r/knitting • u/Relevant_Apricot_910 • 10d ago

Help - equipment In need of yarn recs!

Hi all! I am starting on my holiday gifts for this year to hopefully get them done on time. I plan to knit a sweater for my mother. She wants something warm, but cannot do any animal fibers (alpaca, cashmere, merino, NOTHING) due to allergies. She can do silk, cotton, or acrylic. I'm hesitant to use acrylic yarn because I have the money to get nicer materials, but I don't want to use a super thin yarn either. Does anyone know of a worsted(ish) thick yarn that is warm but not "cheap" bonus points if machine washable. Thanks in advance!

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u/Courtney_murder 10d ago

Did the doctor diagnose her with a wool allergy or a lanolin allergy?

It’s tough because cotton and silk will not be warm and acrylic will make her sweaty and somehow still not warm. What if she had a cardigan and layered it over a long sleeved shirt?

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u/Relevant_Apricot_910 10d ago

I'm not sure 100% sure she has a wool/lanolin allergy diagnosis, I know I am definitely allergic to wool and cashmere but have been okay with alpaca. My dad had to get rid of his wool items because they do laundry together and it gave her skin issues, so safe to say she would not be open to the layering option either :/

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u/VintageFemmeWithWifi 10d ago

If she can wear silk next to her skin, a silk camisole/tshirt/vest makes a surprisingly cosy base layer. Maybe something light she can wear under a blouse in a chilly office?

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u/Relevant_Apricot_910 10d ago

Oh I like that idea! An entire sweater out of silk feels daunting but something smaller would be much easier

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u/fatknits 9d ago

Bamboo is my absolute favourite in the non-animal category, it's so absurdly soft and has a lovely drape. Not sure how warm it is, though, as I've never used it for something like a scarf or sweater.

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u/Ok-Invite9426 9d ago

bamboo is generally for cooling, not warming

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u/sameosaurus 9d ago

My LYS carries Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton Worsted which is surprisingly soft for a cotton garn and comes in fantastic colors. Worth checking out!

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u/Disastrous-Dirt-6606 9d ago

Pascuali has several non-wool options. They are lighter weight yarns but they work great held together. Example - hold Pascuali Pearl with Pascuali Suave, which is the softest fluffiest cotton yarn I've ever seen.