yarn review – ELY Knits

The 2024 Oklahoma Yarn Crawl recently wrapped, and my gosh was it FUN! If you haven’t checked out Part One of my recap, read it first here.

Twelve fiber businesses from across Oklahoma got together to put on the state’s first yarn crawl. Yarn shops, dye works, a working farm, and a mini fiber mill dot the state map, and fiber lovers made the trek to each one during the August 16th to 24th (excluding Sunday) special event.

Each shop had their own special charm and yarns in addition to special events just for the yarn crawl. Some fiber businesses aren’t usually open to the public every day of the week, but they all kept special hours for the crawl.

My friend Susan and I had five of our twelve yarn crawl stops stamped, and set off early in the morning to visit our first shop of the day.

We learned our lesson trying to hit five stores in one day, so we broke up the remaining seven yarn crawl locations into two days— Thursday and Friday,August 22 & 23, 2024.

Each shop we visited was wonderful, and I hope I can convey something special about each one, as they all have their own unique charms and strengths. Oklahoma has a widespread and vibrant fiber community, and the yarn crawl really showcased that.

The Oklahoma Yarn Crawl website had a handy link to a Google Maps list all of the stops on the crawl.

It was a two and a half hour drive to our first shop of the day, the westernmost in the crawl

Cozy Corner Knits – Enid

I’m fairly familiar with the western part of the state because I have family there. It’s full of farms, oil wells, and wind turbines, but that’s about it. I used to think there wasn’t much else worth visiting in that part of the state.

Cozy Corner Knits is such a welcome addition to that part of the state.

The shop is easy to find if you ignore Google and trust your eyes and common sense while driving. Maps had us take an odd detour through a really cute neighborhood before telling us to turn the opposite direction from the shop we could see right there just across the street.

That wasn’t the shop’s fault at all, so consider calling ahead for directions to any shop if your map app has your route doing silly things.

Cozy Corner Knits is very neatly laid out with a knitting area near the front window and nice displays guiding you back to the classroom area at the rear of the shop.

Susan and I had such a fun time chatting with the owner, her husband, and another customer that it was after 1:00 before we knew it, and we needed to move on to our next stop.

I had briefly considered not visiting Cozy Corner Knits because of the drive out to Enid, so I’m glad Susan convinced me that we absolutely needed to see all of the shops to experience our first yarn crawl to the fullest.

I stuffed some yarn with subtle sparkle from Feederbrook Farm and some gorgeous orange Emma’s Yarn Super Silky into my yarn crawl tote, and we were off to the next one.

You can learn more about Cozy Corner Knits at their Instagram or Facebook pages.

It was about an hour’s drive to our second stop, Susan’s favorite of the trip,

Oklahoma Mini Mill – Guthrie

Oklahoma Mini Mill (OMM) isn’t usually open to the public for walk-ins since they’re a working mill and conduct most of their business online, but one of the owners gladly gave us a tour after she stamped our card. We got to feel some amazing fibers at different stages of processing. It was really interesting to be able to feel the different lanolin contents of wool as the cleaning and fluffing (industry standard term, I’m sure) progressed.

I’ve seen a friend hand process llama fiber before but never really paid attention to this part of the yarn process before, so this visit was very educational and interesting. We even got to touch some amazingly soft bison fiber that costs around $30-35 an OUNCE, and I think that’s the cost before processing.

Oklahoma Mini Mill mainly focuses on processing fleeces for hand spinners, so they process fibers until they are ready to be spun but don’t do the actual spinning. Customers send their fibers to be cleaned and blended into fiber batts. They can even add in special things like this angelina sparkle.

Another neat factoid about OMM: They don’t waste any wool! Pieces that aren’t suitable for processing and spinning are saved and used as insulation.

I didn’t purchase anything from OMM while we were there during the yarn crawl. Most of their business is actually online through Etsy, which I’ll link below.

Oklahoma Mini Mill also vends at the Fiber Christmas in July show, so there is yet another incentive to attend Fiber Christmas if you haven’t yet!

You can learn more about Oklahoma Mini Mill at their website, Instagram, Facebook, or Etsy pages.

