My all-time favourite yarns || Creabea Knitting Podcast 

I really enjoyed watching this episode ♥. Seeing what yarn other people like to work with is always interesting . I have to disagree with the statement that Woolyknit's price increases are justified and am going to have a little gripe here. Two years ago their 500g 4ply cone cost £16.00 (£13.50 on sales!) which was super affordable and great for those who wanted to knit with more wooly yarns (not acrylics) and fund their knitting hobby. They have slowly increased their prices to the point where I checked their site last week with the discount Kaci from Youngfolk Knits is now running with them, and a 500g cone costs £30!! That's basically doubled in price in 2 years and not affordable now for some who want to knit with more rustic yarns and keep up their knitting craft. I don't see that as a justified price increase in terms of general cost of living price increases in the UK. Woolyknit started to increase prices when they started to be marketed online by podcasters such as yourself and took advantage of the initial free publicity. Once they realised they had a growing market they started to do collaborations and gradually increase their prices. What I thought was really disrespectful to their customers was that they made no announcements before each price increase, so you basically only found out when you visited their site. It would always be with a sinking heart to see that they had gone from £16 to £25 in such a short period without letting their regular subscribed customers know via email or social media. This price increase made them not affordable for quite a few people in my circle who wanted to knit with wool yarn. Then their latest increase to £30 (again without an announcement or reason) has made it so that I probably won't be buying from them again). When businesses announce their price increases, this shows a lot of respect and genuine care for their customer base and I find myself following and supporting those businesses more because of their transparency and honesty. As they have no technical obligation to make that announcement but still feel morally obliged to do so because of their care for their customers. A few designers increased their prices last year and let their followers know they were doing it and why they were doing it. The fact that they had done this made all the comments very supportive and increased customer loyalty. Woolyknit is choosing to disrespect their customers and continue with as much price increases as they can get away with and I personally believe they have been able to do it because of the initial exposure you gave them Rebecca. When your first podcast came out you gained a lot of followers very quickly because of your charm and bubbly personality. It's always uplifting to watch your podcasts. Then when you spoke so highly about Woolyknit in so many of your initial episodes they got a lot of new customers coming to them so the boost in business must have been huge through the exposure and reach you gave them, especially from overseas as lots of Knitting Podcast watchers are from the US. I think they owe you a lot more than you realise and hope they paid you well for your collaborations. Their wool is nice to work with but as a business they have failed their old loyal customers since getting more exposure.

Great podcast as usual. One of the things I love about your knitting is that you knit with affordable yarns. ❤❤❤

A desert island where you can wear wool! My kind of heaven! ❤ Great show xxx 😘

Oh, and another thing, I LOVE your patterns. So clear, simple and with options, very generous of you. ❤

I looove that you also chose to speak about more affordable yarns because a lot of yarn and knitting podcasters (or whatever you call it? influencers hehe?) are recommending extensive yarns which are sometimes hard to find!

Always good to know what the favourite yarn choices of knitters are. I really appreciate you often use lower cost yarn they are generally very accessible. Agreed, freshly ground good quality coffee is a must to start the day. My favourite book is Fall on your knees by Ann Marie McDonald.

I loved this episode! I also love how many good quality yarns there are on this list that aren’t ridiculously expensive. I would LOVE if you made a video talking about all the yarns that are currently in your stash! I’m always curious about this with other creators.

My desert island choices: Woollentwine yarns, Passalacqua coffee, Risotto rice, Virginia Woolf books, Rhiannon Giddens music. Thanks for your video

I love how pretty the cardigan you have on. It's very complimentary to your skin color. If your a Winter then no suprize. Some colors you knit are more of a Fall tones like the the tomato red, oatmeal or rust tones. I think the Winter colors make you shine.

Thank you so much for listing the yarns. 😊 I’m sitting here knitting and with pencil in hand listening intently to your list and noting your comments. Then it occurred to me that you probably already put the names on your show notes. 😅

drops belle might be one of my favorite yarns period; i have a tolsta that's been snagged, stained, through the washer AND dryer multiple times, and it STILL looks like i just cast it off. and that's after being in a climate that's pretty much summer year round, so i'm always wearing it. truly the mvp of my wardrobe/finished objects

This is so useful to point newer knitters too, thank you! I always say you're really good for advice on non superwash yarn.

