Yarn Yammer: Wool of the Andes

Last month when I asked about your favorite yarns, I got a lot of comments about Knit Picks yarns. So I thought this month I would do a review of Knit Picks yarn Wool of the Andes.

I first used Wool of the Andes when I was knitting catalog samples for Knit Picks back in 2005! I really loved it at first try. It is a nice yarn with some beautiful colors. It blocks very well, making stitch patterns come out crisp and well defined.  After making and ‘road testing’ quite a few knitted garments with it, I can say it wears comfortably and well, with no more than your average piling. This yarn is pleasant to work with and I have rarely had issues with it tangling from their center pull ball, and I have rarely run across a knot in the middle as well.

Wool of the Andes comes in a few different varieties; there is sport weight, worsted weight and bulky weight. These are all 100% wool and come in a large variety of colors.

There are also tweed and superwash Wool of the Andes available.  For those who like  undyed wool Knit Picks scratches that itch with Wool of the Andes Bare which comes in worsted and bulky weights. If any of you happen to be a spinner, there also is Wool of the Andes roving.

Let’s look at a few of the specifics:

 Wool of the Andes Worsted Weight

Wool of the Andes worsted weight currently comes in 100 different colors. It is 100% Peruvian wool and Peruvian sheep are a cross between Corriedale (for the sturdiness) and Merino (for the softness). This yarn is sturdy while soft enough for against the skin wear, and it felts beautifully.On a small gauge knitting loom (3/8″ peg spacing) you should get close to the knitting gauge listed below.

Current cost: $2.69 50g / ball.

Fiber Content: 100% Peruvian Highland Wool
Weight: Worsted Weight
Knitting Gauge: 4.5 – 5 sts = 1″ on #6 – 9 needles (4.0mm-5.5mm)
Crochet Gauge: 11–14 sc = 4” on I – K hooks (5.5 mm-6.5 mm)
Yards: 110
Grams: 50
Put Up: ball
Care: Hand Wash/Dry Flat

Wool of the Andes Bulky

This is the bulked up big brother of the Wool of the Andes yarn family. Again it is made with the same 100% Peruvian Highland wool, and is soft and durable. It currently comes in around 30 colors. This yarn is put up in hanks, so that does mean you will need to wind it into a ball to work with it.

Current price: $4.99 100g / hank

Fiber Content: 100% Peruvian Highland Wool
Weight: Bulky Weight
Knitting Gauge: 3 – 3.75 sts = 1″ on #10 – 11 needles (6.0mm-8.0mm)
Crochet Gauge: 8–11 sc = 4” on K-M hooks (6.5mm – 9mm)
Yards: 137
Grams: 100
Put Up: hank
Care: Hand Wash/Dry Flat

Wool of the Andes Sport Weight

Wool of the Andes Sport Weight is the thinnest version of this yarn range. Like the others it comes in a good variety of colors which currently is around 50 colors. On a smaller gauge loom like the AIO, you will get a nice result and this yarn will work very well if you want to make a pair of heavier socks on a sock loom, the fabric might be a bit on the firm side but that will keep your toes toasty! The sport weight yarn is also great to use if you plan to do color work, as it will add less bulk to your project!

Fiber Content: 100% Peruvian Highland Wool
Weight: Sport Weight
Knitting Gauge: 6 sts = 1″ on #3-5 needles (3.25mm-3.75mm)
Crochet Gauge: 16–20 sc = 4” on E-7 hooks
Yards: 137
Grams: 50
Put Up: ball
Care: Hand Wash/Dry Flat

There are superwash versions of the Worsted, Bulky yarns. This offers you an option that is machine washable and dryeable, but otherwise has the same qualities of the regular yarns. The main difference, aside from price, is that the superwash versions are offered in a smaller range of colors.

Worsted: $3.69 50g / ball   Bare: $6.19 100g / Hank (220 yards)

Bulky: $7.39 100g / Hank    Bare: $6.19 100g / Hank

I hope this helps you when choosing yarns for your projects. It can be hard choosing yarns to buy online,  and the more you know the better!

KnitPicks also happens to be having a 10% sale through Oct. 22, 2014 enter code EXTRATEN at check out!