Guthrie had two stops on the yarn crawl. Next up was in historic downtown Guthrie

Sealed with a Kiss – Guthrie

Sealed with a Kiss brought in trunk shows and debuted HowdyDo, a new locally dyed yarn inspired by the women of the Wild West, during the yarn crawl.

We missed their Lunch in the Loft event by a couple hours because I forgot to check ahead with every yarn crawl stop like I meant to. Learn from my mistakes and check each shop ahead while planning!

Sealed with a Kiss had a really nice selection of knitting accessories as well as bags, fashion accessories, and even some non knit garments. It’s a yarn boutique but not just a yarn boutique.

I bought a wonderfully sparkly shawl pin. I just can’t resist sparkles.

You can learn more about Sealed with a Kiss by visiting their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Susan and I got a hotel in Edmond for the night that ended up being less than 10 minutes from our next stop

Kristy’s Fiber Arts -Edmond

Kristy’s Fiber Arts is a dyeworks that features Kristy’s hand dyed yarns with a few other yarns alongside them.

Susan and I grabbed a coffee and waited in the parking for 10AM, the daily yarn crawl start time, but Kristy saw us and another group in our cars and invited us all in early.

We had a great time browsing and chatting, and Kristy shared a little bit about how she names her colorways. A lot depends on who or what she’s thinking about when she dyes. Mine would all end up being named after my chickens or food!

Yarns were organized by weight. I love to see hand dyers working with more than just sock weight yarn. I want those pretty colors and one-of-a-kind skeins in lace and bulky weights, too!

Kristy also stocked pretty macrame cord, so I made note of that for my mom, who does really nice macrame work. It was the most colors of cord I have ever seen in store, so if you like macrame, Kristy’s Fiber Arts is a great stop for it, too!

I bought some orange yarn and a mini skein kit from her at Fiber Christmas in July this year that I really liked, so I was excited to see what I missed that she’d have in store. The green and black yarn made me think of my younger brother, so Merry Christmas to him! I hope he’s not tired of beanies!

You can learn more about Kristy’s Fiber Arts from their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

The next stop was also in Edmond-another dyeworks.

A Chick That Knitz – Edmond

A Chick That Knitz used to be a “full blown” yarn shop a few years ago, but they weren’t as able to focus on dyeing yarn as much as they wanted, so they took a step back and opened as a dyeworks with exclusively their own yarn and limited days open to the public.

I’ve followed A Chick That Knitz online for quite a while, and I was excited to see their planned pooling yarns in person. The concept is simple— knit in one stitch, perhaps stockinette or garter stitch, for the main color of the yarn until you come across the color pooling bit (this is the section that isn’t the main color) and perform a special stitch.

It’s simple enough, but because each hand dyed skein is unique, it really enables you to create a one-of-a-kind item.

A Chick That Knitz has much more than just planned pooling yarns, but those were something I had been waiting to see for a long time because they’re how I learned about this way of using planned pooling. I’m in their area a few times a year, but the timing never lined up before to be able to see their space, so I’m glad I finally got to experience it during the yarn crawl.

I bought planned pooling yarn from their website after the yarn crawl ended.

You can learn more about A Chick That Knitz at their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Also look at their cool chicken logo!

The cloud ate my pictures from our next stop alongside most of my pictures from A Chick That Knitz, so I’ve linked some of their Instagram posts to show you their space.

MoonDrake Co. – Oklahoma City

When we reached MoonDrake Co. dyeworks in Oklahoma City, it started to hit me that our yarn crawl journey was almost over. The public part of the shop is on the small side but is nicely organized. Wool and dye scents wafted from the back room, and I really enjoyed that. Wool and lanolin smell is so comforting to me.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Moondrake Co. – Rachelle (@moondrakeco)

Because the display area was smaller, it was easy to see the many different types of yarn bases MoonDrake uses in their yarn lines.

I went home with a large skein that was actually two skeins —one of a stubby yarn and one of a cashmere/mohair blend— that were meant to be worked together into the same project. I also purchased a really pretty neon tweed yarn that I am looking forward to working with.

