Comparison of LTK and Fabriconnection yarns?

[susanjp]

Just got my hands on some Fabriconnection yarn (Thanks Jess!) and wondered if it's roughly the same as the yarn from Little Turtle Knits. Anyone tried both? Are they the same softness and same kind of thickness? Do you prefer one over the other?

[FabriConnection]

You got Bartlett right? LTK is a bit softer than Bartlett, although bartlett does soften up quite a bit with washing and lanolizing. I don't have my LTK yarns yet, but I'm sure theresa could tell you more since she's used both yarns :D

[littleturtlemama]

my yarn is way softer than the bartletts (both right off the skein and after washing) and has a much nicer hand/bloom than the bartletts. Persoanlly, I wouldn't use bartlettsf or soakers, I think it's too scratchy, but it's awesome for sweaters, mittens, hats, etc. For Jesse's other yarn< I can't say since I haven't used it :)

[pamelamama]

Theresa, I thought you *liked* Bartlett's for soakers. :mope

[FabriConnection]

That's where I differ. I"d definitely use it for a soaker b/c it's over the diaper, but wouldn't use it for a sweater b/c it's too scratchy for that :lol:

[twouglyducks]

I've used bartletts for shorts, a soaker and pants are next. I like it. IT's not like cashmere soft or anything, but I don't think it is scratchy. Softer IMO than fisherman's. i don't know that I'd use it for a newborn soaker/pants though.

[littleturtlemama]

LOL, Pamela wherever did you get that idea?!?!? I love bartlett yarns, but each yarn's got it's place, LOL, and IMO, bartlett's isn't the first choice for babe's bum :LOL It does get much softer when washed though, so the off-the-skein feeling is kind of deceptive. Actually, I might use it for an older babe who could tell me if they didn't like it, but I wouldn't on a wee one.

But jess's merino is suppossed to be like buttah, so that would defintiely be soft enough :luv

[twouglyducks]

I have pants that Julie made for me out of Jessica's merino yarn. Supah soft ... YK? Like buttah!

[pamelamama]

I dunno Theresa. :hmm I remember you telling me once how much you liked it and I stored that factoid in my brain. I remembered thinking it was for soakers, since that's what we usually talk about, but I guess I remembered wrong. :nut

I just made pants out of them and they came out good. Not like merino, of course. I gave them a thorough washing/lanolizing before sending them off.

[Nada]

I have pants that Julie made for me out of Jessica's merino yarn. Supah soft ... YK? Like buttah!

Davina - the 2 soakers you have from me are also made out of Jessica's merino yarn - 3 ply.

Nada :)

[twouglyducks]

Oh, really? It's so different... I like that yarn, too. Hmmm... When will jessica EVER have it in stock?? ;)

[FabriConnection]

*sigh* I have no idea :( I called today, AGAIN, they said they had a little instock, but had LOST my last order, so I had to start over, told them to send some 3 ply, some Lopi, and whatever 2 ply they can find. I also have 40lbs of 2 ply back ordered when they get the equipment up and running again.

[twouglyducks]

How frustrating, Jessica. :goodgrief

[pageta]

Well, I've knit with LTK, Bartlett's and the Fabriconnection marino.

Last week I though Bartlett's was much scratchier than LTK, but then this morning I picked up the longies I'm making with Bartlett's after working on a soaker with LTK for a couple days and Bartlett's feels very soft. Perhaps It's because I was working with LTK 3-ply and then Bartlett's 2-ply which is thicker more like LTK 2-ply.

The Fabriconnection marino that I had was uneven in it's weight - it ranged from sport weight (thinner than LTK 3-ply) to bulky (thicker than Bartlett's 3-ply) which drove me crazy. I had two skeins and knitted both and gave them to other people. The final product looked fine, but the yarn just drove me crazy because it was so uneven and I couldn't stand the thought of using a soaker like that on Ben. (I know, I'm weird.) However, I think that's why Jess hasn't been able to get her hands on any because they're trying to fix the problem with the evenness of the gauge. Since we haven't used any soakers made out of that yarn, I really can't tell you how it wears over time in comparison to the other two.

Last week I thought Bartlett's was too scratchy for me to use again, but now this morning I thought it was very plush and soft. Maybe I just need to have another cup of coffee...

[ravingcutie]

I like the Bartlett's 3 ply. It's very fluffy or springy for lack of a better word. Nice and thick, w/ higher wraps per inch than LB Fisherman's. I would put it at a medium micron count wool. Not as soft or fine starting out like merino, but nice in a soaker. My :two

[FabriConnection]

uneven in it's weight - it ranged from sport weight (thinner than LTK 3-ply) to bulky (thicker than Bartlett's 3-ply) which drove me crazy. I had two skeins and knitted both and gave them to other people. The final product looked fine, but the yarn just drove me crazy because it was so uneven and I couldn't stand the thought of using a soaker like that on Ben. (I know, I'm weird.)

That's why they bought and are installing new spinning equipment. The older equipment wasn't consistent, it was more like a handspun yarn. The 2 ply is "supposed" to be sport weight :lol: :lol:

[twirlgirl]

I just got some cones from Custom Woolen Mills in 3ply and the new spin is very very nice. I like it much better than the old. Much more spring. It coils up so nicely and doesnt hurt my hands to knit it.
I also noticed MUCH less VM. Its very different than the first hanks of 3ply I got from Jess months and months ago.

[littleturtlemama]

Hey Carla, are you sure it's from the new equipment from Custom Woolen? Last I heard (early this week) they still hadn't gotten the new spinning equiptment up and running and that when they do get it running the first to be milled will be the 2 ply, because they still have the old 3 ply on hand but are completely out of 2 ply stock.

FWIW, 3 ply yarns usually have less veggie matter becuase the individual plies are thinner and the veggie matter sticks out better and gets caught in the machines while spinnign, whereas the thicker plies hide the veggie better and cushion it. That kind of one of those I've been knitting forever and noticed that trend in the yarn kinda things.

Are you guys switching from your Montana wool to the custom woolen mills?

[twirlgirl]

its TOTALLY different from the old stuff I got from Jess.
I didnt ask them if it was the new equipment or old. I just needed bulky yarn and quick. Its not that I didnt like the original 3ply....I actually preferred it a thousand times over the 2ply (as someone else said..the older 2ply was very inconsistent and lacked spring)

So...who knows...maybe it is from the older machinery? I jsut know its DIFFERENT from the original stuff I had, and I have found a new love for CWM.

our "montana" is nothing like CWM 3ply, so we'll still be using it. I'm still on the fence about using CWM 3ply. I'd like to find a US supplier of similar thickness but thus far my search hasnt produced a soft enough yarn. I did find recently probably the SOFTEST US produced worsted weight yarn I've ever felt (next to Fat Belly Farms organic that is!)

We're going to be introducing several new yarns over the next two months. Big changes!