Men Who Knit Promoting and inspiring the art of knitting amongst men.

Well Hello! Welcome to our amazing group, we sing, we dance, we knit...oh wait that is me and all my friends. Well, we all knit, and many of us do the rest, but we all have a great time doing so. So many of the guys on here amaze me each day with their skills, it will just be a matter of time before we see your good work as well.

I used to think it was scratchy before I knit with it. When you wash and block it it softens up, and Cashmere Island and Silk Garden (plus a couple of others) are even softer than Kureyon. The colors are amazing.

If anyone wants to give up their Noro stash on account of being scratchy, send it my way!! I think Noro (esp. Kureyon) is all about the colors. It's not the strongest yarn out there, and it's not the softest. But I am told by my LYS owner that it softens a bit if you wash it. And the silk garden isn't scratchy at all. My first Noro was a hat in Silk Garden, and it was actually a bit too slinky for what I was making. I know better now how to use it.

One aspect of Noro that intrigues me, though I don't know much about it, is the thought of how it's made. I don't think they use any crap in making their yarn.

Chuckle...they way Noro goes thick/thin makes me think of the garment labels that say that imperfections "make this garment unique." The difference is that with Noro, it's true. If you look around on ravelry for projects using Noro, you'll see what kind of stuff it can do and how people like it.

I don't think Noro yarns should be compared to Merino wool...they're apples and oranges. Both have their place. "Scratchy" is, like other aspects of yarn, subject to personal preference; some people are more sensitive than others. There's also the adjustment factor. I didn't like my Lorna's Laces sock yarn at first...it hurt my feet. But after a couple washings/wearings I feel very differently about it.

My conclusion is this...give it a go! One ball won't kill your wallet. It's still cheaper than experimenting with oil paints. One ball could make a pair of fingerless mitts, or a beanie. If you don't like the feel of it I'm sure it will make a beautiful gift. And then you'll know. :)

welcome to the group. As for Noro..........Silk Garden is a soft blend, but personally I think the Noro line of yarns are NOT your best choice of yarns but I think they are expensive, unevenly spun, and ARE scratchy. The only thing going for the brand is there color combinations. I have used Noro only twice and both for felted projects. It does felt nicely. I have a friend who tried the noro sock yarn and won't wear the socks because of the scratchiness..............I think there are better choices. Before investing a fortune in Noro, fine a yarn shop and feel it and ask for a comparable alternative.

Hi Woodburn, welcome to our merry little band of knitsters!

I've used Noro Kureyon, Silk Garden and haven't noticed them being scratchy at all. So far, I've been working on a plain 1x1 alternating every-other row scarf. Originally I had planned on using it for a felted bad.