Interesting choices! Another yarn I thought you would also mention is Biches & Bûches.

My desert island yarns would have to include the fibre co. Cumbria fingering, pretty much anything John Arbon, and my newest favorite de rerum natura. I have been knitting with their gilliat a lot lately and it's so bouncy and light. I have a bunch if their antigone right now as well since I'm on a linen exploration this year. I haven't knit with it yet but the colors are stunning. I bought some woolyknit cones but haven't tried it yet. I did try JC Rennie and while it's not particularly soft it is super lightweight and comfy with no itch at all plus you can't beat the price point. Cascade 220 has great colors and I love that you can get it in several weights, although I prefer cascade heritage because it's so soft. I will say the 220 us cheaper, bouncier, and wears better though. Love your choices and I will have to try kinross someday. I have some knitting for olive pure silk that I plan on trying this summer already in stash. Great episode!

Great episode! Learned a lot about the different yarns. I really have to try the Cascade 220. I love your sense of humour and almost spat out my tea when you mentioned the stain of guacemole on your cardigan and dehydrating yourself by crying over the book. Cheers!

Loved this episode. When I was in Edinburgh in May I bought some Bobcat Alpaca yarn which I am yet to use but it is so soft. I have just finished my Daft Days Cardigan and am waiting til it is cool enough to wear. It is made using the yarn I collected while on holidays in Scotland and the UK. So a Memories Cardigan. My son bought me some beautiful Irish yarn so that is in there too. Bands are a beautiful Tansy colour bought from the Cole Harbour Mills. I am so happy with it. I have your Rhu Sweater but am going to make it in one colour as I really like Woollyknits version and a DK Fair Isle is really too heavy for South Australia. Much as I love the Fair Isle. Have an amazing Time in Australia. I hope it is not too warm for you. I love the cold weather too

I love hearing what other people love to knit with! My desert island yarns would have to include Harrisville Designs Highland base, which is a 100% NSW wool in a worsted weight. It's excellent for colorwork, and despite being a fairly rustic yarn, it softens up so nicely with washing and wearing. I'm a huge sock knitter, so I would say any 80/20 wool/nylon fingering weight yarn would have to come along as well! I think Rauma Finull, Wool Dreamers Manchelopi, and Brooklyn Tweed Shelter would also need to come with me. Hopefully my island is cold!

Thanks for this video. I’m a big Woolyknit fan too. Knit the Coorie in Poncho in British 4ply and a strand of mohair using 5mm needles and it’s got great drape!

Loved this! Thank you!

I loved this episode, I’ve saved it to my knitting notes so I can come back to it 😊 just going to hit subscribe now!

Thanks Rebecca! I really like knowing more about the yarns you chose, and I appreciate the fact that they're not $30 or more per skein. I'm in the USA so the Cascade 220 will be easy to acquire, I'd love the try the Kinross 4 ply, but shipping makes me pause. I'm loving my Tolsta Tee, it's the first sweater that actually fit me. I do want to make another with a smaller neckline & some stripes.

Brilliant run through of your fav yarns. Thanks Rebecca.

Going to give Woollyknit some love here in the comments, too. Their yarn has gone up in price but I think that was inevitable. Their early prices looked unsustainably low to me for their business to succeed in the long term but that did help them get their yarn out there and into knitters’ hands. It is still well worth the money imo and knits up beautifully. I’ve used their sock, merino 4ply, aran and their British wool and I love them all. And if their cotton colours are a bit on the pale side for you, they do have some vibrant colours in their cotton linen blend. Highly recommend.

Loved it ! Very inspiring to think of our own list of these and it helps to get to know you 💜

Loved it ❤❤❤

Ooh I love your selection! It’s so nice to have a designer recommend yarns that are in my price range 😂 I love Cascade and Drops Alpaca, they’re my most used yarns too. Thanks for a great episode, love your sweaters ❤

Very interesting choice of favorite yarns. Thank you for this.

