where do you buy your yarns at?

[kittie313]

I'm looking to buy some super yummy yarns in fun colors to make some sweaters for my family (wool for dh and the kids, acrylic for me) If you order your yarns online, or buy from a shop that has an online store also, please tell me where you go so I can find a place that isn't WalMart for yarn. I'm wanting something a *lot* nicer than regular WalMart yarn for my 2009 knitting projects............ (I'm also planning on knitting a few afghans for Christmas gifts next year, among other things)

[Think of Winter]

Do you belong to any yahoo groups that run yarn coops? That's where I get most of my yarn. I like Peace Fleece for really durable, moderately soft, beautifully colored wool made from happy sheep. Retail on PF is not too bad, but it's even better in a coop. I also love 100PureWool, which is buttery soft Uruguayan merino made under natural conditions by a women's cooperative. It's about $9 per skein retail plus shipping, or you can get it for less from a coop.

[E.V. Lowi]

Webs-

http://www.yarn.com/

[Fyrestorm]

I check out Smiley's once per week...you never know what they are going to have! I picked up Patons upcountry wool for $2.99 a skein there a few months ago.

[iowaorganic]

Peace Fleece! It makes super durable nearly washable wool sweaters! If you are looking to do as much knitting as in your post- you could probably fill a wholesale order yourself (I almost always do....) It ends up being $4.5/hank and you have to buy at least $100 worth. Like 22-23 skiens- and don't forget the buttons- they are like the candy for your sweaters!


Why acrylic for yourself?

Other than that- I love my LYS- the owner will custom dye anything for you and it is very good quality and reasonable prices... Or knitpicks- depending on the project- or Elann!

[sabrinat]

I get a lot at knitpicks and actually a fair bit at AC Moore. My local AC Moore has a pretty good selection of nonacrylic stuff, plus you can use a coupon.

[texaspeach]

I don't like to buy yarn I can't touch first, so I mostly only shop at my LYS.

[kittie313]

Acrylic for me because I'm allergic to wool and need to actually wear long sleeves and gloves when I knit a lot of the stuff I plan on knitting this upcoming year. None of my girls have my wool allergy though thankfully, so they are getting wool since its way warmer than acrylic is. I'm going to have to keep wool and non-wool projects both going at the same time so that when my hands need the break from gloves I can knit something else instead of stopping completely. Its going to be interesting, that's for sure.

And yes, I'm planning on likely somewhere around 50+ hanks in the end because I have so much knitting this year planned. I'm a pretty fast knitter though, so I'll just have to keep the materials around and make time daily (I usually can work out 2 or 3 hours at least once a day, sometimes twice daily with scattered 15-20 minutes periods tossed in too, and weekends I can knit all I want if dh isn't at work)

[iowaorganic]

I would totally treat myself to something silk or hemp or bamboo then... geez- I don't think I could knit with gloves on.... there must be a trick to that.

[kittie313]

Originally Posted by iowaorganic

I would totally treat myself to something silk or hemp or bamboo then... geez- I don't think I could knit with gloves on.... there must be a trick to that.

Its one of those things you learn to do, and its also part of the reason I knit the way I do. (I knit english, but forward and in reverse because I hate the extra time that it takes to turn my work, and using a funky way of controlling the tension of my yarn, it confuses a lot of people who actually watch me knit) I've also found ONE yarn that my lys carries that is 100% wool but doesn't cause a reaction, its handspun at the store and I have no clue where they get the raw wool from or what they do with it but man its a dream to work with. Pricey, but nice. I'll usually use that wool whenever I can afford it, but for a sweater (or a series of 5 sweaters and a half dozen afghans and other goodies) I need to use less expensive wool to watch my costs. I'll get a couple hanks of undyed though and make some earmuffs or something small like that, then dye them myself to go with their winter coats.

Although I have been eyeing some yummy silk to make a few things for myself..................... I may be doing a silk knit sweater later on for me instead of the cheapie acrylic.

[iowaorganic]

I knit myself a Sahara out of Elann tweedy silk and it is a great pattern. The tweedy silk looks almost like cotton- it is not very lush- but that makes it so I can wear it all the time. I am hoping to sneak away my pennys this year to knit myself another Sahara out of something fabulous! (maybe tilli tomas.... that stuff is so beautiful!)