Yarn Options

I admit to being a lazy knitter, and one who is easily swayed by the image so glamorously portrayed in a magazine or pattern book.  Because I foolishly delude myself that if I knit that garment, in that same color, in that same yarn I will be transported to a life of luxury and I will suddenly be six feet tall, while weighing exactly the same amount.

I'm foolish, but I've been trying to let go of these preconceptions and open myself up to, dare I say it, yarn substitutions.  I've gotten pretty good at it where felting projects are concerned.  I know most of you are more frugal and crafty than I, and would never knit fuzzy feet except in stash yarn, but I thought it might be of interest to post good alternatives to the Lamb's Pride used in the original version.  In fact, none of the LYS in my area stock Lamb's Pride. I lust after it, but I don't have any.

So, just in case you have to, or simply want to, buy some new yarn here are easily available choices.  You'd never want to actually buy yarn, right?

Cascade 220*

Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted

Nashua Yarns Creative Focus Worsted**

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes

Elann Highland Wool

Noro Kureyon***

Arucania Nature Wool Worsted

Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed

Plymouth Galway

I tried to stick to suggestions that are reasonably economic.  OK, the Noro option might be getting a up there a bit.  There are millions of others not on this list -- it's easy enough to sub in a bulkier or lighter weight yarn.  This is felting, gauge differences that at not too dramatic will all be lost in the wash.  Literally.  Just felt to fit.  The finished items may differ some in thickness, but they'll be cozy.

For a brief moment this morning I even considered using some Colinette Point 5 I have in stash for this project.  I may yet give it a try.

When subbing, just make sure the natural fiber content is very high.  Otherwise felting action will be tough to come by.  I've felted Classic Elite La Gran, which has something like 13% nylon.  It took a while, but it worked and is lovely.

The asteriks are my planned Fuzzies.  Cascade for me, Naturespun for child #1, Nashua Creative Focus for child #2.  I'm really looking forward to using the Creative Focus -- I think the alpaca content will add a lovely haze and softness to the finished product.  I may have to steal them from her.

I can't wait to see what everyone else picks.  If you don't have a blog, please leave a comment and let us know what you're planning.

Check out Theresa's blog.  She's done before we've even really started!  Maybe she's planning more?

Comments

[Bethe]

Lion Brand 100% wool felted beautifully (but very quickly) when I used it for a bag).

[laurie]

I am (of course) using Patons Up country, which is discontinued but I have hoarded it like the maniac I am, and it felts looooovely and thick. I'm going to do a "prototype" pair first before working on my mom's feet ... oh who am I kidding? I just want a pair, too LOL.

[Susan]

I second the Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, and dye it yourself. An 8 oz! skein is a whopping 6 or 7 bucks, and you get the fun of dyeing it. Plus, if there's a Michael's ad around, you can use the 40% off coupon and make it super cheap. It does felt well, I've used it a couple times now.

[Shannon]

I have the Plymouth Galway in 100% wool. I'll let you know how it felts...

[SpaceCase]

I'm very, very lucky that my LYS stocks lots and lots of Lamb's Pride Worsted & Bulky at a reasonable price. So I got two skeins in prep for this knit along - one skein for the fuzzy feet, and a "whoops" skein just in case. Here's hoping it will felt nicely in the sink!

[laurie]

Hey, are ya'll casting on with DPNS or onto your circular needles?

[Mia]

The Noro isn't that big of a stretch if you are trying to use up what you already have in your stash. If I manage to finish up some things this weekend. I may be joining you by making a pair out of Noro.

[Suzann]

I have two balls of Cascade 200 dark green and a cone(don't ask why) of Brown Sheep deep red. How holiday can you get. Probably the Cascade. The Brown Sheep has mohair with itches like made.Also assorted Elann Highland Wool, even chunky wool for goodness sake. Look out world, fuzzy feet will soon be at your door.
ahem, I feel better now. Will there be adult beverages with this knit along?
Suzann

[laurie]

Suzann...? Did you ask if there would be alcohol...? Because, hi! Yes! Anything involving dpns goes with red wine ;)

[Erin]

I cast on with DPNs a couple of weeks ago and am still waiting to get to that 2 1/2 inch mark... am a little scared of that switching to straight needles point coming up. I'm using some Knit Picks yarn for these. I was going to make a pair for my mom first and then felt those because our feet are the same size. Would it be weird to give my dad his pair unfelted and then felt them at Christmas? They're not really that cute unfelted, but he has weird shaped feet, so that's the best solution I could come up with!

