Sample Skeins for October

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the October sample skeins. These are NOT comprehensive yarn reviews. They are my opinions reflecting my personal preferences and prejudices.

These swatches have not been washed.

Rowan Classic Yarns Soft Lux.
64% Extra Fine Merino Wool, 24% Nylon, 10% Angora, 2% Metallic Fibre. Worsted weight. Swatch knit on #7 needle. My gauge: 4.2 stitches/inch, 6 rows/inch.

This is not a blurry picture. The yarn is super soft and has the appearance of handspun.

The metallic thread is subtle. It looks like little twinkles in the swatch.

Nice yarn but I find the available colors to be blah. If it was available in red (thinking Christmas sweater) I'd be tempted.


Needful Yarns Filtes King Extra Stampato
100% Australian Merino. Aran weight. Swatch knit on #7 needle. My gauge: 5 stitches/inch, 7 rows/inch.

Nice yarn with short color repeats. It's soft, smooth to knit, and all the colorways are appealing.

I'd love to buy some, but can't rationalize it. Any sweater knit with this multicolored yarn would look best in stockinette, and I prefer knitting stitch patterns. It would be fun to have some for charity knitting, but I have several years worth of charity knitting stash to use up and don't want to get distracted from that goal.

It doesn't go on sale until October 14. Maybe I'll think of a reason to buy some before then.


Needful Yarns Filtes King Extra.
100% Australian Merino. Swatch knit on #7 needle. My gauge: 5 stitches/inch, 7 rows/inch.

Same yarn in gorgeous colors, some of them very bright.

Same thoughts. I wouldn't mind having some of this yarn.


Araucania Copihue.
100% Super Fine Alpaca. Bulky Weight. Swatch knit on #10 needle. My gauge: 4 stitches/inch. Not enough yarn to measure row gauge.

If someone handed me this swatch and told me to guess the fiber content, I would guess wool. And, when they told me the swatch is 100% super fine alpaca, I would argue with them.

Maybe it will get softer when washed, but it's not soft now. I want my alpaca soft and cuddly while knitting as well as after knitting. Not even tempted to buy this yarn.

Samples Skeins for September

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the September sample skeins. These are NOT comprehensive yarn reviews. They are my opinions reflecting my personal preferences and prejudices.

These swatches have not been washed.

Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan. 60% Merino Wool, 30% Microfiber, 10% Cashmere. Aran weight. Swatch knit on #6 needle.

My gauge: To get an accurate gauge on a boucle, one needs to count the stitches when they're cast on and count the rows as they're knit. I didn't do that. I'm guessing the gauge is approximately 4.5 stitches/inch.

This is the nicest boucle type yarn Elann has sent so far. It is possible to knit if one is highly motivated to knit a boucle item. I'm not.


Rowan Classic Yarns Soft Tweed. 56% Wool, 20% Viscose Rayon, 14% Nylon, 10% Silk. Bulky weight. Swatch knit on #11 needle.

My gauge: 3 stitches/inch, 4 rows/inch.

This yarn has a felted feel to the strand. Overall it's soft and too warm for most of us to want to wear indoors.

My little skein had a knot and a place, marked by the pin in the picture, where the yarn turned into a thread. Thought I've never bought any Rowan yarn, I think of it as being high quality, so those two imperfections were a surprise.


Louisa Harding Impression. 84% Nylon, 16% Mohair. DK weight. Swatch knit on #6 needle.

My gauge: 5.5 stitches/inch, 8 rows/inch.

This is my favorite of the month's offering. It's a ribbon yarn in gorgeous jewel tones with a slight halo. Easy knitting and soft results.

Note that I'm a complete sucker for variagated yarns and usually regret that choice after actually knitting up. This yarn sure is pretty. I'm going to admire my swatch and save my money.


Gedifra Fashion Trend Gold. 49% Wool, 48% Acrylic, 3% Polyester. Polar weight. Swatch knit on #11 needle.

My gauge: 3 stitches/inch. 4.5 rows/inch.

If anyone is tempted by this pretty yarn, make sure you consider that the result may be a short term fashion choice. The metallic spots are painted on. Even though I didn't wash my swatch, I can't imagine they're going to last through too make wearings and washings before looking ratty or disappearing completely.


Plymouth Outback Mohair. 70% Mohair, 26% Wool, 4% Nylon. Bulky weight. Swatch knit on #10 needle.

