Wool is a loved yarn, its warmth and softness make it a favorite of most knitters and crocheters. Choosing any yarn can be pretty confusing but rest assured not much wrong goes with wool. Be it knitting or crochet, the yarn is a wonderful choice for both crafting techniques. Learning to crochet is tricky enough. You have to understand the yarn first and then decide upon a crochet hook before starting any project (glance over our previous blog on how to choose a crochet hook). Don’t make the process harder by choosing the wrong yarn, just go with wool.
Why to choose wool for crochet?
Choosing wool for crochet is an ideal choice if you are a beginner or you want to quickly crochet a gift for a loved one or complete a project ASAP. Wool is an amazing natural resource underrated in many ways. It is eco-friendly, pretty much weatherproof, works well to regulate the temperature, whether it is hot or cold and soft to wear. There are far more reasons to love wool.
Firstly, wool is a resilient fiber and is forgiving of mistakes. If you do make a mistake, most wool yarns are easy to unravel and reuse. Frogging your crochet project seems painful as you rip rows or stitches, but wool is forgiving. The yarn does not split or snag easily.
Secondly, there are abundant choices even in wool. Colors are available in a wide variety as wool is very dye friendly. Moreover, there are many different types of wool yarn, in terms of thickness and how tightly it’s spun. The finer the wool, the softer and delicate it is while the bulky variant is equally warm and soft. Available in varieties of fingering, DK, worsted, Aran, bulky, super bulky and more, wool can be used for pretty much any crochet project.
Thirdly, wool can be used by all. Now you must be wondering what about wool allergies as many could have them. A true allergy to wool is rare and is characterized by things like skin irritation, sneezing, nasal congestion, and red and puffy eyes. Also, most people aren’t allergic to the wool itself, but the lanolin, the natural oil in the wool. And, this too can be removed by washing the yarn before you even start the project.
Lastly wool is very forgiving when it comes to blocking. Giving the final shape to your crochet project is very important and wool is very responsive to blocking.
Now that I have listed the wonders of working with wool, here are some tips on how to avoid the wrong yarns and choose the best yarns for crochet when beginning your journey.
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1. Highly Textured Yarns
Textured wool yarns are super pretty but it’s really tough to see your crochet stitches, especially as a beginner. So, look for a smooth yarn with the same even thickness throughout the skein.
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2. Dark Colored Yarn
Like textured yarn, wool that is too dark in color makes it tough to see the stitches as you work on them. Go for a yarn with a neutral or pastel color that’s easy on the eyes. With wool, you are spoilt with choices, but I recommend sage green, light tan, or medium brown if you are a newbie.
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3. Be aware of yarn that is Too Thick or Too Thin
Wool that is too thick or too thin are both difficult to crochet. Very thick yarn can be tough to manipulate because of its weight while very thin yarn makes it tough to see stitches and is susceptible to tangles. Look for a category 4 – worsted or category 5 – bulky weight yarn. Both are easy to find and work with.
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4. Avoid single Ply Yarn
Single-ply yarn is often loosely spun, making it susceptible to splitting. It’s also very difficult to unravel if you’ve made a mistake. Choose a wool yarn with a tighter twist.
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5. Variegated Yarn
The though very pretty, variegated yarn looks like a labyrinth to the untrained eye. It will be very tricky to learn to crochet with a yarn like this. Instead, you can choose a solid-colored yarn that is the same color throughout the skein.
Handcrafted crochet tools from Lantern Moon
Now that you have decided on wool for your crochet project, let’s explore the range of handcrafted crochet hooks. Lantern Moon offers a range of crochet hooks handmade from premium ebony wood that reflect elegance, artisan skill, beauty, and luxury. The crochet hook selection fits the needs of a new as well as an experienced crocheter and every type of project. The exceptional finishing and attention to detail are available in our single-ended crochet hooks or the speciality Tunisian crochet hooks or even the crochet set Bequest. The warm liquid finish of the crochet hooks makes crochet a pleasurable experience.