Yarn Paradise

[Morlyte]

This is the first time Ive felted in the machine too, although the pattern is very easy so not too fussed if it goes a bit wrong as its just a test. I think I kind of have to do the whole thing or else I will have no idea, cos Im a bit dim like that!

[BadgersMommy]

Not to worry -- I'm really being very "do as I say not as I do". I don't think I swatched a single thing for about the first 20 years I knit.

[elmbed]

We'll I've just done a gauge square for the ice merino acryl, as it seemed a bit thin. And this was my first ever test swatch! It came out spot on gauge for me, so that's good - nice soft yarn, but a bit splitty. It will be fine for the cardigan I'm planning, though, and the colours are great.

[KatGoldLIN]

you know the reason that I make hats the way I do based on diameter, is that you don't have to gauge. It is my least favourite part of making anything.

[Morlyte]

I haven't ever gauged! I don't think Ive ever met anyone who does. Although, if you knit Debbie Bliss but use a different wool, I think you need to?

[littlemimi]

Is it just me or is the postage really expensive? They are quoting 20 euros to deliver to Germany. Or £17 if I get it delivered to my parents in the UK. I know the yarn is cheap but that is a lot. Am I doing something wrong? Same price for everyone else?

[BadgersMommy]

Gauge only matters if the fit of a garment is important, but if it is you should definitely swatch -- even if you're using the yarn called for in the pattern, your tension might be different than the testers'. Yarns that are supposedly the same weight as what's called for in the pattern can knit up very, very differently, esp. if there's any complex patterning going on or if the yarn is textured. But with something like a scarf or a hat, it really doesn't matter if it comes out a bit wider or shorter, and it's often easy to fiddle the size to fit on the fly.

If you do gauge swatch, remember that you're looking not just for the square to be roughly the same size, but also for a good correspondence between width and length -- I learned that the hard way after making a sweater that was fine width-wise, but the arms were about six inches too long. So if your swatch comes out 3.75x4.25" instead of 4x4 (or 3.75x3.75), the yarn you're using probably isn't a great yarn for that project.

Felting is a different matter though, since different wools can felt in WILDLY different ways. Two items made with two different yarns, knit to an identical pattern, might come out completely different, be it width or length or density or shape. I've learned the hard way to test swatch felted items every time -- even the exact same yarn, just from a different lot, can felt differently.

And thus endeth my lecture on swatching.

[Morlyte]

Is it just me or is the postage really expensive? They are quoting 20 euros to deliver to Germany. Or £17 if I get it delivered to my parents in the UK. I know the yarn is cheap but that is a lot. Am I doing something wrong? Same price for everyone else?

My postage was £8 on 1kg of yarn, I went for DHL Worldwide Express. I ordered on Friday night and it arrived Monday morning. Its more than the average yarn shop but its still cheaper (including the postage) than them in total and faster, despite coming from the US!

If you look in the middle section of the payment details page, there should be 3 postage options.

[BLIN&M]

Is it just me or is the postage really expensive? They are quoting 20 euros to deliver to Germany. Or £17 if I get it delivered to my parents in the UK. I know the yarn is cheap but that is a lot. Am I doing something wrong? Same price for everyone else?

I think you must be choosing the wrong postage option. Mine was only a few £.

[BadgersMommy]

The postage is ridiculous, but the yarn is so cheap that even so it's a good deal. Every bit of correspondence I've gotten from them has come plastered with this notice:

IMPORTANT NOTE:
We are located in Turkey, and the items are shipped from Turkey. You can also imagine that the shipping rates from Turkey is high. We apply rates we get from courier companies, and we try to give the best service with the best prices. Since we cannot do much about the shipping, and just to make your total cost lower, we try to give the yarns with the lowest prices.

[Morlyte]

Oh, I completely missed the whole Turkey thing but then I didn't look, I just whipped open my yarn to see if what nice!

[littlemimi]

ooh my first order arrived today! I only ordered it on Sunday! I'm very impressed. Lovely wool. Was very expensive for postage but overall cost works out to be great.

[BLIN&M]

Can anyone reccomend a DK or sport weight suitable for a tank top for Bruno? Have money in PayPal account from selling clothes & clearly *need* more yarn (I'm doing to 2 baskets after all!)

[Morlyte]

The Magic yarn is lovely and soft but it is 100% acrylic, I love the colour ways. Im going to make a Milo with it for Noah I think.

[BLIN&M]

I love the milos just can't get on with circular knitting!