So I just started working on a cute ripple baby afghan using Boucle yarn. It's a super-soft yarn, but doggone it! I forgot how difficult boucle yarn is to work with. It's slow going for me and it's taking a lot of patience. I bought the yarn at Hobby Lobby, it's "Baby Bee Baby Mine!" yarn, and it wasn't cheap. Beware of any kind of boucle yarn. Talk about major splitting. And it's difficult to pull from the skein and frog. It gets caught on itself.
Have any of you ever crocheted with boucle yarn?
Shelley
Well it looks great but I am surprised you don't like the yarn. I don't buy Baby Bee I buy Bernat Baby Coordinates which is almost the same. Never had a problem. My most popular yarn for baby blankets. I have used it for hats, shawls afghans. Love it never had a problem. Of course I do use the old fashioned Susan Bates Hooks with the flat head. Maybe that makes a difference. Also I have a yarn winder and I wind every ball of yarn before I use it, I check for knots and or flaws. I hate to find what I call caterpillars (fat spots) in my yarn. I cut them out before I begin. I detest knots so I want to know where I will have to plan/place my joining. I never knot my yarn.
My biggest problem with Hobby Lobby is they are easing out the yarn brands I use, Red Heart (American made), Bernat, Caron..... They now have a lot of "I Love This Yarn" which I hate because it comes in so many amazing colors and looks so wonderful but I cannot use it. Fabrics/yarn are treated with chemicals when they are made to keep insects out. I am highly allergic to formaldehyde (which is in a heck of a lot more things than you would ever believe) and the only time I tried to use "I Love This Yarn" it almost ate my hands. Worst attack I have every had from a yarn. I had shots, pills and my hands bandaged for weeks from the rash. So I look at it but never touch it and I shop where there is a better selection of the yarns I can use.
But regardless the job is done and it looks fabulous or in the word of "Bob Cratchit" (in A Christmas Carol) Another triumph my dear !
I don't have any photos with me to share at the moment, but I want to share a success with boucle yarn. When I was a novice, I grabbed some because it was just so darn pretty and soft. I quickly learned the hazards everyone has discussed here. I did find one method which works very well with boucle: knitting looms. I made a large shawl with just boucle on a loom. Then I developed bags. I use one strand of boucle + one strand of a neutral matching color together. People absolutely LOVE them. I just wanted to share this thought if you haven't returned your yarn. Also, I'll mention that I belong to a group in Seattle which takes donations of yarn as we crank out scarves hats & blankets for the homeless at monthly meetings. An organization like that could find a good use for yarn. I'll try to remember to come back and add photos when I'm not at the office.
Well it looks great but I am surprised you don't like the yarn. I don't buy Baby Bee I buy Bernat Baby Coordinates which is almost the same. Never had a problem. My most popular yarn for baby blankets. I have used it for hats, shawls afghans. Love it never had a problem. Of course I do use the old fashioned Susan Bates Hooks with the flat head. Maybe that makes a difference. Also I have a yarn winder and I wind every ball of yarn before I use it, I check for knots and or flaws. I hate to find what I call caterpillars (fat spots) in my yarn. I cut them out before I begin. I detest knots so I want to know where I will have to plan/place my joining. I never knot my yarn.
My biggest problem with Hobby Lobby is they are easing out the yarn brands I use, Red Heart (American made), Bernat, Caron..... They now have a lot of "I Love This Yarn" which I hate because it comes in so many amazing colors and looks so wonderful but I cannot use it. Fabrics/yarn are treated with chemicals when they are made to keep insects out. I am highly allergic to formaldehyde (which is in a heck of a lot more things than you would ever believe) and the only time I tried to use "I Love This Yarn" it almost ate my hands. Worst attack I have every had from a yarn. I had shots, pills and my hands bandaged for weeks from the rash. So I look at it but never touch it and I shop where there is a better selection of the yarns I can use.
But regardless the job is done and it looks fabulous or in the word of "Bob Cratchit" (in A Christmas Carol) Another triumph my dear !
I am so glad you posted this, Doris Ann! You've known this about the chemicals from the dye and the formaldehyde and I've always been aware of this. I've often wondered how many of the cute baby clothes and blankets are washed and dried before donating them or gifting them to precious little ones. A gal I know who works in the newborn unit at a local hospital told me long ago that all donations made for the babies are laundered by the hospital. They won't take any chances on using them for the very vulnerable little ones.
I feel that all things crocheted and knitted for children and for people in nursing homes, etc., should be laundered first!
I've been thoroughly enjoying reading all your posts here at Crochet Talk!
You are welcome Judy...I use Homespun Yarn to make ponchos...the weight and the variation in color and thickness make them best sellers for me at craft shows...I use a pattern that has spaces between stitches so that the yarn is not bunched close together...a single crochet thread in a color that matches makes this yarn quite easy to work with...Laura
This is the yarn I used for the baby blanket. I won't be buying it again. I had to use a size K hook, which is very uncomfortable for me since I hold my hook like a pencil and my hands are kinda small.
I've got plenty of thread to match (lol) the boucle! I guess that makes me a honest-to-goodness "old" hand at crochet, 68 in a couple of weeks, (yes, I'm older than you, Faye!) I do appreciate the tip, since I'm going to start the afghan and get rid of the yarn forever and give it to my daughter for Christmas!!!!! Yay!
Hugs, Judy
PS. Thanks, Shelley! You also made everybody aware of Boucle!
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Originally Posted by Pixieglitter
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