Quote Originally Posted by rterakedis View Post
Hello, my name is Rebecca and I am from Ohio. Currently it is snowing AGAIN and yesterday was -10 degrees most of the day. Glad I have crocheting to keep me warm. I am excited to join this forum. I have so many questions... I used to crochet up a storm but life got in the way. Now I have a new grandbaby and have picked up my hooks again and have made several sweater sets for her and some new nephews. I have a list ten miles long of projects to try, but yarns have changed so much I am unsure which yarns to use. I consider myself an intermediate crocheter as I am mostly self taught, but am not afraid to try anything. My next project is a little sunhat and dress for my grand-daughter. She lives in the Atlanta area, so my idea was to use a yarn like "sugar and Cream" so her mommy and daddy could wet the hat on a really sticky day to cool her off. I am wondering if it will still hold its shape, or is it too rough for her little head. Should all yarns be softened in the dryer before using? Where can I learn about yarns and which yarn is best for which purpose. Does anyone use magnifiers for thread projects? My eyes are getting old.
Hi Rebecca and welcome! So glad to hear you're willing to try anything. So am I and it amazes me how many things succeed. Of course, I have my failures too but I call them "learning experiences", LOL! Personally, I think of Sugar and Cream as more of a craft yarn for things like pot holders and what not. I would also worry about shrinkage. But I may be wrong and if so I'm sure others will chime in and give me ideas for it. For both children and adult garments I prefer soft yarns like Sirdar or Plymouth DK Baby. Both use E or F hooks. If you want to use a larger hook like a G or H Red Heart Baby Soft is nice as is Premier Yarns Ever Soft. All of these are machine washable and dryable. Just about anything labeled "baby" is usually nice and soft. There are really too many nice yarns out there to list them all or to list even half. If you have a yarn or craft store near where you live you could go and take a look at all the yarns available. Feel them while you're there. Take along a few hooks and make a short chain from the outside yarn end to see how it handles. Does it split easily? Does the hook glide smoothly? Is the yarn too soft or too stiff for the intended project?

I like to blend 2 yarns together, a print and a coordinating solid so I unwind a couple feet of yarn from both skeins and twist them together to see what the blend will look like. The sales people find this fascinating and have never stopped me from doing this. I do wind it back up before returning it to the shelf. If you do this, keep in mind the hook size will be larger than what is recommended on the label. Use whatever hook is most comfortable for you.

I guess the best place to learn about yarns is this site or the yarn manufacturers web sites but there really isn't all that much to learn. If you see a yarn in the color you like, it uses the hook you're wanting to use and the fiber content is acceptable then go for it.

Nope, I don't use a magnifier but I do wear my reading glasses for crocheting. My eyes aren't so hot any more either.

Good luck and welcome to the site and welcome back to crocheting.