I’ve always been fascinated by yarn and I wanted to learn how to knit from a young age. I actually learned how to crochet first. My great-aunt taught me the basics of crocheting when I was 10, so I can really credit her with my continued addiction to fiber crafting.
I think she’d get a kick out of that.
Anyways, she had me pick out a yarn to use to make a scarf for my first project. It was light pink and one of the softer acrylic yarns available at the time (this was the late 90s), and I couldn’t wait to get started.
I didn’t start immediately with the pink (I wasn’t happy about that). I started with this horrid, bright orange monstrosity of an acrylic yarn that was so scratchy and rough I thought my fingers would rebel (I really wasn’t happy about this). You know the type. I’m pretty sure it was part of a stash leftover from the 70s. I hated working with that yarn, but it was the perfect yarn to practice with because it wasn’t going to be used for anything. Even knowing that, I had a hard time working with acrylic yarns after–they all seemed tainted by that one, terrible, skein.
Acrylic yarns have come a long way in the last 20 years. They’re still a good inexpensive option, especially if you or someone you’re crafting for is sensitive to wool. They’re low maintenance, which makes crafting for kids a lot easier. There’s a wide variety of colors to choose from. Most importantly, they’re soft. Nothing will ever beat the feel of a premium merino or silk blend, but modern acrylic yarns have dropped the scratchiness in a big way, making them a joy to work with.
The Tangled Clew 