I really wish my photos hadn’t been eaten because the display did a really good job of telling the neon tweed line’s color story. They’re gorgeous, vibrant, and fun.

You can learn more about Moondrake Co. at their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Our final stop on the 2024 Oklahoma Yarn Crawl was

Yarnatopia—Oklahoma City

I’ve been to Yarnatopia a few times over the years, having pleaded with Chris to stop by on the way to or from visiting family. I really enjoy stopping by. The shop is a very nice size and has a really nice Malabrigo yarn wall. I know others appreciated it, too, because it had been picked through by the time we got there, and the yarn crawl had two days left!

I found some really nice “hi-viz” yarn to make a hat for my dad (he always requests a hat for Christmas) and a very nice slub yarn by Emma’s Yarn. (I tried to buy from all different brands but didn’t realize the sock yarn I bought from Cozy Corner Knits was also Emma’s Yarn. Guess that means I need to look into that brand more since I really like what I’ve seen so far!)

I really like the “Yarnatopia” yarn-wrapped letters on the wall, but I don’t think Chris would go for that in our house….

You can learn more about Yarnatopia at their website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

The End of the Road Trip

We were both pretty tired at the end of the Yarn Crawl and had a two and a half hour drive back to my place. Susan had another hour to go after she dropped me off. I think we’ll attend a few more days of the yarn crawl next year rather than trying to squish everything into three total days. We’ll be able to spend more time at each shop and participate in events that way, too.

Every shop owner I talked to seemed very excited about the results of the yarn crawl for their business, and the crawl still had three days left to go when Susan and I made our way to the central Oklahoma area shops.

Many of the dyers had sold out of colorways and had to tell crawlers when they’d be back in stock. I ended up making some purchases online or through Etsy after the official crawl dates were over to find colors, bases, and fibers I liked the most.

I knew of many of these businesses before the yarn crawl, but I had only managed to visit about half of them before the event. I have family in the western part of the state, and I’m already thinking up alternative routes that would allow me to drop by and see shops again on my way out and back home.

The yarn crawl did a great job showcasing how amazing and varied the Oklahoma fiber community is. I loved seeing each dyer’s different color stories and the variations in each shop’s different brands and specialties.

I had a wonderful time meeting Oklahoma’s fiber talents, and I can’t wait for The Second Annual Oklahoma Yarn Crawl 2025!

Thanks for joining me on this road trip recap of the 2024 Inaugural Oklahoma Yarn Crawl! Have you ever been on a yarn crawl as a customer or as a host? Do you plan your own yarny road trips?

yarn review

Squish It! – Jody Long Delish Yarn Review

July 26, 2024 elyknits

Hello everyone! It’s been a while!

Christmas Covid is the gift that keeps on giving, and recovery has been rough. It’s Fiber Christmas In July time already!

I’ve been through a slew of tests with more to come, but I’m finally able to break through the covid brain fog enough to feel confident writing again.

My yarn rep stopped by a few weeks ago and gave me some yarn samples for inspiration, so I thought I’d share my opinions with you.

Disclaimer:
All opinions are honest and my own. I was given this yarn for free with no expectation of review or endorsement.

Jody Long Delish

is a 50/50 extra fine merino wool/mulberry silk blend you will want to pet and squeeze repeatedly the second it gets into your hands. The color palette is well-rounded for a that is newer to the market with a nice blend of neutrals, pastels, and brights in its 16 colorways.

With an MSRP of $19.99 and MACHINE washable and DRYABLE labels on the tab, Delish seems almost too good to be true. Skeins are 50 grams each with 230 yards per skein (that’s about $0.09 per yard), which makes sweater quantities (1200-2200) fall in the $120-200 range. For a luxury yarn, that number feels about right.

Delish is OEKO TEX and Mulesing Free wool certified.

I carried my sample skein in my purse for days and made all of my friends squish it and rub it against their face. It feels amazing.

