What kind of wool do you use?

[BoobyJuice]

I saw the other wool thread but the recommendations looked like they were for online. I need to get wool for two days from now. So I need to get it in a store. My grandmother is visiting and wants to make wool soakers for me - she just found out I switched to cloth. I need enough for a few soakers; she has parkinson's and the knitting helps her hands not shake, so she knits constantly. She hasn't made soakers in over 50 years, but is tired of making afghans and throws for everyone she knows

I need to get the yarn but know nothing about it at all. I've never even owned a soaker made by anyone else. What kind of yarn to I need? Brand, how thick, type? I figure it should be soft and not scratchy, but . . .

[LuvMy2Kidz]

Unless you have a local yarn store, then check Hancock's, Joanns, Michaels or Hobby Lobby for Lion's brand Fishermans yarn.

[CraftyMommaOf2]

Originally Posted by LuvMy2Kidz

Unless you have a local yarn store, then check Hancock's, Joanns, Michaels or Hobby Lobby for Lion's brand Fishermans yarn.

yep! one skein makes at least two soakers and dyes very nicely.

[Max'sMama]

There is all kinds of yarn you can buy online, I however, use Lion Brand-fishermans wool. Depending on where you live you may be able to find wool yarn locally. I prefer aran weight, my mother knits soakers with worsted weight. The best pattern I have found is http://www.livejournal.com/community...rs/110889.html
or
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kfegelman/soaker.html
Little Turtle Knits is a great pattern, I liked starting with the free patterns first, that way you can see which style fit your little one best. The first pattern is very true to size, and really simple, works great.
As far as wool care, the cloth diapering board has a great archived wool care section.

Good luck and hopefully your grandma has fun knitting, if she's like my mom, she'll change and modify the patterns to keep herself busy.

[BoobyJuice]

Unless you have a local yarn store

Sorry, got a good chuckle out of that. We don't have a local anything . . . have to go to the next town to go to the post office. But my mother is going down to pick up my grandmother so she's going to be in the "big city" and should be able to find yarn stores. I'll see if she can find the lion brands. Thanks for the advice. Anything else you'd recommend if we find a yarn shop?

[Parthenia]

Lamb's Pride. It's very soft, reasonably priced, and comes in a variety of colors.

[lestouffer]

If you hit the local yarn shop in teh "big city" Galway is very nice too. It coems in lots of colors and seems to be a yarn shop standard (a real yarn shop, not a hobby shop, where in my experiecne, you are limited to Fishermans). The prob with Fishermans is if you choose to dye it BEFORE you knit it you may not have enough time ti dye, wash and get it dry to knit it. You can always dye it AFTER you knit it but then you won't get the cool variegated patterns). Good luck....

[lifetapestry]

I really, really like Cascade's ecological yarn-- it's processed without dyes or other chemicals, is super soft (fisherman's is very rough by comparison), and one 8 oz skein is about $15 (will make at least 2 large soakers; I got one large soaker and a pair of shorts out of it. Dyes up great and bright.

But you can also just have mom take your grandma to the knitting shop and let her pick out the yarn. Anything that is 100% wool and preferably a smaller or "farm" brand (my local shop carries lots of kettle dyed and handspun yarns) will work beautifully. Actually, I've heard that cashmere and mohair also work great, so a 50% wool blend (with cashmere or mohair) would also work. They'll be expensive, though.

Karla

[pinky]

I was just going to add that I'm not a big fan of the Lion Brand Fisherman's wool--I find it to be really scratchy. Maybe it gets better with washing, but I have also had better luck with Cascade yarns. They are very reasonably priced and very soft.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I like the cascades as well. Wanted to warn that Lamb's Pride (IME) isn't the best choice because of hte mohair content, it tends to fuzz like crazy and you'll be pulling hair out of babe's privates forever, LOL!