I mean, when you look in some of the magazines, they use nothing but top quality yarn, which except for the rare time I can not afford. KnitPicks seems to be very helpful in still getting good yarn but for more affordable prices.
You could always buy top yarn but make for a really challenging project that takes a while to finish so you aren’t going through the yarn so fast. You could make lots of projects but use more middle of the road yarn.
I like to buy top sock yarn but for bigger projects I buy “down”. I have seen some patterns done in yarn the is cheaper but looks great and I would wear it.
i spend a LOT of time trying to find yarn substitutions for that very reason. i don’t want to spend a ton of money but the feeling/softness/color is important to me. you can try looking on ebay. i like yarnbow…they have a lot of different brands at discounted prices. i don’t know if you have access to ravelry yet but it’s a great source to see what other people are using for specific patterns.
Me too. And without any LYS, it just makes sense for me to use what’s available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or Joanns. And, it keeps me out of trouble. When I go to visit my sister, she has an AMAZING LYS that I would probably be filing bankruptcy over if I lived nearby! :oops::teehee:
Don’t let the pricey yarn used in patterns get you down. I’ve substituted just about every single time, and as long as my gauge was right, I have yet to have any problems substituting yarn. You’re still a “real” knitter, no matter what you use! :cheering:
I almost always buy yarn on sale, especially if I need enough for a sweater. I can almost always find a sale. I started off using KnitPicks yarns, and still do occasionally, but I their color selection is uninspiring for me.
Webs, Elann and Handpainted yarn are all on the top of my list.
You mean you can’t afford the $80 a ball (50g) yarn? I know many times designers will knit in yarns that “sponsor” their design efforts. So they get to knit their item in really nice expensive yarns, which they, themselves, may not be able to afford. Companies will sometimes seek out designers to create something with their yarns and even help to get them published as a way of advertising their yarn. They have learned that people will look at their yarns and buy them if they see a pattern done in that yarn that they think is pretty more than they will if they just see skeins or balls of yarn in a regular ad.
But to answer your question, I buy down as well. I buy what I can afford and it has to be pretty and soft.
I buy acrylic mostly because it’s all I can afford. I do keep a look out in the car-boot sales (I suppose the American equivalent is a yard sale?) I go to in case there’s any yarn. I’ve had some great yarn bargains that way :mrgreen:
I buy mostly acrylics and synthetics since I am sensitive to wool. I aslo buy mostly on sale, single mom with a tight budget. I mostly buy what catches my eye that I can afford.
I have also bought from Jimmy Beans and from Knitpicks. I am really loving all the new fibers, I have so many more choices now.
:happydance:I just got some Maizy in that is made from corn fiber. It’s going to be my second pair of socks, my first will be something like Wool Ease. I can use some blends and this is one that works for me.
I buy what I can afford. I try and find less expensive substitutes for more costly yarns by working out gauge equasions. It usually turns out famously. I use a lot of acrylic yarn and some of your more “franchised” wools (Patons, Lion Wool, etc.). The only time I splurge is when I receive gift money for my birthday or Christmas. That’s when I’ll spend the extra dollars on some exquisite sock yarn.
Honestly, I have a five year old son, three dogs and two cats. If I spent even $50 for yarn to knit a sweater with I wouldn’t wear it…ever. I’d be afraid something would get spilled on it.
I love Knitpicks I’ve bought a lot of their yarn - its still good yarn, just more affordable. I’ve heard good things about Elann too, but I haven’t tried them yet.
I’m not a big fan of acrylics, I don’t like the ‘scrunchy’ feeling I get when I knit with them. I do tend to buy down a bit, or scour the internet for sales. You can find good deals on eBay sometimes for certain yarns.
I am with Jenn-Knits. We have three children and homeschool. The pennies are pinched so tight here they scream once in a while.
Although last year for Christmas I got some money and I bought some Donegal Tweed for an aran vest I am slowly working on. So far I have the back done.
I buy all yarn. Anything I can get my hands on. I buy sock yarn even though I don’t knit socks. I buy bulky hand dyed yarn even though I never make things for myself with bulky yarn. I buy naked yarn to dye even though I have dyed any in 2 years. I buy yarn that will make cables “pop” even though I’ve yet to complete anything with cables besides the irish hiking scarf. I buy yarn because so-and-so likes that color, and I might need to make them something some day.
I’m a yarn ho. can’t help it. :shrug:
ETA: I did buy a skein of prisim yarn that was nearly 100 dollars because I had to have it. This was at least 3 years ago… and there it sits in a cute little 100dollar yarn ball in the back of some drawer because I don’t know what the heck to do with it.
It depends. There are some acrylics I won’t use because I don’t like how they feel in my hands when I knit with it. To me, it’s not worth saving a few dollars if I can’t stand to touch it. But then again, when I see some of the yarns listed in some patterns and I find out how much they cost, I’m :shock: !! I try to get the best quality I can afford. Sometimes it’s at my LYS, sometimes it’s at the craft store, and other times it’s at Knit Picks. I have money I set aside out of every paycheck for myself, and if I want to drop a chunk of change on some yarn, I’ll set the money aside for it.
I try to resist the temptation of impulse buying yarn and only buying something when I have a specific project in mind. It doesn’t always work, though. For the most part, I’ve been pretty good.
I buy whatever feels and looks good to me. It’s not always just about the price, or the fiber. I’ve spent more $$ on a yarn because it simply begs to be petted, but I’ve also spent very little on a yarn that is soft and lovely. I’ve also felt some more expensive yarns (I’m thinking of a particular wool and silk blend right now) that are so awful to touch I couldn’t even bear to hold the yarn long enough to purchase it. I’ve bought natural fibers and man-made fibers, and enjoyed using them all. Buy what you like and don’t worry about whether it’s “good” or not. If you like it, it IS good.
I’m like Hildegard_von_Knittin i’m a yarn ho. i buy any and all yarn. i won’t even have a project on mind. i just can’t walk by yarn without buying it. i can’t browse ebay without bidding on yarn. though i do try to restrict myself to sales. for acrylics i like caron ss. for naturals i like trying them all.
When I first started knitting, the owner of my LYS tried to impress upon me the importance of knitting with ONLY the best yarn and knitting each pattern in the yarn suggested, and for some reason I believed that I could only knit with what she told me to. Well, one day I realized that I couldn’t afford to give her all my money, so I started looking for substitutes. I love expensive yarn, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using acrylic or less expensive yarns. They still get the job done and can be just as beautiful. However, because I live in a small town and the LYS is pretty much the only one around, other than a very limited JoAnn’s, I usually go look at things at the LYS and then drive an hour to the nearest Michael’s or AC Moore to find a nice, less expensive substitute. I’ve also used Ebay, Jimmy Beans wool, and I’ve just recently discovered the wonders of KnitPicks. hehe.
It’s a mixture for me. I’ll buy Lion brand yarn, I’ll buy acryllic (I did a poncho for my niece in Red Hart soft yarn), I’ll buy the lower priced nice yarns, I’ll hunt for sales, and I’ll stock up when I find a yarn I really really like. WEBS is a budget-saver, and I can usually find some nice stuff on Ebay, too. I buy as nice as I can afford and as seems practical.
I’ve bought a lot of their yarn - its still good yarn, just more affordable. I’ve heard good things about Elann too, but I haven’t tried them yet.