How It Worked Up

Delish flew through my standard gauge machine at Tensions 10 and 8, and I suspect it would be nice even at Tension 6, although that might produce a fabric that is too tight to show off the yarn’s wonderful drape. According to the label, Delish is a CYC 1 Superfine/Lace weight with a recommended hand knitting needle US3 and crochet hook D. It is a good yarn weight for lace work and could also be treated as a light fingering weight yarn with nice results.

Machine Compatibility

Standard	✔ worked amazingly
Mid-Gauge	✔ lower tensions
Bulky	✔ will work, but not the best choice

My sample skein was only 25 grams (retail version is 50g), so I didn’t test at as many tensions as I ended up wanting to.

I had zero issues with yarn breakage or tangling, but this yarn will stick to itself if you give it the chance. I ran into quite the yarn tangle while winding it into a cake on my yarn swift.

Laundry Care

I was most excited about the machine washable and dryable aspects of this yarn, and while the label is technically correct— you can do it— you shouldn’t.

My swatches did not appreciate being machine washed, and the second I pulled them from my machine, I wished I hadn’t done it.

Delish developed a very nice halo after washing, but it was also pill city. That doesn’t bode well for high-wear areas in garments.

The yarn also lost a lot of its pleasant sheen.

Here’s a refresher on how I treat my swatches when testing yarns:

Fresh off the machine — Set Stitches, Lay Flat, Measure, Record Gauge
Hand Wash, Flat Dry, Measure, Record Gauge
Machine Wash Cold, Flat Dry, Measure, Record Gauge
Machine Wash Cold, Machine Dry, Measure, Record Gauge

I think this method gives me a good feel for how a yarn will wear when worn. If I am concerned about a fabric dropping or I know the garment will be particularly heavier, like a skirt, I will hang the swatch and put a claw weight on it for a few days to simulate the weight and pull of the garment.

Always treat your swatch like you will treat your finished object!

A small part of me knew the machine wash and dry labels were probably too good to be true. I was disappointed, yes, but Delish did maintain its drape and wonderful hand feel after machine wash. It lost a bit of its sheen/vibrance after washing, but the halo was a nice trade off. The pilling wasn’t unexpected since the yarn does like to stick to itself, but I will note that the pilling issue wasn’t as present with hand washing.

Final Thoughts

Jody Long Delish is a really nice, luxury yarn at a decent price. It flows well through a knitting machine and wears fairly well if you treat it like a luxury yarn—which means NO machine washing or drying. (This may be a hot take, but if you put in the time and money for a sweater’s worth of yarn, you should be hand washing it anyway.)

I have to be very picky about what I spend my energy on now with Long Covid, and I’m probably a little more disappointed that I might’ve been in the past about the machine washable and dryable aspect not turning out as well as I’d hoped.

I still plan on buying some of this yarn.

While I originally wanted to make myself a nice cardigan using it, I think making a lacy shawl will show off the yarn’s wonderful drape and feel and take advantage of its lightweight warmth while avoiding the inevitable pilling in the higher wear areas of a cardigan.

I give Jody Long Delish

You can use Knitting Fever’s Shop Finder to find Jody Long Delish at a local yarn shop near you.

Thanks for joining me on my machine knitting journey! I love hearing from you!

Contact me if there’s something you’d like me to cover in future posts, or feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

In-person classes are on track to resume at Get Stitchin’ in October. I am in the process of getting internet access in my studio for future Zoom classes and streaming sessions. Hooray rural life!

yarn review

CONE Yarn Review: Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport

October 13, 2023October 11, 2023 elyknits

It’s fall, y’all! …well, it is autumn according to the calendar.

Sweater weather hasn’t fully arrived yet in Northeast Oklahoma, but I am here for you with a seasonally appropriate review of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport 100% wool yarn ON CONES!

