So my trip to the Knit Picks retail store was a total bust. They only had one bookcase of yarn, and it was non-Knit Picks brands that just didn’t sell. I asked a worker there if I was overlooking the yarn area, but she said no, that their demand already outsurpassed their production, so they online sold online. She agreed that the webbsite info was misleading. Hell yeah! It said “come visit the Knit Picks retail store in Vancouver!” I didn’t expect to find a quilting store :evil: ! Not that there’s anything wrong with quilters, but…mmeh. Anyone, I guess I’ll end up ordering it online and having it shipped the 15 miles…so can anyone answer my orginal felting question? Or has no one tried it yet?
Ha. Hi! Amy, you say you enjoy winding balls of yarn. I sort of do but and maybe I already posted this elsewhere, can’t remember,
don’t you ever want to use a nostepinde? I think they’re so cute. Do you feel it’s just as easy to do a center pull ball wo one?
Man, I am surrounded by dozens of snowmobilers going up and down and in every direction… crazy today.
Bummer for you masacara! That’s too bad about there being no big bunches of yarn to look at. I went to a new ys yesterday after calling to see if they had drop spindles. I’m going to TRY and learn how to spin, yeah.
They said they had spindles. When I got there they had like two horrendous jobbys. I was just about to buy one when I looked at it again & realised it was way too big and heavy & just knew I wouldn’t like it. I told the salesperson I changed my mind and this woman teaching a class looked up and said, ‘oh yeah, I never ever was able to spin on that thing and I spin a lot’. So, my hunch was right.
BUT! I ended up spending $40 on yarn when I have BUNCHES sitting around waiting. And I have a bad habit of buying one ball of this and one ball of that so I never have enough to make a sweater or afghan which is what I want to do next. grrrrrrr is right
Hey Mascara, I did not see that you had already asked the question about felting and the knitpicks wools. I have not had an answer to my question and I see neither have you yet. 
I was thinking of ordering, but am holding off until I know if it felts well or not.
Sara
Sara,
Isaw on the Knit Picks website that they recommend Wool of the Andes for felting projects, so I suppose I should take their word for it, but I thought I’d ask here since everyone’s been buying it. It should be okay thought, since it’s 100% natural, you know?
Hey Sara and Mascara, I’m working on a felting project in that yarn right now, the Wool of the Andes yarn. I just finished a test swatch to felt, I should be felting it tomorrow… I’ll let you know how it goes! You two should order the first chance you get, because their selection is dwindeling quickly. They’ve already pulled two of the colors I ordered off their site, and I just got my order in a week ago.
Victoise, I’ve never tried one of those thingy-whatsits. They look fun, and pleasant to use though. I’d say I use my thumb exactly like one. The only difference is that the ball turns on my thumb, rather than my thumb turning, if you know what I mean. I tend to buy toys like that and then not use them because I don’t have them handy when I need them. So now I try not to buy things unless I know I’ll really use it, and keep it nearby.
Amy
Oh wow :happydance: <-those emoticons are too much
Sitting on my desk right here in front of me NOW is ta da:
the first center pull ball I EVER DID! Thanks to you Amy!
I watched your video as I did it.
Of course, I don’t know how it will pull out yet! Don’t know why I was intimidated to try it but it’s very cool. Although I still might buy the NOSTEPINDE (also called a nosty which is much cuter)
A question for you Amy if you have time: the yarn I used was bought from a local sheep lady, it’s really nice, just plain creamy/white and not too thick. But, it was a bit crinkly if you know what I mean … and so I had to not stretch it exactly but make sure I was pulling the crinkle out, all while trying to not wind too tight.
a delicate balancing act
Do you think I should have washed it first and let it hang on weights to get that crinkle out? Maybe just being rolled in the ball will straighten it. (it wasn’t too crinkled, just a little here & there)
OH, I’m so pleased I did this. It looks just great. Thanks again Amy!
Sure, Victoise! Glad you discovered and like the ball winding by hand. .
I don’t know much about how crinkly yarn acts. I’m lazy, so I’d probably just knit with it. Unless you have one skein that’s very crinkly and one that’s not, I imagine it will knit up at a consistent gauge.
Wow Bummble, I cannot believe the yarns on this site. They are delirious and delicious. Such amazing colors! What color did you get? What are you going to make?
And it’s not that expensive is it? I paid $22 for a 200 yard skein or hand dyed yarn, soft mohair but I wonder if I’ve been totally stupid about what I pay.
Thanks for mentioning this place.
Okay, the felting results are in…
YES! This yarn does felt. BOY does it felt. Watch out, it felts FAST. I did it in the washing machine, with a couple pairs of jeans. It took half the time of some other wool I’ve used.
Amy
Have you seen this incredible Kitty Pi bed? ( maybe I found it here in the beginning & forgot duh)
http://wendyknits.net/knit/kittybed.htm
The gallery of pictures is just one of the best things I’ve seen in ages (except maybe for that itsy bitsy bikini). Thing is, they use Kureyon Noro which is so damn expensive. (I have an ebay bid in at the moment and it’s way too much but I got ‘involved’.)
Noro is always $8.50 or more, once in a while $7.50 but not the color I like. AnyHOO my question is, I love the prices at Knit Picks. I could substitute that easily for a felted kitty bed couldn’t I?
vat do you tink?
Yes Victoise, they both normally knit at the same gauge, around 4.5 sts/inch, and this yarn felts well, so there’s no reason that I know of that you can’t follow the same pattern.
I’m a felting addict these days. Felting is so fun!!
Amy
Oh my goodness, that Kitty Pi bed rules. And I was wondering what on earth I would use my two skeins of Kureyon for. 
Thanks to this thread I decided to try out a few colors of Wool of the Andes. I’m glad to hear it felts nicely. I’m trying to think of little projects to do with them. Drink coasters? Cell phone tote? Book jacket?
Yes, those kitty pi beds drive me crazy. Whenever I feel a little down, I go look at those kittys in all those beds (did you see the dog trying to fit in one?) and it cheers me up.
Amy, I’m excited about felting too. It’s like magic isn’t it? (although I haven’t done it, I’ve seen a lot) Just ordered a book on felting, it looks gorgeous.
Phretys, I have a little bag that you just have to see. This woman made it up here in sheep country and it’s so beautiful. Don’t have my camera with me, but will post a pic next week.
Btw, someone once (Amy?) posted where to find Noro Kureyon cheap but Iforgot where. Any recollections of that site? Going to order my Knit Picks yarn today for my kitty bed!
Thanks Amy! I am off to their site now to order some yarn! Hopefully what I want is still there!
Just ordered from KnitPicks as well. Their prices on wool do seem to be pretty good! Unfortunately, I had to pay Ohio sales tax, but at least I’ll get the yarn quickly 
I’ve been waiting for my first order from KNit Picks since March 16. Well, I placed the order on March 16, they said it was shipped on March 17 and today is March 30.
Delivery time is supposed to be 5 - 14 days. So it’s been 13 days.
I wonder if they usually take this long! ???
i want that yarn !
:shock:
ut oh…hope that isn’t usual…was your yarn on backorder or something?
I’ve always gotten my orders very promptly from knitpicks, with the exception of right now, my yarn is backordered & won’t be available for shipping until April 11. If I were you, I would call their customer service & they can tell you exactly what is going on. They are very helpful.
kimmie
ha ha, wouldn’t cha know it… I got the yarn the day after I complained here, 14 days later. There is one ball backordered, maybe they were holding out for that a few days or something.
:oops:
I’m happy happy.