Great episode!! Thank you for sharing all your favorites, giving reasons why and showing some projects. I will definitely be trying some you mentioned that are new to me. Take care

I love this kind of episode so so much! Thank you! I'm also a big fan of Sonder Yarn Sunday Morning DK. I have bought a kit of it to do the Autunm Alpine and an other kit to do the In Good Company wrap. Also, you make me want to try the Drops Alpaca + Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair combo and the Knitting for Olive Pure Silk. Oh la la! So much things to knit and not enough time to do it!! Bye Rebecca and happy knitting! xx

You introduced me to Wooly Knit. I made your Kerr in Oatmeal and Cinnamon like yours, but held single. It is my favourite jumper ❤ Congrats for a great pattern.

Love the episode! This was helpful especially as I start collecting yarn for spring and summer knits. I appreciate your reviews!!❤

I will certainly try all these yarns, especially the summer ones.

That Daft Days looks really nice on you Rebecca. Love your desert island yarn idea for a video. I love your patterns and just deciding which one to knit. ❤❤❤

Hello dear Rebecca, looking forward to your Lauder series patterns! Ordering cascade 220 today =D

Your yarn choices are interesting (I am a big fan of the Cascade as well!), and now I am inspired to try a few that I haven´t experienced. Your work (i.e. your knits) are so very beautiful, Rebecca. Thank you for sharing!

I love Knitpicks Wool of the Andes sport weight as well as their Palette line which is fingering. I also will hold Drops Flora with another fingering instead of mohair because you don't always want a super fuzzy sweater. And Fishermen's Wool is a wonderful woolen spun worsted weight. I would happily take these on a desert island!

That was so helpful!!!

I always find it interesting to hear how others view life and life's choices. Thank you.

Another great podcast. Thank you for sharing your fave yarns. I’m going to haven’t try some as well ;-)

This was really good, I’ve been watching you from the start and seen your progress. I love that you still like to save a buck with yarn & proven how well they hold up to higher price point yarns. Bravo 👏🏽 Desert island yarns for me are Katie Davies…both milarrochy tweed (loads of lovely colours & fingering) or Ooskit ( 3 natural colours and DK) DELISH! If I wasn’t in school and very poor I’d buy you some 😂

My favs…. Studio Donegal Soft Tweed, Kelbourne Woolens Scout, Cascade 220, Jamieson of Shetland Spindrift, Rauma Finull held with mohair, The Fibre Company Lore, Blue Sky Fiber Woolstok and my very favorite “splurge” yarn is Brooklyn Tweed Shelter. Great podcast.

I loved every minute of this Rebecca! Highly enjoyable and informative. Loved seeing the projects and how they've held up over time. We have similar yarn tastes, although I do lean heavily into the rustic side of things (ie. Rauma and Lettlopi for outer garments) but I have 7 of the 8 yarns you mentioned and so we would totally be able to share stash on this desert island! I am a 'good coffee' snob as well, so that would be my luxury. I have been thinking a lot about how loose my gauge is now compared to a while back. I am starting to think it is because I switched to Chaigoo metal needles about 1.5 yrs ago, and before that I had always used to Addi metals and wood Knitter's Pride circulars. I still like the fabric I'm getting but I NEVER get gauge anymore! Thanks so much for the epsiode - really boosted my spirits on this COLD February day here in western Canada.

I love this podcast idea! I'd be interested to see what you made of Uradale yarns - I find it really very soft, lovely to work with and beautiful colours too - they have DK weight.

Love your podcast and have been watching from the US from the beginning. I look forward to your designs, the details and teases until pattern availability.

What a fun episode! My desert island yarns are Rowan Felted Tweed and Kidsilk Haze, and probably Madelinetosh or Malabrigo, except I want to move from superwash. From your list, I have used Cascade 220. I have Knitting for Olive Pure Silk that I hope to use soon. Have a great week! ❤

Lots of pretty things ❤

Too funny! Really enjoyed this episode as I sit watching and knitting my Alder sweater in Sonder yarn Wildwood and Bubblebath but switch out to finish a pair off Stockinette mitts in Drops Alpaca😄 Thank you again and so enjoy your podcasts and designs!

Thank you for talking about your favorite yarns. I have been investigating local New England and eastern Canadian yarns, but most are very rustic, which I like. Favorite book? A Tale of Two Cities, I think.

Great podcast! Loved it! One of my favorite yarns is La Bien Aimee Merino Single and their mohair. Hope you get to use her yarns one day. I also love their Komo. Another yarn dyer is Farmer's Daughter Fibers. Oh Dang! is amazing as well as Foxy Lady. Their colors are very beautiful. Enjoy!