My gauge: 3 stitches/inch, 4.5 rows/inch.

A little difficult to knit because of the fuzz, but soft and colorful.

The swatch is wider toward the bottom because I did a row of eyelets there to see if a lace pattern would show. It doesn't.

In my younger, skinny days when I didn't mind endless stockinette, I would have snapped this up to knit a new fall sweater. But not until I made sure the swatch still looked great after washing.

August Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the August sample skeins. These are NOT comprehensive yarn reviews. They are my opinions reflecting my personal preferences and prejudices.

All swatches are unwashed this month.

ON line Linie - Cotton Stretch.

70% Cotton, 30% Polyester. Bulky weight.

Swatch knit on #10 needle. My gauge 4 stitches/inch, 5.5 rows/inch.

Yarn is stretchy like tubular elastic. Very soft.

Not good for cables or lace or anything intricate. It would make a quick knit top for someone who likes the bulky yarn look. I won't buy this yarn, but if someone gave it to me I'd knit it up.


Queensland Himalayas.

100% Wool. Bulky weight.

Swatch knit on #10 needle. My Gauge 3.5 stitches/inch, 5 rows/inch.

This is first cousin to Bad Biasing Yarn, the most awful yarn I ever had the bad judgement to purchase.

Look! Even this tiny swatch is showing bias. Don't be taken in by the pretty colors. Stay away, stay away.


Katia Venue (bottom swatch).

50% Wool, 50% Acrylic. Aran weight.

Swatch knit on #8 needle. My gauge 4 stitches/inch, 6 rows/inch.

Self-striping yarn with gradual color shifts. Pretty and soft.

It's also a bit fuzzy and could easily pill.

Katia VIP (top swatch).

58% Acrylic, 42% Wool. Polar weight (Whatever that is. Their words, not mine.)

Swatch knit on #11 needle. My gauge? Impossible to measure because I don't remember how many stitches I cast on. Now that they're knit, the stitches are invisible.

This yarn is dyed to match the Venus which could lead to designing fun if this yarn was knitable. Trust me, it isn't. If you try to knit it you will cry. It's so loopy and tangly I couldn't get the starting slip knot snug on the needle.


Filatura di Crosa Malizioso.

90% Wool, 10% Acrylic. Polar Weight.

Swatch knit on #11 needle. My gauge 3 stitches/inch, 4 stitches/row.

The recommended needle sizes are #13 to #15. #11 is the largest needle I own, and probably wouldn't own that if it hadn't come as part of the Knitpicks Options set.

Anything knit with this yarn is going to scream HOME MADE and not in a good way. To an experienced knitter of beautiful projects it is going to scream HOME MADE BY SOMEONE WHO IS TOO IMPATIENT TO KNIT WITH A NORMAL YARN.

And the colors are not pretty. At least not in this swatch.

July Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the July sample skeins. These are NOT comprehensive yarn reviews. They are my opinions reflecting my personal preferences after knitting a sample skein.

The two swatches on the left were machine washed. The two on the right were hand washed. All four were laid out to dry. All washed well.


Nilo (upper left). 60% Cotton, 30% Viscose, 10% Linen. DK weight. Swatch knit on #5 needle. 5.5 stitches/inch before washing, 5 stitches/inch after washing.

Nothing wrong with this yarn, I just don't care for the look or feel of it. Maybe that's because of the yucky color they sent me. The picture doesn't do it justice.

It's very drapy and beware - it grew when washed.

Sula (lower left). 50% Cotton, 25% Linen, 25% Acrylic. DK weight. Swatch knit on #4 needle. 5.5 stitches/inch before and after washing.

Looking at the unknit skein I though Sula was going to be splitty. It wasn't. It knit up nice.

The colors all have a contrasting strand spun in, making for an interesting texture. I think the colors would be prettier without it.

None of the colors is calling my name, but if someone gave me a bag of this yarn I'd happily knit it up.

Pure Bamboo (not shown). 100% Bamboo. Fingering weight.

The sample skein was rolled into a ball about an inch in diameter. When I went to knit it up, I couldn't find it. I'm sure it's somewhere in or under a piece of furniture, but it's doing a great job of being invisible.

One good thing came from this - while searching I found a long lost favorite cable needle down inside the sofa.

