Disclaimer - This is my first review so be easy on me! Since I'm a very knew sock knitter, you may wonder what business I have evaluating sock yarn. Well, keep in mind that even though I've only recently started knitting socks, I've been wearing them for decades! Also, I hope that my experience spinning and my familiarity with the qualities of different fibers will lend me some credibility!
Noro Kureyon Sock yarn specifications and care instructions (taken directly from the label)
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I’ve carefully swatched the new Noro Kureyon Sock yarn in order to provide this review. I have not yet knit an actual project using the yarn, so this review is based solely on my experience with the swatches. Once I complete a project, I’ll append this review if necessary.
Noro Kureyon Sock does not disappoint in the color department. Noro has done an excellent job of replicating their Kureyon colors in this new sock weight version of the yarn. I find their colorways to be nothing short of ingenious. In fact, were it not for the Noro color palette, I doubt very much I would hold their yarns in such high regard.
However, despite their success with its color, I’m not all that impressed with it as sock yarn. Yes, I believe it will make some beautiful socks – at least to look at. But they might not be so beautiful to wear. Or even to knit, for that matter. Why? Well, because this yarn just isn’t very soft and it lacks the “bounce” that most wool or wool/nylon sock yarns possess. I’m also a bit concerned about its durability. Obviously Noro shares this concern, since they've included a warning in the care instructions! Sock yarn should be durable, so for the manufacturer to suggest that the yarn might be fragile is bothersome.
I’ve heard that ideally, 2- or 3-ply yarn is best for long lasting socks. However, Noro Kureyon Sock, just like its big brother Kureyon, is a singles yarn. It does appear to be fulled a bit, as I’ve heard Noro does to create stronger more balanced singles, which should help a bit in the durability department. However, it is still quite fragile, easily breaking when tugged. In fact, one section pulled apart while I was gently trying to loosen a small tangled blob that came out of the center pull skein.
For my first swatch I cast on 36 stitches and knit in stockinette stitch. I washed by hand in cool water using a mild soap, spun out the excess water with a short spin cycle in my washing machine, air dried and then ironed gently using the lowest setting on my iron (as suggested on the label).
I’ve been achieving a nice density with thicker sock yarns using US #1 needles so I started with #0 Crystal Palace Bamboo circulars. Due to the roughness of the yarn, the drag on the bamboo needles was considerable, and the result was a less dense fabric than I prefer for socks. The gauge came out to 8 stitches per inch after washing and blocking.
Since I wasn’t happy with the first swatch, I tried a second one using US #0 Addi Turbos, which are ever so slightly smaller in diameter than the Crystal Palace needles. The drag was greatly reduced with the metal needles and I was much happier with the results. Although the gauge was only marginally different at 8.5 stitches per inch, the fabric was just dense enough to be suitable for socks. Keep in mind that depending on your own knitting style, your gauge could be either tighter or looser than my own.
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| Swatch 1 | Swatch 2 | ||
| Yes, these are both from the same ball of yarn! This shows an example of how varied the colors are within a ball. This is typical of the beautiful Kureyon colors. |
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I kept a control swatch to compare the softness before and after washing. My swatches got only slightly softer with the initial wash, but I suspect that with subsequent washings they will continue to soften up to a point. I could definitely tolerate socks made from this yarn, but people with sensitive feet will likely find it uncomfortable. It does knit up to be noticeably softer than it initially feels coming directly off the skein.
Typical of many Noro yarns, Kureyon Sock is not of a completely uniform thickness, as you can see in the picture below. This gives it the more rustic look that I think of as a trademark of many Noro yarns. I like this quality but others may not prefer it, especially for socks. Fortunately, I found no stray pieces of vegetation as are often encountered in standard Kureyon. I suspect that the process of blending the wool with nylon has eliminated this problem (although as a hand-spinner, I really don’t think of it as a problem myself!)
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| As you can see, there is a great deal of variation in thickness! The piece on the far right shows where the break occurred. |
And finally, based on my swatches, I think the color transitions may be a bit longer than I prefer for self-striping socks. However, a true evaluation can only be made upon completion of either an actual sock or a full size tubular swatch so I'll have to report on those results later.
They’ve really delivered on the color, but the roughness and low durability may not be best suited to socks. I predict many sock knitters will be disappointed in its texture and lack of springiness. Hopefully enough knitters will be adventurous and use it for other projects in order to guarantee it's success, because it really is a lovely yarn. I predict I'll play a role in doing just that!
Go forth and knit!
Kristi
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