Before we get into my knitting experience, here are

The Details

Fiber Content	100% Wool
Yardage/Meters	1682 yards / 1598 m
Ounces/Grams	16 oz / (1 lb) / 452 g
Yarn Weight/Size	CYC 2 / Sport
Made In	Mitchell, NE, USA
Availability	BrownSheep.co m, Brick-and-Mortar Local Yarn Shops
Construction	3 plies
Put Up	Cone
Hand Wash	Yes
Machine Wash	NO
Flat Dry	Yes
Machine Dry	NO
MSRP	$55.80
Price Per Yard	$0.03

Additional Info
•This yarn will felt if you do not follow proper care instructions.
•NatureSpun is treated with a moth proofing agent at the time of dyeing that makes the wool “unpalatable to the wool moth larvae.” (See their FAQ page for more details.)
•The main wool breeds used are Corriedale, Rambouillet, and Columbian.
•This construction is available in fingering, sport, worsted, and chunky yarn weights.
•Sport and Fingering are the only options that come in cones.

mid-work on a standard gauge knitting machine

Machine compatibility

4.5mm Standard	Yes
6.5mm Mid-Gauge	Yes
8mm / 9mm Bulky	Yes

Mid to high tensions felt best on a standard gauge machine. Low-mid tensions felt appropriate for the mid-gauge machine. Low tensions are appropriate on a bulky machine unless you plan on using specific techniques that require looser gauge.

(If you’re wondering, I knitted the pictured sweater at Tension 5/5 for the ribbing and Tension 10 for the colorwork.)

What I’m Looking For

I’ve laid out what I’m looking for in a book in recent reviews, but I haven’t really talked about what I want in a yarn. The completely unhelpful answer is “It depends.”

It’s about purpose.

Am I indulging myself in a luxurious, expensive specialty garment, or am I making a jacket I am going to wear every single day? Is the item for someone who will take the time to properly wash it, or is it for a busy new mom who barely has time to think, let alone check the care label on some knitting she got from Auntie Em?

I want to say I’m a bit of a yarn snob because the yarns I end up choosing for personal projects tend to be hand dyed from indie dyers that are specific wool breeds. I want that handmade, one-of-a-kind element to be there from start to finish.

But I can also appreciate acrylic and will argue that has its place in your stash alongside your finest, rarest fibers.

My considerations boil down to
•Will this work on my machine(s)?
•What is its purpose (everyday workhorse vs luxury) and does it meet it?
•How does it feel on my skin?
•Is it easy to care for as a gift?
•What are the color options?
•Is it sustainable/renewable? (This can be difficult to answer depending on the amount of information available)
•How does it block?
•Does it match the claims it makes? (i.e,. “just like silk!”)
•Is this going to be discontinued just because I like it?

I’m kind of kidding with that last one, but I’ll admit I’ve started to stay away from brands that are always introducing new yarns and then discontinuing them after a year. If it’s gone by the time I get to knit with it and I can’t find more, why bother even trying it? That’s a major yarn peeve!

Speaking of yarn peeves, you may not mind these things, but I sure do!

•Knots in low yardage skeins
•Knots in general
•Donut put-up
•Quickly discontinued
•Splitty construction
•Loose/easily lost labels (especially those wrapped but unsecured labels on those dang donuts)

sweater on a wildflower bed of saltmarsh asters

Knitting It Up

I bought this yarn to knit the Sweet and Simple Block Jumper by Kandy Diamond from her new book, Discovering Machine Knitting. (Check out my review here!)

Nature Spun has a great selection of colors. The two colors I used, Autumn Leaves, an olivey chartreuse, and Pomegranate, an autumn red, had very nice depth of color due to a tiny bit of added black. It really made the colors pop.

With more than eighty vibrant colors spun in four different weights, the possibilities are unlimited for creating something beautiful with Nature Spun.
BrownSheep.com

When I think of 100% wool yarns, I think “scratchy,” but that isn’t the case with Nature Spun. It is a bit more textured than a chemically treated superwash wool yarn version, but that is normal.

Nature Spun is pleasantly soft and squishy with a bit of a size bloom in the twist as it comes off of the cone. Brown Sheep Company classifies Nature Spun Sport as a CYC 2 yarn weight, but I wouldn’t call you wrong if you said it was a light DK or CYC 3 weight, as it is on the heavier end of “fingering” weight yarns.