Great podcast thank you. 😊

I love the premise of this video, it's so fun! Loved seeing your faves, even if they were predictable 😆

Very interesting podcast . I'm keen to try some of your favourites especially the Knitting for Olive Silk. One wool I associate with you is Knoll Coast because I used it to knit the Corran cardigan for my daughter. It worked so well in that pattern. As I watched the podcast I was using the leftovers in the Leith cardigan and again it is knitting up beautifully. I can't comment yet on how it wears.

I enjoyed the episode. I have not tried half of the yarns but I do lab on giving them a try. Should be interesting.

I enjoyed this and just knew Drops would be the first one mentioned..can you tell I watch every episode? 😊 And thank you for really mixing it up with content, not staying with the standard podcast of FO’s, WIPs and acquisions only. It’s really a fun watch!

Was waiting for the Kinross! ❤ Loved this episode - actually knitting using Cascade 220 for the first time while watching and loving it, would definitely be on my desert island list (along with West Yorkshire Spinners Bluefaced Leicester DK and Woolyknit British wool) Have really appreciated your yarn recommendations over the time you’ve been making the podcast, including beautiful Gullet Farm / Telling Yarns which I got for Christmas this year 🐑 so thank you!

You are always entertaining…. Feels like knitting with a friend 😊 I am presently knitting with Sonder yarn ans absolutely love it! Soft but rustic very draped knit on a 4.5mm…. Colourwork Lumme by Sari Norlund. I love Rowan Kidsilk but have not tried Filcolana nor Knitting for Olive mohair. Enjoy BaaRamEwe Titus rustic but soft. Zealana has some wonderful yarns with possum…. Very comfortable and knits up very evenly

Loved this video, i have watched since episode one. I love that you use yarns easily accessible to me. Cascade 220 is one of my go to favourites and Filcolana tilia is soft enough for me to wear. I also use Rowan Kidsilk Haze also very soft. I've just ordered my first sweater quantity of Kinross 4 ply 😊 Will be visiting Edinburgh early May and Ginger Twist is on my list and i will be adding the coffee shop 😂

Love this episode! My favorites are Fibre Co. Lore DK, and their Road to China Light (sport). I have tried a lot of silk mohair options and now return exclusively to Isager's. The extra cost is worth it to me. Also a new lace weight I recently tried as a sub for silk mohair is Isager Alpaca 1. It is not as fuzzy as suri alpaca but adds just the right amount of soft halo and extra drapiness held together with wool yarn.

Cascade 220 is probably my favourite yarn also. I’ve knit three or four sweaters with it and it has great stitch definition…the price is hard to beat. Another yarn that I acquired lately and really love is Vovo from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, based out of Lisbon. It’s a little bit rustic, but so nice to knit. I knit the Reflections sweater which has tons of cable and the texture is amazing.

It was lovely to see your desert island yarns. I definitely love quite a few of them. I have tried blacker yarns or John Arbon yarn they are sheepy but also have some softer bases with a bit of bfl of masham blended in. My favourite John Arbon yarn is the Appledore. It's a blend of three different sheep breeds from the Devonian area. I can't remember the breeds off the top of my head but they bloom when blocked. I also like the Sandnes Garn Alpakka ull. I made a Sophie shawl in it, it's so soft and squishy.

I guessed them all correctly 😅 although wasn't sure if mondim would be in there or not. You're by far my biggest yarnfluincer! I always keep an ear out when you recommend a new one

Hi Rebecca, thanks for a very interesting overview ❤ My desert island yarn: bio balance by bc Garn, a wool cotton fingering weight blend. Ideal for the wonderful Scottish summer 😂 And you can always use a mohair with it😊

What a wonderful episode!. I guessed that Cascade 220 would be high on your list, you always mention what a great yarn it is. I have added Drops Belle, Sandnes Garn Line and Knitting for Olive to my must knit yarns to knit with this year to make another Tosta. You should try Sandnes Garn Duo, wool/cotton blend, perfect for a moderate climate. I am not a fan of mohair but just started using Sandes Garn Alpakka Folgetrad as a substitute. It is so soft! Thanks for all the inspiration.

