Yarn Snobs

If you spend enough time in the world of fiber crafts, sooner or later you run into them: the yarn snobs. The knitters/crocheters among you know what I'm talking about. The ones who look down their nose at you and condescendingly say, "I would never use acrylic yarns."

"I would never use anything but wool fiber."
"I would never put acrylic yarn next to a baby's delicate skin."
"I'd personally pay the $26.00 from ****** for beautifully handcrafted wood [sock blockers] than I would $19.00 for these crappy plastic ones. "

You know, the ones who snottily refer to ackrylic yarn, icky acrylic, acrylic (ugh), plastic yarn--"It must be like wearing a plastic bag." The ones who make the less confident want to apologize for using synthetic yarns. The ones who make you feel like you are not a real knitter if you don't use all natural fibers all the time. Those are the yarn snobs.

Truth is, natural fibers are expensive. Enough wool to knit a sweater can cost in the hundreds of dollars. Silk, angora, alpaca--they are even more expensive. I suppose if you are made of money, that isn't a problem. But not all of us are made of money.

Not all of us can afford the silk/angora blend yarn at $30 a ball. Not all of us can afford the hand made, solid oak $30 sock blockers, especially when there are plastic ones available for half the price. (But if you're clever like me--and your son has a jigsaw--you can use the plastic ones as a pattern to make your own hand made oak sock blockers.) When it comes down to choosing between yarn and groceries for my son, well, too bad. Son takes priority over yarn. Always.

So, should I give up my hobby just because I don't live up to someone else's standard? Heck no! I knit for me, not for anyone else. Despite the fact that I give most of my knitted items away, I am still knitting for me. For the enjoyment I get from making something with my own two hands, and yes, even the joy I receive from giving it to someone else.

I grew up using acrylic yarn. I knew there were different types out there, but it was something I just didn't think about. The stores I had access to didn't carry anything but acrylic. I never saw anything wrong with it. Frankly, it doesn't get nearly cold enough down here to make wool comfortable. If it's not cold enough, wool is more scratchy to me than acrylic. Most modern acrylics are very soft. Plus they wear like iron. I have an afghan on my bed that I crocheted some 13 1/2 years ago. When I was in my apartment in Italy, I used it for an area rug. Other than a bit of pilling, it looks as good as it did when I first made it.

So, for all you yarn snobs out there, unless you intend to buy all of my yarn for me, you have no right to criticize what I choose to knit with.

This one's for you:

Red Heart acrylic worsted weight, tropic fruit colorway. Nine ounces. In my stash. It's starting to whisper. "Knit me." "Come on, you know you want to cast on..." "Knit me!"

Here's evidence spring is on the way:

Sunset, out and about during the daytime. Must be mating season.

Here's evidence that I'm beginning to run out of ideas:

I drew my eraser again. Must go search for reference photos...

Meanwhile, check this out: Daily Monster Too fun!

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