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Yarn Review: American Lamb from Made in America Yarns

One of the yarns I discovered at TNNA earlier this month was American Lamb Bulky, a 100% merino yarn from Made in America yarns. They were kind enough to let me take home a sample of yarn to review on my blog.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to find out that this yarns is 100% grown and processed in the USA, a trend which continues on the American knitting scene. Quoting directly from their Ravelry page:
Our sheep are raised out west of the Missouri river. Their sheared wool comes to South Carolina for carding and cleaning. The cleaned wool is sent to Rhode Island where it becomes our roving and singles. It then comes to our mill in Philadelphia where we twist and dye it. From here we distribute it to local yarn stores around the United States where you can purchase it.
What's interesting about this yarn is its texture: it is described as a soft wrapped 22-micron merino wool, meaning that it consists of a fat, lofty ply of yarn wrapped with a thinner ply which is almost thread-like. This creates a charming, almost hand-spun effect (minus the thick-and-think inconsistencies):
Surprisingly, the knitted fabric produced is quite uniform and provides excellent stitch definition. Cables are especially lovely in this yarn (click here to view the projects page on Ravelry to see what I mean!).
Rather than knit a swatch, I decided to see how this yarn would perform when used to make a small toy from Rebecca Danger's 50 Yards of Fun. If you're not into knitting toys, you may not be aware that it's best to use needles which are at least 2 sizes smaller than what is recommended for the yarn; this can often mean knitting a tight gauge which can hurt your hands in the process, especially if the yarn you're working with is stiff to begin with.
© Made in America Yarns
I'm happy to report that knitting this yarn on US#8 needles (the recommended size is US#10) was a dream; the fabric created is soft and snuggly, too. I would definitely use this again to make another toy project, though it would also be fantastic for accessories and sweaters. I used destash yarn scraps for the contrast colors, and it played quite well with them. I think American Lamb would also be an excellent choice for a colorwork or striped project.

Yarn Stats:

American Lamb Bulky from Made in America Yarns

Yardage: 146 yards in a 99g hank

Gauge: 14 sts = 4 inches

Recommended needle size: US#10

Recommended hook size: 6.5mm (K)

Care: Hand wash in cold water; dry flat.
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Comments

  1. AliciaMay 19, 2014 at 11:04 AM

    That yarn reminds me of a non-acrylic version of the Lion Brand Homespun in structure. Cute toy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Handmade by StefanieMay 19, 2014 at 5:49 PM

      Yes...only it's easy to work with! I tried knitting with homespun once and the larger ply kept bunching up - very frustrating!

      Delete

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