Crazy Yarn

[Dot Liljenquist]

Zauberballhas been kicked up a notch, as two strands of the main ply have been dyed individually and then twisted together for a crazy combination! The end result is a self-striping multi-colored pattern, with a bold variegated design!Zauberball Crazy is distributed in the US by Skacel, but the artists behind the yarn - Schoppel Wolle - are dedicated to pushing the envelope of color, texture and style.

You may enjoy taking a look at the Cascade & Schoppel-Wolle Woven Checks Shawl, Schoppel Wolle ZickZack Scarf, and Schoppel Wolle Magic Zauberball Stripe Socks kits all using Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Crazy Yarn.

Another thing: Zauberballs look like wool, a little closer to the sheep than most other sock yarns. Zauberballs do have the 25% nylon that makes it a practical sock yarn, but somehow the Zauberball has a nice, rustic feel to it.

If you click on only one thing today, this is the click. I have never seen anything like these hybrid patterns. They are stunning. In particular, Renaissance Stripes is worked on US size 0 needles, using 67 mini skeins of laceweight merino. PS: The stripes are worked vertically, eight colors in each row. Fifty-six intrepid masochists have posted their projects on Ravelry. Go give them all a high five. Count me gobsmacked.

Zauberball makes great socks, they go in the washer, wear well, and provide endless entertainment in watching the colors change. I like the heavier version, Zauberballe Starke 6, with size 3 needles, so I can knit a pair of socks in a reasonable length of time.

That click took my breath away! I immediately started to think how those patterns would also look if woven or needlepointed. The possibilities are endless. Mr. Foley is brilliant. Thank you for that moment to start my day.

However, Ann, that little line about the joy you have been getting from knitting made the whole thing for me. Joy. Worry less ( a la Kay), find more joy (a la Ann). These last two posts have held very important reminders for me.

It comes down to being realistic. Knitting takes time. Before I get to that project I once loved, I have come across other patterns I love even more, and yarn needs change. You know what I am saying here. The yarn bought on sale gets pushed to the back of the drawer or bin and new yarn is added.

Living in a hot climate means I seldom get the chance to wear what I knit. When I visited a cold place for a few weeks, it was easy to see how much I would wear certain hand knits. The Cobblestone sweater is big and bulky and perfect to wear over anything.

Steps:

1. Unwind the hank into a circle, place it in the foil pan and soak it in a vinegar/water mixture (I used C vinegar and to C water).

2. Prep the dye as instructed.

3. Dye the eggs (optional).

4. With the yarn still in the pan, pour the leftover dye onto the yarn as desired, soaking up the excess with paper towels. (If there is dye puddling in the bottom of the pan, lift out the yarn and dump the extra dye before placing it in the oven. This step prevents the colors from getting muddy).

5. Place the yarn in an oven preheated to 200F preheated oven and bake for 15 to 30 minutes.

6. Rinse the yarn and hang to dry.

Take knit socks, shawls & accessories to the next level. Zauberball Crazy is a fingering weight, self-striping yarn that knits into bold, multi-colored designs. The yarn consists of two multi-colored strands that have been dyed individually, then plied together to create a fun, interesting knitting journey.

A daily mini-series in which I give an updated review of some sock yarns I have used, having given the socks some wear. For first post and longer explanation, click here. Pattern link below is to my original review of the yarn when the socks were completed; yarn link goes to Ravelry.

They started as a ball of funky sock yarn that I fell for in a yarn shop in Cape Cod, back when I was still using Xanga, so the pictures from that post are long-gone. In that ball, all the fall colors I love were blended in a funky way. It said it was sock yarn, and at that point in my career, that was all I needed to know. I knit them with an amusing pattern I found online, did a horrible job guessing what calf increases should be like.

Crazy Zauberball sock yarn by Schoppel-Wolle. Zauberball with a 2-strand twist that gives a wonderfully quirky colour mixing effect. A sock knitting yarn with beautiful ombre shaded bands of tweed blended with plain colours.

Schoppel Wolle are known for the beauty and quality of their yarns. Crazy Zauberball sock yarn (sock wool) is an extremely popular yarn for a wide range of projects, from socks, shawls and gloves to hats, scarves and jumpers! Patterns on Ravelry: Crazy Zauberball

Alright, let me warn you that you should be careful when using an open flame for this! Bringing the edge closet to the flame will slightly melt it to prevent fraying. I did this when I made the roses for a special wedding. Do not light it one fire, so short and quick is the key!

