Today I'm reviewing a new yarn by Knit Picks called High Desert. This is my first yarn review, but I have been doing yarn crafts for over a decade. I have been around the block a few times. I know what I like and what I don't so I will share it all with you in this blog post. Here's how I will break it down:
1) I'll go over all the nitty gritty details of the yarn specs.
2) I will tell you what I like
3) I will tell you what I don't like
4) I will work up some swatches and tell you what I would use the yarn for.
Well, that's enough jabbering. Let's get to the fun stuff
BIG FACTS
This yarn comes in 12 different solid colors and it's definitely in my color range with gorgeous jewel tones and soothing neutrals. it does skew towards more saturated purples and blues with a lack of the warmer tones that the name would suggest but personally I didn't feel like I was missing out. High Desert is a unique yarn that is 100% wool and it's completely grown and spun in the good old US of A.
Do you want to snag some for yourself?
CLICK HERE to find the yarn and some great patterns to try it out with!
This particular wool is called Shaniko, based upon the town in Oregon that it's sourced from. Their yarn is certified with the responsible wool standard and this town is legitimately earning its name in the fiber world.
Now, on to the yarn. I opted to go with the category 4 worsted weight because that's my preferred weight to work with, however it can also comes in sport weight in all the same colors. One 100 gram ball will give you 217 yds to play with. It is a little bit pricey at $18.99 per ball, however you get what you pay for it and this yarn definitely feels like quality. Take that with a grain of salt because my daily driver is a good old acrylic worsted weight yarn.
AND IT'S GOOD!!!
Now, this yarn is is definitely not the softest wool I've ever worked with. However, it is noticeably softer than organic Shetland wool which is known for its thickness and durability. I also find Shetland to lack some pliability. You will not have that problem with High Desert.
It is non superwash and 3 ply with a high twist and while I'm not the authority on the finer yarn details I think this definitely contributes to its bouncy feel and great stitch definition. It hits right in the sweet spot of the sometimes elusive 4 / worsted weight class. This means it should be a great yarn to design with which can be substituted easily if needed.
PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION
Now, on to what I don't really like about the yarn which is not a lot. The reason I reach for acrylic is because I like easy care.
You will not get that if that's what you're looking for it with this yarn. You need to hand wash and lie flat to keep it looking as beautiful as the day you pulled it from the ball. More on that later. However given that limitation I still think this yarn would be great for warm sweaters, blankets or even baby items.
Regardless of hook or needle size, I do think that the particular characteristics of this yarn don't lend it having great drape, but that sometimes is something you have to balance with durability. And this yarn feels sturdy enough to stand up to daily life without compromising softness.
TEST YOUR MIGHT
As far as how it works up I did swatches in regular crochet, knit, and Tunisian crochet to thoroughly test it. The yarn was generally a pleasure to work with and glided across my metal and plastic hooks alike. I do, however think that with regular crochet you could definitely use a smaller hook than what is suggested on the tag to get some tighter stitches.
So this was the fun part. I made 3 different swatches so I could see how it worked with each technique. I also blocked 2 of them (one wet and one with steam) and threw the other one in the washing machine and dryer just to see what would happen.
So lets start with the crochet swatch.
I did a few rows of half double crochet with a J hook. I did a double crochet one first, but I don't think the bounce of the stitches with that size hook was too stretchy and had too many gaps. I would recommend sizing down a hook for double crochet. But it was amazing with the hdc. I opted to steam block this one and let me tell you. Guuuurl!
Those stitches were bouncing, behaving, saying take me, shape me, make me yours. I think steam is the way to go. I'm just saying.
Next, the Tunisian swatch.
I think Auntie Toni would kill me if I didn't at least go into how this works with her favorite technique, I'm just going to lead with this: this yarn makes THE MOST luxurious tunisian fabric. You will still have to battle the curl, but the bounce in the yarn makes blocking it very easy. I'm already planning using this for a tunisian sweater and I know just where to look.
Finally, the knit swatch.
I went for a simple stockinette stitch because I knew I was about to absolutely destroy this yarn. I knew that I needed to go against all common sense and throw a swatch in the washing machine just to see what would happen. I have never felted anything, but it did not turn out as bad as I thought it would. I threw it in with a load and washed it on cool in a garment bag by itself. It did shrink pretty significantly, but it felted minimally. All that to say that maybe if you accidentally threw something in the wash, you may be able to salvage the project or yarn. I mean, I wouldn't recommend it, but that's between you and God.
IN CONCLUSION
So overall, I would have to say that I like it. So how would I rate it? (I did say this was my first yarn review, didn't I?)
I'm a bit of a killjoy and a tough grader.
On a scale of 10, I would have to give it 8 bones which means it is BONA-FIDE. That's basically an A for me. It loses a few points for its lack of drape, which is something I prefer, and its high maintenance care. However, these are definitely not deal breakers for me. The yarn hits all the high points with color, weight options, and bounce.
So If you stuck with me through all of that, you have made your way down the yellow brick road to Emerald City. And you can now enter the giveaway that I am hosting.
Prize:
1 (one) person will win 6 balls of High Desert Yarn in the weight and color(s) of their choice (limited to in-stock items)
How to Enter:
- Open to residents of USA, Canada, UK, and Australia
- Must follow me @craftymed and @knit_picks on Instagram
- Subscribe to my site (Don't worry, I will never give out your information and I don't even have a newsletter to spam you with)
- OPTIONAL: Like me on Facebook at The Crafty MD for an extra entry
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