[Theresa]

She is indeed!

[Theresa]

Oh, and I cast on with the circulars - it's tight on the first couple of rounds, but gets quickly easier. Just remember to cast on loosely!!

[MBT]

I am in. Using some Patons Classic Wool Merino in maroon that I got on big sale at last year's Smiler's Yarns NYC blowout sale. Cast on Wednesday night, last night I finished the first heel. I have a somewhat longer cuff than the pattern calls for, because I have a ton of the yarn and want to be warm, warm, warm! These are for me, if they turn out (I am a mad sock knitter but have never felted before), I am going to make a bunch for holiday giving.

My blog is new, so if you visit, please be kind.

MB

[MBT]

PS - were,'t we promised a cool button, Laurie? My pitiful new blog is buttonless.....

MB

[Kat]

I don't know about a cool button, but I made a silly one - http://nextproject.typepad.com/for_my_next_project/2005/10/my_first_button.html

[laurie]

LOl, I posted buttons on my website today and also Kat made a button!

[Heidi]

I bought my needles and yarn yesterday and am done with one cuff!! I bought lambs pride worsted in pistachio.. a fairly new light earthy green color... I like the way that lambs pride felts because the mohair makes it really fuzzy... thus the name... fuzzy feet... I want to see how your cascade ones turn out because if I all out knit these for everyone and thier brothers cousin... I need a cheaper route....
the pistachio ones are for me though... I have to be the guinea pig...or so I tell myself..

[MBT]

Success with the button Laurie, thanks!

One foot down, one to go, and I need to stop fooling around online now - how pathetic is it that my hot Friday night is posting too much on knitting blogs?

[Tamara]

Count me in for 1 pair fuzzy feet for hubby for the upcoming seasonal festival! Hopefully he will still appreciate them even though christmas happens in summer in Australia....

[Leslie]

I'm probably going to use some stash: Cascade220 in yellow, color 842, (4.5 oz), Colorado Yarns by Knitaly in light blue (6 oz) and 1.5 oz of Colorado Yarns in cinnamon. It's all stash, will sort of look like an Easter egg as I'll keep the brown on the soles.

Gee, I better go check the pattern - Maybe I'll have to take a trip to WEBS - wouldn't that be a shame LOL

[Rebecca]

I am using Wool of the Andes. I have used Lamb's Pride for felted stuff before and it is very nice, but you lose so much of the character of the yarn when you felt it, that I like to use bargain yarn for felting. I got the heel of the first one turned last night while reading all the discussions from the 2003 Fuzzy Feet KAL.

[Paula]

3 words: CLASSIC ELITE LUSH
Just out of the washer, 2 Fuzzy Feet for which I'd held out no hope - the "before" version looked like a worn out rag. The finished product may never leave my feet, with lots of angora softness, but little or no shedding during the felting process.

[Heidi]

OK I am totally defective while reading patterns... is there anyone out there who... can make a step by step picture tutorial for pattern defective people like me? I have knit socks before, but every pattern is different..

[Suzann]

It isn't the dpns which induce the need for adult beverages. It is the words KAL. Ever since the Mystery Shawl debacle of 05, I shiver at the words KAL. I am hoping this will go better as I can already knit socks. No dpns for this gal, give me 2 cirs anytime. Dpns should only be used on politicians, preachers and philandering partners. a la Kill Bill
I have decided on the Elann Highland Wool.

[MBT]

Heidi, I will give it a shot, but for the record I use dpns, not circulars.

Just got out the digital camera, and also just finished my second cuff, so I can take some shots as I go.

MBT

Will let you (and everyone else) know when they are posted.