I was wondering if any of you experienced sock knitters have a favorite sock yarn that is durable and machine washable and dryable. My girls are now out of the house and I know they won’t take the time to wash them in cold water and let them dry flat. I want to know that if they wash them and dry them they will not shrink and remain fairly true to size. The yarn I am using on my first pair has to be hand washed so it looks like Mom will have a new pair of socks anyway. :happydance:
There are many that work well.
My favorite so far is monarch sock yarn from Angora Valley Fibers. It washes beautifully. Doesn’t pill, just gets a little bit of a super soft halo.
I would put this and blue moon fibers Socks That Rock, in a catagory of being a bit thicker than some sock yarns.
If you are looking for thinner yarns, Koigu is a little thinner, but in-between say… Lorna’s Laces and Cherry Tree Hill, which are thinner.
I haven’t dried Lorna’s and Cherry Tree Hill in the dryer that much yet. I have done so with Angora Valley’s Monarch, Socks that Rock, Koigu, Regia, and Patons Kroy (Kroy and Regia are less expensive but don’t seem as soft to me). All have held up well to the washer and dryer.
Less expensive would be knit picks sock yarns, but I haven’t had a chance to try those yet. Maybe someone else will have input on those and other yarns I haven’t listed.
I haven’t tried Trekking yet, which is well liked by many, nor have I tried Opal.
Mama Bear
I like the german sock yarn On-garne, but it tends to be a bit on the expensive side (12.95 is what I paid for 1 ball >.<) But Lion brand’s magic stripes are machine washable, as well as their microspun, are both good choices for socks.
Can you get “Regia” yarn in the states? I think I’ve seen it mentioned here on the forum before. :??
I’ve just started my first ever pair of socks and I am using some yarn that claims to be washer/dryer compatible. It’s from Regia and is made out of 45% bamboo. They have alot of other yarns without the bamboo which might be a bit cheaper. This is the link, unfortunately in german, but it at least gives you a chance to look at the label:
Edit to add: the link is so long that it blows the forum layout! I will PM you the link.
Yes, Regia is widely available in the States. I just finished a pair of socks with their Mini Ringel Color, which makes narrow stripes. It’s 75% wool and 25% polyamide. Interestingly, for all the German on the label, the yarn is made in Italy.
The label indicates that this yarn can be machine-washed and dried at low heat, but I never put wool socks (or anything else wool) in the dryer. After they’ve been through the washer, it takes only a second to drape them over the shower rod and a couple of hours to dry.
I love Regia sock yarn. I’ve not made any socks with Opal. I’ve also used Lorna’s Laces which was lovely to work with.
I’ve had great luck with Regia, too. Also Austermann Step is a nice washable sock yarn (even despite the nasty ‘knots in the yarn’ experience I had with it) , Patons Kroy Socks is good too and DGB Confetti is great as well.
I love Trekking, Opal, Meilenweit. They are all self-patterning superwash yarns with some nylon for good wear.
Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions. I stopped by the yarn store on the way home from work today and they didn’t have the Regia yarn. I hadn’t written down the others figuring they would have it there…but they didn’t. You get so overwhelmed when you go to the yarn shop because there are so many gorgeous yarns. I did end up buying Louet Gems (fine/sport weight) which is 100% Merino Wool but it says it is machine washable and dryable. It was pretty expensive at $13.50/skein for 225 yards. Now if I can just decide what pattern to make. I will definitely look at our other good yarn shop in town for the other brands you mentioned. By searching on the web it looks like the Regia is much more reasonably priced too.
The Knit Picks yarns have held up well for me in the washer…and I tend to abuse my clothes (especially my socks!).
I’ve used and abused Opal yarn, too, and it’s still holding up!