This first finished project is a really gorgeous pattern also from Blueprint Crochet. Okay- I’ve said it again and again, but this book ROCKS! It has to be my favorite book for crochet clothing that I’ve purchased so far. This lovely sweater is called the Courtney Corset Top and it turned out very nicely even if the final corset piece took for bloody ever! Back loop single crochet all… the… way… around… UGH! But it does make for a very nice sweater, perfect for the in-between weather that plagues us between the heat of the summer and the breezy autumn.
This next finished project was the result of me being smitten by a skein of yarn while out shopping for some totally unrelated craft supplies. I happened upon a particularly gorgeous skein and couldn’t pass up the green and purple variegated colors. So after perusing a mess of free online scarf patterns and stitch dictionaries I found a really beautiful stitch that I wanted to use to make this one skein into a memorable scarf. (This site: www.mypicot.com is a great online stitch dictionary for those of you looking for fun new stitches to try- great for making scarves.) After squeezing every last inch out of that skein I added some beaded, looped fringe to elongate the scarf even more. I have to say I’m pretty happy that the variegated colors finally worked for me without pooling into muddy and camo-like splotches. Hooray!
That’s it for the projects, but I thought I’d share some information that I’ve found useful in my quest for yarns to crochet. As you might have figured out I crochet quite a bit, which can become prohibitively expensive when you’re making sweaters and dresses right and left. Of course we’d all love to make that next tunic length sweater out of 100% cashmere or silk with beads and sequins all the way, but for those of us paying mortgages and bills that just isn’t an option. Maybe I’m a cheapskate, but if I’m making sweaters that cost ten times what I’m willing to BUY a machine-stitched sweater for it just isn’t worth the money to me. Instead I’m always on the lookout for places to buy yarn online that doesn’t break the bank. Here’s a sampling of my favorites complete with the pros and cons for each site. Some caveats however: you get what you pay for, you always take a chance buying yarn online when you can’t actually touch it, and don’t plan on getting the exact color you saw on your computer screen!1. www.SmileysYarns.com
This is a good site for when you have a big project or several big projects that require a LOT of yarn.
The Good: Skeins start around $1 and go up from there. If you’re not picky on brands and like working with acrylic and novelty yarns this is the place for you.
The Bad: There’s a minimum of $50 to place an order but shipping is a standard $13 no matter how much you spend. All sales are final. No returning unwanted yarn here.
2. www.IceYarns.com
This is a new one for me and I just put in my first order with this company. I wasn’t expecting very high quality with the low, low prices, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The Good: WAY CHEAP! Skeins start lower than $1 depending on the yarn type. FAST! My order arrived within 2 days… amazing! Decent quality for the price: the acrylic yarn I bought is way softer than Red Heart and doesn’t split too terribly much, plus it has a lovely sheen.
The Bad: Each yarn comes in groups or bags which differ in size. If you’re looking for only one skein then good luck, most skeins come in bags of 4 to 6. Because this is a Turkish company and the yarns are actually manufactured and shipped from there it’s advised to pay for expedited shipping to get you through customs. Choosing to pay less for registered mail may cost you more with customs fees and will certainly take much longer. Luckily the extremely low prices offset the cost of shipping nicely and a 2-3 day shipping time is standard for that price anywhere in the US or EU.
3. www.KnitPicks.com
I really love this site, plus it’s relatively local to me (it’s located in Vancouver, WA) so shipping never takes too long if you’re in this neck of the woods.
The Good: Lots of natural fibers! You can usually find wool, alpaca, linen and cotton plus blends that include silk at great prices. Shipping prices are fabulously low if you’re willing to wait for regular mail and there’s free shipping after $50. A good site that’s easy to navigate.
The Bad: You won’t find any 100% acrylic, nylon or other synthetic blends here for those with natural fiber allergies and there isn’t a huge selection. Even with the great prices on these natural fiber yarns the skeins add up quickly if you plan to crochet a large piece like a tunic, sweater or blanket. If you just have to have that order right away then plan on paying quite a bit to get it in 2-3 days.
4. www.Elann.com
Lots of selection and good prices.
The Good: Great selection, pretty great prices, plus amazing sales if you keep checking back. Good quality yarn. If you’re a loyal customer and can manage to rack up $500 worth of orders on your Elann account you get $50 off on your next order. That’s pretty darn cool, but hard to make it to $500 when you’re a cheapskate like me. Your choice of UPS or USPS for your order.
The Bad: Not as cheap as some yarn sites. US orders more than $200 come from Canada and will take extra time getting through customs, however orders less than this are shipped from Point Roberts, WA and are based on weight. Free patterns, but if you’re a crocheter then expect to wade through a zillion knitting patterns to find a crochet pattern.
5. www.Joann.com
Basic yarns, okay prices.
The Good: If you’re looking for the cheaper brand names then this is your place. There are almost always online coupons for Joann if you Google it (try: ‘Joann online coupon code’ to get a wide selection of sites with coupons.) You can also sign up for coupons and to be alerted to deals online via email and snail mail.
The Bad: Joann doesn’t have the most exceptional prices and the shipping charges are higher than some other sites. Don’t expect to find fabulous prices on luxury yarns.
6. www.Herrschners.com
I’ve only bought yarn from here once for a sweater. The yarn color was not exactly what I had thought it was when I purchased it online. Still I thought it was worth it for the price.
The Good: Good selection of your standard yarn brands plus store brand yarns at great prices. If you’re willing to pony up the dough then $20 gets you into the “Club” and you can get 10% off of each order. Personally I think you’d really have to buy a lot of yarn exclusively from Herrschners to make this worth $20, but I suppose that depends on the cost of your yarn addiction!
The Bad: This is true for all internet yarn purchases, but I found that the color was particularly off when I purchased from this site. (This isn’t necessarily a problem particular to the site, however, since all computers display color differently.) Shipping costs aren’t particularly cheap (although they’re not outrageous either.) Not too many luxury yarns, so don’t expect to find pure silk or cashmere here. Also I’ve noticed that some yarns aren’t listed with their yardage per skein which makes buying the right amount more difficult without further internet research off site. Coupon codes are rare for this site.
Well that concludes my knowledge of online yarn shopping. Of course these are only my opinions and what I could find out about each site from experience and some quick online recon so take it all with a grain of salt people!
-Lyzard
