A bad experience with WOTA --it's pilling!

#1

My Wool of the Andes sweater is pilling like crazy :frowning:

It was noticable within a week. I’ve trimmed off the pills twice, and it needs it again, and it’s only been a month!

I’ve used WOTA for felting projects and loved it for that, but this is my first sweater in it. I’m not pleased to see my pretty hard work turning into a ratty old looking sweater in such a short time! :verysad:
Have others had better success with it?

I’m delighted to have knit a sweater for $20, but the pilling is going to drive me mad! I still think it’s a great yarn for anything felted, it’s truly fantastic for felting. But I can’t say I’m pleased with its use as a sweater. If anyone’s had better luck with it not pilling, speak up. The yarn I used was purchased in the Summer, maybe I got a bad batch?

If any of you have any favorite sweater yarns that stand up to pilling very well, please list them here. My next sweater will likely be in Web’s Sugarloaf (a low-cost merino wool and microfiber blend) which has stood up well in a couple of projects I’ve done recently, and I was able to machine wash and dry a swatch successfully. I’d love to hear other favorite yarns.

#2

the only things I’ve knitted with WOTA that weren’t felted, are some hats I’ve done, and a pair of socks for a friend of mine. They have pilled a small bit, but nowhere near the amount your sweater is. One of the hats hasn’t pilled at all. The yarn for these was bought in either September or October. I’m guessing I just got lucky.

#3

Sorry to hear about your sweater, Amy. :frowning: I have a hat made from WOTA that I wear every day when I take the dog for a walk. It doesn’t have any pilling at all, but I don’t think a hat gets the same kind of wear as a sweater so it might not be a good indicator. I will be interested to hear other responses because I love WOTA.

#4

Sorry about your sweater Amy… all that hard work and then to have the yarn not perform well.

My WOTA experience wasn’t great either. I used it to make a felted bag…and the dark blue color ran on to the other parts of the bag !!

It has been a disappointment to me.

#5

Aww Amy sorry to hear about the sweater :heart: :frowning:

I havn’t used WOTA yet, or even used anything close to it. I hope you can find a wool yarn that won’t pill on you. :heart:

#6

OHHH NOOOOOO! And, I can testify that sweater is GORGEOUS!! :frowning:

Ive only used WOTA for felting, so Im sorry I cant help ya…

#7

Oh my gosh, that really is a shame. You must be dismayed. I wonder if the nice folks at Knit Picks would somehow give you a refund or a credit if you sent them this photo?
Thanks, though, for giving the rest of us a heads-up (at your expense) so we can avoid using that particular wool for sweaters. :crying:

#8

Oh no! That’s just awful, Amy! I know how much work had to go into that beautifuls sweater!

I agree that a hat isn’t a good indicator of pilling. It needs to be something that gets rubbed and brushed against other things a lot…which brings me to my felted purse. Because it’s a shoulder bag it rubs against my side and hip and YES it is pilling even though it’s felted. :evil:

I’m too new at this to know much about yarns, but I’ll be watching what others say.

#9

I haven’t gone with WOTA for a sweater because I was afraid that there was a reason it was so inexpensive. I guess this is evidence of that. I’ve made, and washed, and worn, sweaters from different types of wool, and pilling has never been a problem. The only time I’ve had a bit of pilling has been with shetland wool, and then only a bit the first time I wore it, only on the lower arms, because it is so unprocessed.

Even the sweaters I’ve made with Encore have only gotten a couple of pills on the forearms–certainly nothing like you’re experiencing.

#10

It pills even after felting, Jan?! :shock: Oh that’s just great.

Well, WOTA is turning into a false economy! I was looking forward to knitting Cinxia in WOTA avocado…Stink!!! :evil:

#11

Yep! Not as bad as the sweater of course, but it’s still annoying. I will post a pic later or tomorrow.

#12

I finished a WOTA sweater last summer and it hasn’t piled at all, BUT I haven’t seamed it together and worn it either. sigh. I guess I need to do that, wear it, and report back.

kimmie

#13

I used it for a hat and it hasn’t pilled, but like the others have said it doesn’t get the same kind of wear as a sweater. I’m glad I know about the pilling though for whenever I try to make a sweater.

#14

Oh, NO! That pilling is really bad, Amy, for having used it just for a week. That is so sad, it looks like such a pretty sweater!

Although, I have to say Manos pills really badly too. And, it is such a nice and beautiful wool too, and so freaking expensive. But it pills pretty badly.

#15

So sorry about your sweater Amy. Like others I have only used WOTA for felted. A yoga bag and a dog cape.

Can you tell me more about the merino/microfiber blend? I would love to try some of this because it sounds so soft and comfy. I was worried about it pilling though due to the microfiber content. The Debbie Bliss Cashmerino (with microfiber) has had some negative reviews due to pilling.

candice

#16

Sorry to hear about the sweater Amy!

I too have only used it for felting so no help here.

#17

Thanks for posting about this Amy–I was about to use this for a shawl!

I’m so sorry to hear about your sweater–it’s so beautiful!

#18

Is it within wool’s nature to pill? If not, what does cause pilling? Is there some kind of marker in the yarn itself that we might look for? :??

I wish I’d taken some kind of textiles class in college! Fiberology 101!

#19

Poor Amy! And such a lovely sweater! I hope this doesn’t put people off to WOTA now :shock:

#20

I wouldnt think it would put people off of using it for FELTING…but, yeah, I dont think its a good choice for a garment. Its too scratchy, anyway.