug in linen stitch (no pattern, just my own idea) because it is quite dense and doesn’t stretch. However, I wouldn’t recommend that because linen stitch is really hard on the hands.

If you want to make a rug with your lovely colours, what about something like this:

(I’m presuming your yarn is feltable.)

The Ravelry project entries should have lots of info and tips:

People found that threading a cotton stabilising thread along the sides of the rug helped to get a better result from the felting process.

This person describes it nicely:
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/PaulaK/kiki-mariko

Or maybe you could try latch hooking / rug hooking. I think all you need is a piece of canvas or other sturdy backing cloth, a pattern (you could make a simple geometric design or draw a design if you have basic drawing skills) and a tool to pull through the yarn. I haven’t tried it myself but it looks fun.

(The website that seemed to have your yarn is selling a machine to do the tufting, but you can get a simple hand tool for the styles I mentioned. I am sure other folks here know more about making pile rugs and will chime in.)

3 Likes

P.S. If this listing is your yarn, it is hand wash:

You can test a small square in the washing machine or by rubbing between your hands to see whether or not it felts.

1 Like