What Am I Doing Wrong? from Anchorage, AK

[jokersjuggalette]

You are very welcome. I am glad that I was able to give you some insight on what happens when I have yarn split on me. I have learned to slow down with my crocheting and it has helped me a great deal.

[Dsynr]

I find that using "Boye Aluminum" hooks exacerbate the yarn splitting problem.
Funny, I have less splitting when I use the more expensive steel hooks.
The quality of Boye [and a lot of other things] has deteriorated significantly over the past ten years.

I also have the "wonky edges" problem. A lady on the commuter bus who is such an expert---I wish I could show some things she has done while the bus was bumping and swaying along---suggested I put a pin in the top of the last stitch of the row. That way I would not accidentally skip it when I turned the work after the turning chain. That helped me a lot.


That said, I still have to count, count, count or I will get a wonky edge---in and out making my edges look like rick rack gone mad.

[janie mae]

Hi, Patt, I use Red Heart Super Saver almost exclusively. Yes it can be rough in the beginning. I wash it & then let it soak in the rinse cycle for at least half an hour with double the amount of liquid fabric softner as normal. Then dry as usual. The more you wash it, the softer it becomes. No one has asked you what size hook you were using. This yarn works best with a size I, J or K hook. Just like beedspread cotton works well with a small steel hook. I would never use this yarn with a hook smaller than a G & that's pushing it, or bigger than a K. I hope this helps you some with your issues. Really, this is not bad yarn, just inexpensive & you need to know a few tricks to make it better. Good Luck
Jane

[Patt]

Hi Jane, thanks for the tip. Stupid question here... do you wash the yarn before using it or after you've finished the project? My grandmother used to wash her yarn before working with it which is why I'm asking.
The hooks I use are H through K, depending on the project.
All these tips are quite the help, I appreciate you all.

[janie mae]

I wash the item after I finish it. Usually I try to make 3 or 4 things, recently 2 baby blankets & a scarf. Then I wash them seperately from everything else. I just refuse to spend so much on yarn when after a few washings, this is soft enough for baby blankets. I wouldn't make clothing with it but it's fine for most things. Keep counting & use the right metal hook. Good luck.
Jane

[Ol-timer]

It is not your fault. This yarn was made in Mexico. Go figure.

[Val]

Hi Ol-timer, welcome to the forums!

[janie mae]

Hi, Everyone, & welcome Ol' Timer. Just a correction. Red Heart Super Saver is made in the USA of imported fibers. I'm not sure of where & how others are made because I don't use them, but I will start reading labels when I shop. I would venture a guess that others are made similarly. When you look at your clothing labels & most are made in places like Viet Nam, Phillipines, China, India , Mexico, etc. Let's face it, we're not making much here in the USA anymore. But that's getting into politics. Check out some other yarns. I bet they are made similarly. I'm getting off my soapbox now. Have a good day everyone.
Jane

[janie mae]

Hi, Everyone, & welcome Ol' Timer. Just a correction. Red Heart Super Saver is made in the USA of imported fibers. I'm not sure of where & how others are made because I don't use them, but I will start reading labels when I shop. I would venture a guess that others are made similarly. When you look at your clothing labels & most are made in places like Viet Nam, Phillipines, China, India , Mexico, etc. Let's face it, we're not making much here in the USA anymore. But that's getting into politics. Check out some other yarns. I bet they are made similarly. I'm getting off my soapbox now. Have a good day everyone.
Jane

[Judi Gums]

Nice to meet you Patt, I am Judi G. I have used the yarn you are working with and I loved the color. May I suggest you going up one hook size. I too will have trouble from time to time with yearn splitting and it seems to work for me. I also crochet a little tight so that doesn't help with the splitting at times.

Judi G