Slippery ribbon yarn - can't work with it! Knit or crochet?

#1

Help! I bought a bag of 10 sk of Valley Yarns Casablanca from Webs. The colors were so beautiful that, before I even used it, I ordered another bag in a different color :oops: . It is a very satin-y nylon that slips and slides all over the place.

Welll today I started using it and I can’t work with the stuff at all! It’s so slippery it doesn’t even stay in a ball (or a knot). If you don’t watch your work every second it will come right off the needle. I’m even using circulars to minimize “escape routes,” but it doesn’t help. And if you loose a stitch, f’getaboutit, you’re doomed. It will zip all the way down your work before you even know what is happening. :frowning:

I dont think I can return it to Webs…maybe one of the bags, which was bought w/in the 30 days, but then they take out your discount and you pay for shipping and, when all is said and done, you don’t get very much back.

So… what do I do with 20 balls of pretty but impossible ribbon yarn? Anyone ever had this problem? Do I double it up with a less slippery yarn?
I’m thinking maybe I should try using it to crochet something, b/c crocket basically “binds off” every stitch.

Any ideas?

TIA

Carie

#2

What kind of needles are you using? Maybe bamboo would help with the slipperyness? It would be SUCH a shame if you couldnt use this beautiful stuff for what you intended…

#3

Yeah, I agree with Kelly. I fell in love with the Bernat peacock boa yarn before I even knew what it felt like. When I got it home, man… it was so slippery and hard to knit with… so it took me a few tries and :frog: before I got the feel of it… but I did end up having to knit it on bamboo. It helped the slipping a lot… but you still have to be careful. Good Luck!

#4

I concur :wink: try bamboo.

#5

I have been having fits over this very stuff since Saturday. I finally started my daughters wrap which uses this ribbon yarn…thank goodness it was only one hank of it or I may have to put a knitting needle in my eye! Unfortunately, I bought a pair of the silver metal circulars because the store had them for half off (which was quite a steal!), but I’m thinking that it would be much easier w/bamboo needles.

I did drop a stitch and it does zip all the way down quite fast!!! I had never had to fix this problem before and was nearly pooping my pants (sorry!), but I think I got it right…at least I can’t tell if it’s wrong. I was thinking when I first bought this yarn that both daughters would be getting one of these wraps, but out of this yarn, it’s not going to happen!

pat.

#6

I am knitting with bamboo circulars. And I’m pulling the working yarn from a hole in a bag b/c all the yarn de-balls the second you take the wrapper off.

Someone suggested pairing it with a less slippery yarn, which I might end up doing.

Right now, I’m using a pattern from Knit 'n Style that makes a sweater out of one piece (I still don’t see how I’m going to join new balls of yarn when I finish one b/c the the yarn is so slippery you can’t even tie it in a knot!) I gave up trying their lovely lacy stitch and am just doing straight garter for the same measurements.

I’m so mad I want to just get it over with! I even posted it for sale or trade. I am too impatient.

Carie

#7

Yes, you absolutely have to use bamboos. Maybe the circurlars are not such a good idea. I think there would be an extra strain with them if you know what I mean.

When I returned to knitting after a 10 year absence (and then I hadn’t done that much) my very first project was with ribbon yarn. I had no problem after the first kind of… adjusting to it. I made a great scarf. You have to go slower I’d say and ha, with determination. I used Eros and the scarf is beautiful. I don’t think it would look that great with another yarn but better than returning it or not using it. Or you could just sell it on ebay! good luck,

#8

It seems to me that just about every type of yarn takes a little adjustment period. unless it’s straight wool or acrylic. I found that when i tried Lion brand’s Homespun, I swore I’d never get the hang of it, and almost decided to give up. well my wife went happily crocheting with it. So I figured I’d practice with it a bit on different types of needles, until I figured out which one would. In my case I’ve found that plastic needles works for me.