4. Fibers
Acrylic - manmade, cheap, easy to find, greatest variety in colors, textures, and sizes,
great for most patterns, hypo-allergenic, can be rough or feel "cheap" or uncomfortable
Cotton - not quite as cheap as acrylic, easy to find, colors aren't quite as vibrant, less
variety in textures, hypo-allergenic, great for kitchen purposes and for summer clothing
Wool - easy to find, great variety of colors and textures , varies in price, as with most
things: the higher the quality, the higher the price, varies widely in quality and texture,
super warm while still light weight, mostly softer and less "scratchy" than popularly
believed in the past, great for winter clothing and accessories, known allergen
Alpaca - a lot like wool, but fibers are longer so the yarn is generally softer, harder to
find, more expensive
Mohair - actually from Angora goat, really light and airy while staying warm, very soft,
hard to find, expensive
Angora - from Angora rabbit, extremely soft, light and airy, extremely expensive, super
delicate, definitely hand wash only
6. Yarn Weight
Lace - Extra Fine
Fingering - Sock
Sport - DK - Double Knitting
Worsted - Aran
Heavy Worsted
Bulky - Chunky
Super Bulky - Super Chunky
Wraps per Inch
Numbering System - 1-6
10. Scissors,
Yarn Cutters,
Tapestry Needles,
Rulers, Tape Measure
Organizers, Totes,
Swifts, & Yarn Winders
Blunt, sharp, bent, straight, collapsable, cheap, or
super expensive is totally up to you and can vary with
the situation.
11. TSA Regulations
Scissor blades have to be shorter than 4"
Yarn Cutters are NOT allowed
There were restrictions on the materials a needle
could be made out of and length of needle, but those
have been dropped. To be on the safe side, you
might want to keep the needles short and wooden or
plastic.
Jury duty - just because the TSA says it is ok does
not mean the guard at the courthouse will agree. Be
prepared to put it back in your car and grumble the
whole way.
12. Local Yarn Shops
The Yarn Mart
5711 Kavanaugh LR
Michael's
4126 McCain NLR
11400 Markham LR
Hobby Lobby
4701 JFK NLR
12201 W Markham LR
150 E Oak Conway
Jo-Ann
2637 Lakewood NLR
13. Online Yarn Shops
Knit Picks - www.knitpicks.com
Jimmy Beans Wool - www.jimmybeanswool.com
Yarn Market - www.yarnmarket.com
Tons of others
14. Online Communities
Ravelry - www.ravelry.com - great online
community focused on knitting and crocheting -
has lots of great free patterns and you can join
specific forums
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com - great for
"Pinspiration"
KAls/CALs - popular in the crafting blogosphere
and on Ravelry
15. Free Patterns
Ravelry
Blogs in general
Pinterest
Yarn Companies
Knit Picks
Lion Brand
Lily (Sugar n Cream)
Bernat
Red Heart