Noro Silk Mountain (lower right). 65% Wool, 25% Silk, 10% Kid Mohair. Bulky weight. Swatch knit on #10 needle. 3 stitches/inch before and after washing.

Yikes! Do people really knit with this stuff?

With my Continental knitting technique, this yarn turned me into a bumbling, super slow, frustrated knitter. The point of my needle had to poke around in each stitch to find the actual loop. Sometimes I'm sure I missed the loop and speared one of the blobs in the yarn.

No way do I want to knit with this yarn ever again. Even though the colors are gorgeous.

Katia Scotch (upper right). 65% Silk, 25% Wool, 9% Viscose Rayon. Chunky weight. Swatch knit on #7 needle. 4 stitches/inch before and after washing.

This is my favorite yarn of the month. It's thick, soft, cuddly, and smooth knitting. All sixteen of the colors are tweedy and attractive.

I tried some simple lace and frogged it. The yarn is too heavy.

Katia Scotch isn't available until the end of the month. I'm letting my subconscious work on finding the perfect pattern. It needs to be simple to show off the yarn.

June Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the June sample skeins. These are NOT comprehensive yarn reviews. They are my opinions reflecting my personal preferences after knitting a sample skein.

The swatches have all been machine washed in warm water and laid out to dry. None had any shrinkage.


Coto Canapone (upper left). 52% Cotton, 48% Hemp. Worsted weight. Swatch knit on #4 needle.

Nice summer yarn at a very reasonable price. I'm going to give it the ultimate test, and knit myself a short sleeve summer sweater.

All the colors are lovely. I had a hard time choosing. Finally settled on Summer Spice, a muted orange color, and placed my order this afternoon.

With a #4 needle I got 6 stitches/8.5 rows per inch, so I question the "worsted weight" classification. The fabric is not tight, not baggy, and was comfortable to knit. I'm sticking with the #4 needles.

Bamboo Fusion (upper right). 50% Bamboo, 31.2% Cotton, 18.8% Acrylic. Worsted weight. Swatch knit on #5 needle.

Beware! Beware!

The colors are beautiful. The knitting is unpleasant.

My swatch was totally splitty. I couldn't knit at my normal speed without splitting the yarn. Even at a reduced speed and eyeballing every stitch as it went on the needle I still got some splitting. It was like the threads making up the yarn just didn’t want to hang together.

I won't be buying this yarn.

Lustrado (lower left). 100% Mercerized/Gassed Cotton. Fingering weight. Swatch knit on #2 needle.

Someday I'm going to get into doily/tablecloth knitting. If I were doing that now, this would be a perfect yarn. It machine washed up in warm water with no shrinkage.

Since I have no current use for it I won't be buying any Lustrado, but it's a very nice yarn for cotton fingering weight.

Katia Swing (lower right). 70% Acrylic, 30% Cotton. DK weight. Swatch knit on #3 needle.

Katia is a flat, ribbon like yarn available in numerous bright colors. It knit up nice and it machine washed with no problem.

The swatch has a harsh acrylic feeling. I don't think I would enjoy wearing something knit from this yarn.

May Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the May sample skeins. These are NOT yarn reviews. They are my personal preferences after knitting a sample skein.

The picture was taken before the swatches were washed. I washed all four of them in the washer with agitation, and all four passed the laundry test with flying colors.

I haven't decided which I'm going to buy, if any. But none of the four are out of the running.

Elann's Luna (upper left). 55% viscose, 45% cotton. DK weight. Swatch knit on #3 needle.

This yarn is much prettier in person than in my picture or in the Elann color flyer for May. There's a matt strand and a very shiny strand twisted together. In most of the colors, the two strands are different in hue and the result is gorgeous.

The featured pattern for this yarn is a Feather and Fan Bolero and I'm a sucker for anything Feather and Fan. Where does that leave me? Trying to pick a color and asking myself if I will really wear a lacy bolero. (Bolero pattern free on the Elann website.)

Elann's Soie Lin (upper right). 70% silk, 30% linen. DK weight. Swatch knit on #3 needle.

This is the first silk yarn I've ever knit and liked the result. The silk/linen combination is perfect and Soie Lin got an A+ in washability.

Not too crazy about the colors, but I'm thinking this would make a lovely lacy top. If I buy this yarn, I'll probably just get Seed Pearl, the color of the swatch.

