I’ve made way too many wool/wool blend sweaters that after wearing once, look horrible! I’ve used KP Merino Style, Euro Yarns Peru DK Luxury, Kathmandu DK, and more.
What yarns look good, feel good and wear well?
Merino style is notorious for pilling. Merino in general pills, but I think that yarn in particular is extra pill-y.
I’ve heard this stuffis nice, but I haven’t used it.
I recently read that yarns that are more tightly plied pill less and in my experience this tends to be true. I made an entire blanket out of Manos del Uruguay and it has pilled horribly! It is a handspun yarn that doesn’t have much of a twist.
I made socks out of Koigu, which has quite a twist to it and they aren’t pilling at all.
Take a look at the yarn you’re using and perhaps try to use one that has been plied a little more tightly and see if perhaps that makes a difference!
Oooh you live in texas too!
Ok the kind i use for scarves and hats and blankets is called "I Love This Yarn!"
It’s very soft and doesn’t bleed.
~ Sara
They say if you remove pills it eventually stops…but sometimes you got to wonder. It’s due to the fiber getting rubbed and pulled on. Like felting on a tiny scale.
I have a pair of mittens I made in Brown Sheep Lambs Pride that I’ve worn pretty regularly. They are about 2 years old. They get the occasional pill but usually just pull it off and it’s fine. They still look like new. For this reason I want to make a cardigan out of lambs pride one of these days.
I have used Elizabeth Lavold Silky wool and while it pills a little it’s not much, mostly where the sleeves rub the body of the sweater and again the pills are easily removed it still looks good. This sweater is only a couple months old but I’ve worn it a fair bit.
I’ve also used unspun Icelandic from School House Press. It isn not the softest of wools but warm and curiously fluffy. It has not pilled at all.
I have a new sweater in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, I’ve worn it about 3 times and it hasn’t pilled yet but the alpaca is starting to “bloom” and make it look a bit fuzzy. So the jury is still out.
On the contrary side Bershire from vally yarns pills alot, I have sweater/coat in the bulky that I’m constantly removing pills from and shaving. And cascade 220 superwash pills pretty quickly too.
The softer yarns are usually soft because they’re plied less tightly, therefore they’ll pill. So if you want less pilling, you need one that’s plied tighter, which might mean that it isn’t as soft. Or you can knit the soft ones at a really tight gauge which reduces the pilling.
Oh, no, I’m not happy to hear the Kathmandu DK pills. 
A knitter friend of mine has a sweater she made decades ago (and has used) and it still looks beautiful. I think it may have had a better twist like the others are saying. I don’t know what kind of wool it was, but it was wool, so some of it doesn’t get yucky looking.
This goes to the girl named breakfastattiffanys. If I’m not mistaken, the other ladies are asking about natural fibers. I believe that the yarn you are talking about you can but it from Hobby Lobby, and it’s not natural fibers, it is made of acrylic/man made. Do not get me wrong, I’ve used this yarn (and I too love it), and you are correct in that it’s MUCH softer than Red heart’s acrylic. It’s NOT however, as warn as the others.
That is an interesting question Gina. I am going to watch for all the replies. I too would love to find a yarn that really doesn’t pill.
I really appreciate all the yarn suggestions.
I’d love even more–I’m keeping a list! I wish people would comment more on this on Ravelry! I have to buy almost all my yarn online (no LYS) and I rely heavily on input from others! I thought the kathmandu wouldn’t pill b/c it’s not as soft as some of the others. So much for that theory!
So what do you use for getting the pills off? I have a “sweater stone”, but it doesn’t work that well. I’m looking for items and brands and where to buy.
Thanks again for input!
I think just about any wool is going to pill to some extent. I use a sweater shaver to remove them and it works just fine. I think I got it at Wal Mart for just a few bucks.
The softer the yarn, the more it pills. Single ply yarns pill more, too.
Dollyce, you’ve knit lots of sweaters. What do you use? What wears the best?
The only yarn I’ve ever used that didn’t pill was cotton yarn, which is, of course great for some things, not so good for others. I second Mason on the sweater shaver. I find it works much better than a sweater stone.
If you want a yarn that doesn’t pill/is resistant to pilling, you should search for a yarn that is spun primarily from one of the long staple fiber breeds like Blue-faced Leicester. An informative and fascinating reference for all you need to know about wool, how it’s graded, what determines its softness, pill resistance, is The Field Guide to Fleece: 100 Sheep Breeds & How to Use Their Fibers It’s not just for spinners. We knitters invest so much time and love making beautiful items, it’s worth knowing how to pick the right yarn, so that your handknit becomes an heirloom. By the way, I do colorwork with Jamieson and Smith’s shetland; it does not pill, and it becomes softer with wear.
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Hi Jean welcome to the site, I see that this tread you commented on was 12 years old but it was a interesting read. Thanks for finding it.
And again welcome
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Thank you @Jean! This is very informative! I’m searching for a yarn to do a mosaic crocheted scarf for my husband for Christmas. I don’t mind spending more for quality, but I’m not sure what to look for to make sure I’m getting quality yarn!