This yarn flowed very nicely through my machines. I didn’t encounter any breakage or splitting, and when I needed to un-knit a few rows due to a punch card mispatterning, it didn’t cling to itself or create fiber halos around the strand of yarn as I unraveled it. It did shed a slight bit of fuzz as it went through the knit carriage, but others wools I have worked with shed the same amount.

I lightly steam blocked the sweater pieces before putting the sweater together. After a bath in some Eucalan, I wet blocked the finished sweater.

The yarn bloomed a tiny bit more after a steam and a soak, but the stitch definition is still nice and clear.

This wool is WARM. Much too warm for Oklahoma in general, but I had to try it on even if it was 82F outside when I finished. If you’re at higher latitudes, this should keep you very warm in the winter.

If you’re picky about your yarn’s sourcing, Brown Sheep Company says it sources its wool from local growers, and the entire process save wool scouring, carding, and combing is done at their Nebraska location. Plus, they are family owned.

Final Thoughts

This yarn is much nicer than I expected it to be, especially as a nonspecific wool blend at $0.03 per yard. Brown Sheep Company’s product listing claims “breathability, resilience, vibrancy, and warmth,” and I haven’t experienced anything to contradict that.

I joked with my husband that we needed to buy a building downtown and open up a yarn shop just so I can get a wholesale account with Brown Sheep Company. I really enjoyed working with this yarn, and I plan to purchase more of it. I personally don’t mind its care requirements, but if you plan to gift an item made from this, make sure your recipient knows how to wash it. It’s basically a one-season/winter only garment yarn in Oklahoma, but I think it’s worth it. I give it a solid

Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport on Cones is a workhorse yarn you’ll want to add to your stash.

Thanks for joining me on my machine knitting journey! I hope you’ve enjoyed my review. What factors do you consider when judging yarns? What do you want to see next on the blog? Let me know in the comments or contact me through my site form.

Disclaimer
I purchased this yarn myself. All opinions are honest and my own.
Amazon product links may be affiliate links. As an affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to use my link. If you don’t have a local place to support, please consider supporting the site and using my link.

yarn review

Yarn Review: Lion Brand Touch of Yak

November 12, 2021November 11, 2021 elyknits

I bought this yarn in 2020 to review, and, well, 2020 (and now most of 2021) happened. Now it’s on clearance, but if this yarn seems like it’s for you, you might find a good deal on

Lion Brand Touch of Yak

Touch of Yak in Water Lily

All opinions are honest and my own. I am not affiliated with any company or individual mentioned or linked unless otherwise noted. I purchased this yarn myself and did not receive compensation for this review.

About

Fiber Content	90-% Acrylic / 10 % Yak
Yardage/Meterage	219 / 200
Ounces / Grams	3.5 / 100
Yarn Weight	4 / Medium / Worsted
Made in	China
Availability	Local Yarn Store, Online
Put up	Skein

This yarn is on clearance for $6.99 at the time of this post, so if it’s something you’re interested in, grab it while you can. The clearance price brings the price per yard down from $0.06 per yard to $0.03 per yard.

Originally retailing for 13.99, Touch of Yak is part of Lion Brand’s “Touch of Luxe” collection. The listing mentions “Yak fiber is as soft and warm as cashmere, with wonderful drape,” but with 90% of this yarn being acrylic, any drape you achieve will be from steam blocking or “killing” the acrylic.

Colors are soft, muted, and generally neutral. Now that it’s on clearance, three colorways remain.

Care Guide

Hand Wash	Yes
Machine Wash	Yes
Flat Dry	Yes
Machine Dry	No

I machine washed and dried this yarn with no problems. To be honest, I couldn’t tell any difference made by the minimal presence of yak fibers compared to any other decent machine washable and dry-able acrylic.

Knitting Machine Compatibility

4.5mm Standard Gauge	No
6.5mm Mid-Gauge	Yes
8mm / 9mm Bulky Gauge	Yes

This is a worsted weight yarn. I wouldn’t put it through any standard gauge machine, but it worked fine on other gauges.