I remember Cathy cardigan! I am with you in Filcolana Tilia- I knitted with it on a Lento and my Champagne cardigan and I think it’s my favourite mohair so far ( but a girl has a budget so sometimes it’s gotta be Drops🤭)

So fun! I hope this starts a craze and all our favourite Podcasters do their Desert Island Yarns, as well x

So Drops has a dk wight wool alpaca, called drops Lima and it is very nice and soft. This is my first time buy of Drops. I bought it from wool Warehouse. I also bought there drop brushed alpaca, because I can't do mohair and it is super nice too.

Silk was a surprise! You’ve made this wool-lover want to try your suggestion. xx

Before you even said it… I said Cascade 220. This happens to be my favorite yarn too. Love the washability and the color selections. Emma’s yarn is next and have a lot in stash Madeline Tosh Malabrigo Knitting for Olive mohair Noro Love your podcast

I really appreciate all these recommendations!! I am a huge magpie for hand-dyed but it gets very expensive for garment knitting, especially as I usually need to knit a size large or extra large, so these more budget friendly recommendations are great!! Also being in Australia sometimes I have to blind-buy things online without being able to feel them first, so it's very helpful to hear such detailed reviews on these yarns.

Love this list! I'm yet to try Cascade 220 but from watching your podcast, it's what I'm planning to knit my husband's jumper in (next in queue). Can I add my favourite Australian made yarns and perhaps if you come across any during your holiday here, the names will already be a little familiar? Great Ocean Road Woollen Mills - La Bella (merino/alpaca blend) Great Southern Yarn (merino) Tarndwarncoort (Tarndie) (polwarth) Karoa Fibres (bond/merino) North East Yarns (Corriedale/silk) Yuruga Plains (merino) Millpost Merino (merino) White Gum Wool (merino) And of course we have a bunch of amazing hand dyers, but the above producers are strictly grown and processed in Australia (we don't have superwash processing here). I've heard amazing things about NZ yarns, too, so I hope you have some extra room in your luggage! :)

Thank you for sharing your list! I’ve worked with Cascade 220 once, but it was a Christmas stocking. I really want to knit it into a garment now. And I have some gifted Drop Alpaca in my stash that I need to knit with! One of my desert island yarns would be the Oh Dang suri alpaca by Farmer’s Daughter Fibers. I can’t tolerate mohair very well and that suri is so soft!! If you’re looking to try new yarns, I think you’d like Harrisville Designs, De Rerum Natura, Kelbourne Woolens, and Juniper Moon.

I came across black isle yarns recently and fallen in love ,,, defo my best find of last year

Great podcast and pleased you have included yarns that are affordable. I have watched many podcasts and the yarn choices are so expensive. Keep up the great work 👏👏👏👏

Thank you for sharing your favourite yarns. We don’t have the selection in Canada you have and the only one I’ve used is Cascade 220 and I really do love it. Really appreciate your opinion on yarns and will be helpful. It’s really interesting. Thank you.

Fab video. Thanks v much. 👍👍👍

Hi Rebecca, my favourite yarn is Ecopuno: alpaca and cotton blend mainly. Fingering, gives a beautiful drape for a tee or all season sweater. Thanks for sharing your experience with yarns. I will try your tip to use drops alpaca for winter garments. And bright colours look very good on you 🤩

I don’t know what my desert island yarn choices would be, but at the moment I’m enjoying knitting with Wool Dreamers , Cautiva in the colour C718G which is a beautiful green. You are so fun to watch and listen to. Thanks again for an interesting podcast.

So many lovely yarns! Thank you for sharing 😊 I have to disagree with you about cotton and colours, though - there are plenty of cotton and cotton blend yarns out there with a good range of bright and rich colours! My current favourites are: Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlette (pricey but WORTH IT), Hobbii Rainbow Cotton, Drops Muskat and Stylecraft Naturals 🙂 I'm coming up to Edinburgh at the end of March and will definitely be checking out Ginger Twist!

Drops has a way with alpaca. Soft Alpaca Tweed is a real beauty!

Rebecca, I really enjoyed your Desert Island Yarns episode. However, how could you not mention Jamieson's of Shetland Spindrift 4 ply? The best yarn in the world with an amazing selection of colours. Just my opinion. Cheers.