Use a variety of yarns and colours. Keep the yarn within the width of your stabilizer. I personally like thinner but longer scarf for more versatility. If you find it too long to work with you can work in sections to join later.

Hello Barb, I am so glad to find you and you are amazing! Loving the piece here and your directions. I now believe that it is time to learn to use my new sewing machine, as I have had it for about 5 years. Inspiration from you! Smiles, judy

Barb,

This is absolutely a work of art. Stunning. Do you have any pics of the finished piece laid out flat to see the detail?

Can you clarify for me, does the yarn have to be wool or or are you using stretched bits of wool and yarn?

For our 4th installment of the Interview Series, we welcome Kay, The Crazy Sock Lady, to the stage. Kay has a fun podcast over on YouTube. Not only is she adorable and knowledgeable, but she says 'yall'. That word warms my soul! You can also find her patterns (mostly socks) on Ravelry.

A: I learned to crochet as a child, as I got older I was more drawn to the fabric of knitted items. I felt that for garment making knitting just gave it a more classic look. But, I felt completely intimidated by the whole 2 needle thing. Then my sister in law started learning to knit and I thought - "I can totally do that!" So, I went to a local big box store and bought needles, yarn, and a Better Homes and Garden 1-2-3- Knit book. YouTube wasn't as big back then so I learned completely from that book. I actually think I still have that book!

A: Most definitely socks - main reason being that they are so portable and mindless! I love a project that I can take anywhere. Socks sometimes end up in the kitchen with me while I'm making dinner, in the car (when I'm not driving of course!), waiting for appointments, when we go out to eat. They are so small and if you aren't doing a crazy pattern they are completely mindless and easy to work on while carrying on a conversation. I truly think they make for the best on the go knitting. My favorite design element...I love a good heel flap and gusset. There are so many heels out there for socks but give me a good old fashioned heel flap and gusset and I'm a happy knitter.

A: I am without a doubt a yarn hoarder. Sometimes I do purchase with a specific pattern in mind. But mostly...I just buy because I love a colorway! My thought process is that if it is fingering weight with nylon I know that I can always use it for socks. Justification at its finest!

A: This is always a tricky one for me because I tend to fall so in love with things that I make while I'm making them. So, I'm going to go with my latest favorite FO which is The Insouciant Tee by Julie Hoover. I made it out of lace weight held double - my very first time using lace weight yarn. It was Anzula Luxury Fibers - which was another first for me. And it was my first time making a tee! So a lot of firsts with this one. It has started a bit of an obsession with me wanting to make all the tees! Also, the fit on it was PERFECT!

A: This is a topic I could go on and on about... but I think if I had to pick one thing it would be the relaxing nature of it. I love the feel of the needles in my hands and the yarn running through my fingers. It's almost meditative in a way.

A: My LYS is The Salty Sheep in Swansboro, NC. Peggy is the owner and it's a lovely shop! My favorite thing about the shop is that every single time I have been in, there are ladies sitting around the table knitting and chatting. It just makes for a warm, welcoming feeling when you go in. They are all always happy to help with suggestions and help with patterns if you are stuck. Peggy also has a wonderful selection of yarn, bags, notions, books. You are sure to walk in and find something that you just can't leave without.

A: I am pretty obsessed with the Kirby Wirby Afterthought Heel video on YouTube. It is my favorite heel to use with self striping yarn because it wont interfere with the stripe sequence. And I love this method if not using any self striping yarn.

A: I do crochet, it was kind of my first love with the fiber arts. I don't tend to do it as often now because knitting has definitely taken over my life. But I still really enjoy it when I get a chance to do it. I do not weave or spin, those are just two things I have not been interested in trying so far. Sewing...I have attempted. And I have such an interesting relationship with it. Occasionally I will get the bug to give it a try... but it never goes well. Haha! I have always really enjoy cross stitching, it is something that I have been feeling the itch to pick up and do again.

My name is Kay Litton, I was born and raised in West Virginia. I met my husband Eric my freshman year of high school and we have been married now for 12 years. We have two sons, Austin and Wyatt. We have two dogs, Gracie and Chloe who are equally adorable and rotten. My husbands job has had us all over the US, which has been a lot of fun! We currently live in NC but are gearing up for a move to AZ the beginning of June. You can find me on IG and Ravelry as thecrazysocklady and I do also have a podcast on YouTube called Crazy Sock Lady Podcast. I have patterns available for purchase on Ravelry under Crazy Sock Lady Designs.

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