Queensland Maldive (lower left). 45% cotton, 45% acrylic, 10% viscose. DK weight. Swatch knit on #3 needle.

Soft and easy to knit. And there's a bright green color calling my name - unless I decide on the orange or turquoise.

My only reservation about Maldive is the little flecks of dark color. The majority are sitting on the yarn surface without being firmly attached. I can pick them off, brush them off, and some are so loose I can blow them off.

I expected them to fall off in the wash, but they didn't. Magic yarn?

Queensland Tahiti 49% cotton, 36% acrylic, 12% microfiber, 3% polyester. Aran weight. Swatch knit on #5 needle.

My swatch is the tamest of the nine offered color combos. The yarn isn't expensive and I just might knit up a short sleeve summer top for fun.

It would be like nothing I've ever knit before. Almost have to be all stockinette. Would the colors keep me happy or would I doze off in a bored, stockinette induced stupor?

April Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the April sample skeins. These are NOT yarn reviews. They are my personal preferences after knitting a sample skein.

Soie Bambou (left). 65% silk, 35% bamboo, DK weight. Swatch knit on #4 needle.

Nice. This is a yarn I would never have considered buying before I knit the sample. Great stitch definition and the ribbing has spring to it.

When the yarn was wrapped around my needle, the plies spread out so I could see each individual thread. I was unable to knit this yarn at my normal knitting speed and catch all the plies on each stitch. Knitting it without splitting required a sharp pointed needle and constant vigilance.

Araucania Atacama (top right). 100% Alpaca, Aran weight. Swatch knit on #5 needle.

For almost 50 years I've been attracted to variegated yarns that look pretty in the skein and disappoint when knit. I never learn. When I saw this sample skein I got very excited. The skein was gorgeous. Variegated alpaca, what could be nicer?

Saved by the ugly little swatch. I'm no longer in love. And, it's not as soft as the Peruvian Pure Alpaca that Elann sells.

Berroco Suede Tri-Color (lower right). 100% nylon. Swatch knit on #7 needle.

This is really a nylon ribbon about 1/8 inch wide. It was easy knitting.

Even knit on a needle size smaller than the recommended 8, the resulting fabric is very loose. I can pull it long or I can pull it wide. I'm trying to think what kind of garment would work with this yarn and failing. Maybe if it were a prettier color I would try harder?


Araucania Magallanes (left). 100% single ply thick and thin wool. Swatch knit on #8 needle.

The thick is like Lopi, the thin is like fingering weight. The resulting texture is interesting. The colors are attractive.

I'm still mulling this one over.

Berroco Zen Colors (right). 55% cotton, 45% nylon ribbon, worsted weight. Swatch knit on #8 needle.

I know I didn't have kind words for the solid color version Zen when I wrote the March Sample Skein post. But these colors are striking and worth a second look for someone who needs a dressy little jacket.


This free pattern is written for Zen and is perfect for the ribbon yarn. If I had a special occasion happening this summer, I'd be tempted.

I may not have learned to stop buying variegated yarn, but I have learned that if there's to be any hope of turning it into something nice the pattern needs to be simple.

February and March Sample Skein Swatches

When I subscribed to Elann Sample Skeins, one of my goals was to knit up each sample skein, including yarn I would never dream of buying. Because who knows? I might fall in love with a yarn that I otherwise never would have tried. Or, in short, I wanted to experiment a little and expand my yarn exposure.

The following are my impressions of the February and March sample skeins. These are NOT yarn reviews. They are my personal preferences after knitting a sample skein.

All of the yarns are lovely for what they are.

February Skeins

Peruvian Pure Alpaca (top). 100% fine grade alpaca, worsted weight.

This stuff is heavenly. Reminds of the angora I bought when I was a teenager to "wrap" my boyfriend's ring so it would fit on my finger. I bought 20 skeins of it in pink for Chenille.

Superwash Worsted (center left). 100% superwash wool, worsted weight.

The swatch was knit on #5 needles and has been washed. I'm impressed. It even feels like real wool. If I ever want to knit with superwash worsted, I will buy this yarn.

Superwash Bamboo (center right). 65% superwash wool, 35% bamboo, worsted weight.

This was my first time to knit with anything bamboo and won't be my last. In fact, I'd like to try a sweater with this yarn. It knit up smooth and silky, but unlike silk has plenty of stretch, wonderful stitch definition, and the ribbing is springy. The colors are bright and shiny.

