Alternatives to Tapestry Yarn
I've been noticing a trend at needlework stores. It's the disappearance of tapestry wool. At my local needlework store, the entire stock of needlepoint yarn was cleared out in favor of more lucrative knitting yarns. I can't really blame the shop owner for doing this - fish gotta fly and birds gotta eat, right?
While I can appreciate a needlework shop's need to stock supply that they can turn, I do wonder how needlepointers are going to cope with a diminishing supply of tapestry wool. Mail order is difficult at best, as catalogs and online color cards are not true to the actual color. Nothing compares to selecting yarn by holding it in the hand and comparing colors side-by-side.
There is a solution: use knitting wool.
After waiting for tapestry wool for over 3 months due to a backorder, I decided to prowl the yarn shops for suitable alternatives. While there are several terrific options, I did find one that works particularly well and is available in a very nice range of colors. Cascade Yarns of Seattle produces a beautiful 100% wool yarn that is a joy to work with. I tested it by using the yarn exclusively in the Monogram Frame project. It was nearly identical in weight to tapestry wool, and held up well when pulled repeatedly through the canvas with minimal "fuzzies".
There are the pros and cons in using knitting wool. On the upside, the hanks are large, so you often only need one, and you often get more wool for the money than when buying tapestry wool skeins. You can also get creative and try stitching with variegated, multicolored yarns and rustic heathers. On the downside, the color pallette is limited compared to tapestry wool, and if you only need a small amount of yarn, you'll need to purchase an entire hank.
When purchasing knitting yarns for needlepoint, select yarns that are 100% wool that are the same weight or thickness as tapestry wool. This is especially important if you are combining yarn and tapestry wool in the same project. Avoid acrylic, blended yarns and cottons, as they are not suitable for needlepoint due to either lack of give or too much stretch. You can find instructions for preparing a large skein or hank in the know-how section, to make pulling lengths of yarn easier and tangle-free.
If you find yourself with dwindling local resources, don't be afraid to talk to the shop owner and express your concerns. They are always willing to listen and can often help you find suitable alternatives within their shop.
Tip: Carry a bit of tapestry wool in your wallet, pocket or handbag at all times for comparing yarn weight or thickness. You never know when you'll stumble on a terrific yarn option.
Comments
This will work in a pinch for the larger size mesh canvas, but is sometimes difficult to ply down for smaller mesh. Also, true needlepoint wool is spun with longer fibers for durability, so if you’re planning on using knitting wool for a rug or pillow or chairseat it might not wear as well.
Amazingly, this yarn does work well with smaller mesh sizes – I have used it on 12 and 14 count canvas as it is not as heavy as worsted, but not as fine as sport. It also plies down just as well as tapestry wool. I try to avoid separating tapestry wool plies – if I need a finer wool I use Persian, which has 3 plies that separate easily.
This wool does have nice, long fibers, which keeps the fuzzies to a minimum and holds up quite well. I have tried others that definitely do NOT work and were true disappointments, but this yarn really was not much different than true tapestry wool. The Cascade 220 reminded me a bit of Appletons Tapestry wool.
Others were definitely not suitable. This is the first one I have come across that gets a huge thumbs-up!
Since I only have the chain stores, I have no source of tapestry wool whatsoever, so I thank you for this!
Also, you may want to consider perle cotton in #3 or #5 – and if you are working on an 18 count mesh (which I do a lot), #3 is great as are some tatting threads.
Thank you for the comment, Linda! I agree – Perle cotton works beautifully on small-count canvas, and gives the project a lovely sheen as well.
Perle #5 was used in the Pumpkin Petite Four last month on 18-count mono canvas. I loved the results – it resembled beading.
Just for fun, a US Quarter and a 2 Euro coin were added to the shot for scale.
Many thanks, Cheryl, for this helpful discussion of alternatives to tapestry yarn. I have just rediscovered needlepoint! I learned as a young teen, but have not worked any for years. Then did a Caron kit for my Mother recently, and “wow!”–am hooked! Have purchased several pre-worked canvases and now looking for background yarn. Learning as I go about weights, colors, vendors, etc. Your posting was especially helpful. Thanks again.
So glad to see a thumbs up for knitting yarn in needlepoint! I live in Istanbul (am American) and have always had to search so for supplies–some come from France and Germany, but pickings are slim. Turkish women are wonderful knitters, so ironically, the range of knitting wools is vast–much more so than needlepoint wools.
Now I’m using it for piano benches—large pieces where you don’t have to worry if you’ll have enough!
Happy Thanksgiving to all–next week,
Nancy