I am going to make a shawl for a good friend. The pattern calls for a main color of a variegated yarn and a contrasting solid color, in fingering weight (Weight [1]).
After I started in I noticed that the solid color yarn is the wrong weight. It’s actually Weight 2.
I contacted the place I ordered it from, and they says that’s the only weight they have in that yarn, but offered me store credit to get something else if I want.
Now, here’s my problem. My variegated yarn is primarily silk. I can get the right weight and a good color, but by fiber choices are either mostly wool or mostly synthetic.
Am I better off with a mismatch in yarn weight or a mismatch in fiber type?
Given that you’re using a be-careful-when-washing fiber for sure, I think you would be better off mismatching fibers than mismatching weights. If the yarn you were keeping were one that could be machine-washed I’d say the other yarn must be machine-washable too… but since this is hand-wash and dry-flat stuff… you know?
You definitely don’t want a too-thick yarn for the border. I would expect it to bunch up and wave and look Not At All Smart.
Thanks, Sattua. That makes sense. I’ll look for right color and weight. Obviously if something is machine washable it can certainly be washed by hand, too.
I’m going to have to disagree. Even with careful blocking, I think wool next to silk will set differently after cleaning, and be ripply due to that. If it were a blanket or slippers, I might chance it. But I’d honestly get the different weight, same material, and crochet a little tighter or looser depending on what stripe (or whatever) I was on. Or even change the stitch type. But then, I tend to use patterns as suggestions.
You’re much better off with a mismatch in fiber. A mismatch in weight will create rows that end at different lengths; a mismatch in fiber won’t. Blocking should not be a concern if you’re making a shawl. It’s true that washing might be an issue: solve that by getting your replacement yarn to also be hand-washable and when you give your friend the shawl, make sure she knows that that the shawl needs only hand-washing.
I’ve been crocheting for 35+ yrs (knitting for almost 10) and this is basically what I was going to say. The only thing I disagree with is that I think blocking is very important in a lace/fingering weight shawl, which is why you need both yarns to be the same weight.