Esprit (bottom). 98.3% cotton, 1.7% elastic, sport weight.

This was my first time knitting yarn with elastic so it took a few rows to get the feel for knitting with what felt like a rubber band. I dislike the rough feel of the fabric and at my age I don't think I want to wear an elastic anything.

I guess some people use this stuff for socks. It's nubbly and rough. My feet hurt just thinking about it.


March Skeins

Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (upper left). 80% baby alpaca, 20% silk, Aran weight.

Why ruin alpaca by spinning it with silk? I've never cared for the slippery feeling of silk. Time after time, year after year, I buy clothing or yarn with silk content and regret it. Will I ever learn? Maybe. I'm not buying this yarn.

Berroco Zen (upper right). 55% cotton, 45% nylon, worsted weight.

Worsted weight? How can ribbon be worsted weight?

This was my first time knitting with ribbon. I've always wondered what it would be like, and now I know. It was awful. The way I knit, my needle kept piercing the ribbon. I never did get a rhythm going and was glad when the swatch was finished.

The sample garment shown in the ad was cabled. I can't imagine the torture of knitting cables with ribbon yarn. If I ever want a garment made from ribbon, I'll buy it ready made.

Ella Rae Shibu (lower left). 90% silk, 10% rayon, worsted weight with a matte finish.

My swatch is unwashed and feels more like cotton than silk. I wouldn't consider it a pleasure to wear something knit with this.

Berroco Nostalgia (lower right). 46% cotton, 30% acrylic, 24% nylon, worsted weight.

It doesn't show in my picture, but there's a shiny white thread in this yarn that reminds me of the baby yarn sold in the five and dime fifty years ago. Maybe that's why they called it Nostalgia?

The washing instructions are cold wash and flat dry. It seems like cotton/acrylic/nylon should be able to take a regular machine wash and dry cycle. But since I have no plans for this yarn, I'll let someone else worry about it.

February Elann Sample Skeins

After being extremely pleased* with two sweater projects knit in Elann Peruvian Highland Wool (FLAK and Peerie Brocade), one of my knitting resolutions for 2008 is to try more of the Elann yarns.

In January I signed up for Elann's Sample Skeins. Each Tuesday Elann features a new closeout or special purchase yarn. Each month a Sample Skein subscriber gets a package containing a 10 yard sample skein for each Tuesday and corresponding color snips.

The cost is $52, a dollar a week, all credited back at the rate of $2.50 for each $25.00 spent. No time limit on the rebate.

Yesterday the February package arrived. This is what it contained:




4 - 10 Yard Sample Skeins (on left)

• Superwash Wool Worsted.
  It feels more "wooly" than Knitpicks Swish. I'm looking forward to knitting up the little skein and seeing how it handles the wash. No superwash projects in mind now.
  
  
• Superwash Bamboo Worsted.
  65% superwash wool, 35% bamboo. Interesting yarn with a sheen. I never would have considered bamboo for a project until seeing this yarn. I need to read about Bamboo in the Book of Yarn. Does it act like silk?
  
  
• Esprit Sport Weight.
  Sport weight cotton with 1.7% elastic. I don't think I like this yarn, but I'm going to knit up the little skein and see what happens.
  
  
• Peruvian Pure Alpaca Worsted.
  Yep, the little alpaca skein is missing. It jumped right on my needles and is now the swatch at center bottom of the picture.
  
  Knitting it created serious yarn lust. There will be a sweater! I have until February 26 to decide on a color.
  
  The sample skein swatch measures 5 x 2 inches knit on #5 needles in sand stitch.

Color snips of all four yarns (center top)

• There are snips on both sides of the card. The side with the Esprit and alpaca snips is facing up.

Color flyer for all four yarns with release dates, prices, and how to order.
This is the same flyer that comes via email for those on the Elann mailing list.

This is going to be such fun!

Meanwhile I've been notified that my Cascade 220 has been shipped and is due to arrive next Monday. I think I'll knit one more CIC sweater.

* Why am I extremely pleased with Peruvian Highland Wool?

• Gets softer after each washing
  
• Holds shape well
  
• Almost no pilling
  
• Great stitch definition
  
• Mind boggling color selection of attractive oolors