Touch of Yak in Waterlily in a warm light
Pattern: Mirror Cable Mitts on ravelry

Performance

This yarn knitted up fine. It wasn’t anything special, but it wasn’t terrible to work with. When I transferred stitches to form cables, the yarn was annoyingly splitty, but plain knitting was fine. The stitch definition was fine for cables and the finished project looked nice.

There’s really nothing to point out if you treat this like any decent acrylic. The yak is nowhere to be found, especially if you’ve worked with 100% yak fiber before. If you haven’t, you might be able to convince yourself this yarn is softer than another mid-range acrylic, but really, it’s not anything special. There is a slight halo of potential yak fiber if you squint. Maybe?

Blocking

This yarn is 90% acrylic, so block it as such. Too much heat will “kill” the acrylic and freeze it in place. “Killing” acrylic is literally melting the plastic it is made of. You’ll achieve a great drape with this but lose any other properties acrylic might offer.

Careful steam blocking is my blocking method of choice for all yarns, even acrylics, but you should make sure you do not leave your steamer in one location for too long.

Touch of Yak in Water Lily wound into a cake

Final Thoughts

This yarn is fine. That’s it. It’s fine. The “touch” of yak is barely noticeable. It feels like almost any other mid-range acrylic. It’s soft, it works, it’s machine washable, and even though it says not to, it really is machine dry-able. The color range is limited, and the yarn is now on clearance. If you like a slightly softer than normal acrylic and you snatch it up, this could be a good yarn for you provided you aren’t picky about colors. Just don’t expect anything that actually touched a yak when you purchase this.

I give Lion Brand LB Collection Touch of Yak a 2 out of 5 score.

Have you used Lion Brand Touch of Yak before in your machine knitting? What about in your hand knitting? What kind of projects did you use it for, and what did you think of its performance?

Are there other properties you think I should include in my yarn reviews? What yarn should I review next? Let me know in the comments!

Uncategorized, yarn review

Complete Yarn Review: Jody Long Coastline

August 20, 2021 elyknits

It’s time for another yarn review! I’ve been sitting on this one a while and really testing how it washes and wears, so I hope you enjoy all of the yarn data I’ve collected for you.

Like past yarn reviews, I’m covering fiber content, color options, ease of care, knitting machine compatibility, wear, and much more. If there’s a category you don’t see covered, let me know! I’ll add it to my list.

If you’re interested in learning more about the UK-based designer Jody Long, his designs, and the other yarn in his line, check out his website.

Today, we’re focusing on his fun fiber blend of

Jody Long Coastline

About

Fiber Content	33% Cotton / 28% Viscose / 27% Nylon Polyamide / 12% Linen
Yardage/Meterage	218 yd / 200
Ounces / Grams	3.5 / 100 g
Yarn Weight	4 / Medium / Worsted
Made in	Italy
Availability	Local Yarn Store, Online
Put up	Donut

Although retail listings might state Jody Long Coastline is a worsted weight yarn, its ravelry page and recommended needle/hook size place it closer to a heavy worsted or Aran weight yarn.

Coastline is distributed by Knitting Fever and has 18 colorways. The core of the yarn is made of natural fibers while the other fibers, which contain the dye, create a spiral chain around it.

The chain surrounding the core of the yarn occasionally allows the natural-colored core to show through, giving the yarn a heathered or marled look.

I untwisted the yarn in the image below to give you a better look at the chain and core construction.

Because Coastline is a heavy worsted/Aran weight, its low yardage count isn’t too much of a surprise. Coastline checks in at around $0.08 a yard.

Coastline retails for about $16.49 a ball at your Local Yarn Store but can be found at slightly lower prices online at WEBS yarn store.

I will always recommend shopping at your LYS since you won’t have to pay shipping and you’ll benefit from their years of experience at the shop. Feeling the yarn and seeing the colors in person is well worth it considering you’d only save a couple bucks by buying online.

As for how this yarn is presented, the donut put up is my least favorite way to obtain yarn. Yes, they look tiny and tidy on the shelves at the LYS, but once you use 50-60% of the ball, the donut starts to fall apart and tangle. It is one of the worst ways to present yarn in my opinion. It’s just asking for added headache, especially in slippery plant fiber yarns.