I love the BERROCO Pima 100 yarn it’s a DK weight and it is so buttery soft! I’ve used it several times and it’s such a pleasure to knit with and it holds up great with wear! You should give it a try if it’s available in the UK and if you want a DK weight Summer yarn 😍

Really enjoyed this and got some inspiration. Quite a coincidence as I was just reading the comments re the Tolsta Tee on Ravelry and was about to order! Thanks Rebecca. Xx

My favorite summer yarn is Knitting for Olive cotton merino, so soft and yet so nice in warm weather.

The De Rerum Natura mohair (Bérénice?) is a lovely treat-yourself level option to try. I agree with the Drops Belle choice, I'm looking forward to a tolsta tank in it when the time's right. My luxury would be Coke Zero, although i think that's more of a necessity for everyone else stuck with me -- I don't do decaffeinated well.

I’m watching this in Canada while wearing a sweater in Sonder Yarn and agree it’s lovely - the colours especially - but mine in Sunday DK pills a *tonne*. It’s knit at somewhat of a looser gauge so I’m wondering if that’s why - because you’re now the second podcaster to remark on it not pilling much. Curious! And thanks for the Cascade reminder 🧶

Drops kidsilk takes over the look of the project sometimes in my opinion 🤔

Love the video. Great yarn choices. They would either make my list as well or I haven't had a chance to work with them yet but desperately want to. For Line, I prefer working with two strands of Tynn Line. I don't know why but the fabric seems to be much nicer and drapier. Also you need to join new yarn much less frequent witch I find to be a huge plus with plant yarns. Something new for you to try if you haven't already (that smells amazing!) would be Nutiden. I also really like Knitpicks Palette and Wool of the Andes but they might be hard for you to get.

Given how much you love alpaca, you've got to try Purl Soho Season Alpaca!! It's pricey, but it feels incredible, drapes beautifully, wears PERFECTLY, and has an awesome color range!

Fav wool: Armscote Manor Portland Wool; John Arbon Exmoor Sock; Jamieson Spindrift; Blacker Yarns Breeds; Doulton Flock Border Leicester; Hawkshaw Sheep; Moel View Yarn British DK; Moel View Yarn BFL & Masham 4ply; Whistlebare mohair. ❤

Love this sort of episode - have you tried J C Rennie? I think its the same as Biches et Buches, or rather that Biches et Buches get their base from there - but a lot cheaper especially if bought on the cone which is a bargain IMHO. After watching previous episodes I’ve tried Kinross (only for a baby hat so far, absolutely agree on the softness), have purchased cotton and wool from Woolyknit when it was much cheaper though haven’t used it yet (clearly that was a good investment😂). One of my desert island yarns is DeRerum Natura Gilliat, pills a bit at first but after de bobbling then wears really well with minimal bobbling. The vest looks gorgeous, looking forward to that pattern release!

Game box as a prop: what games do you like?? We’ve been playing Clank. Do you like puzzles too? Our family got hooked on Nervous system puzzles after a RU-vid knitter described one!

I like a bamboo yarn 👍🏻

You forgot to slow down. I love your choice of yarns. Beautiful knits!!

I also love Cascade 220! Especially the Heathered colours, and the price. But I’m not so crazy about the pilling with wear

hello from a new subscriber in Iceland, where of course i would insist on bringing some unspun wool with me to whatever desert island -- either plötulopi (which feels very different than léttlopi, not interchangeable in my view) or Nutiden or both -- because it's SO flexible for so many kinds of knitting projects. unspun is the best!

Thank you so much , as usual love your podcasts. For cotton/cotton blend and summer yarn in general check out Rosarios 4 yarns they are very good in quality and price.

I’m super surprised Fiber Co Lore didn’t make your list.

Wonderful episode today. Did I hear maybe Kinross might be coming out with a DK? 🙏

Have you had a chance to play the Patchwork game? If so, what did you think? I have it but haven’t had a chance to play yet. Thanks for your podcast! I always enjoy it!

Oh wow, I don't remember seeing that cardi that you're wearing. I'm going to check. If it's 8 ply I'll get it!!!! ( too hot in sunny brisbane to wear anything more than 8ply 🥵 you may still be here right now or just gone so you'll be able to relate!) and a note: please look at the lens not at yourself on yr screen. ☺️ it's hard to engage .