The ultimate yarn review of Wool & Palette Sport
Note: This post was not sponsored or paid for. All thoughts & opinions are my own. Yarn photographed was kindly gifted by Wool & Palette.
Let’s talk yarn
You do so much for everyone else and give and give and give. But what have you given to yourself lately? You deserve a treat, too!
And while you’d love to spend an afternoon in a local yarn shop with a vanilla latte, slowly squishing each skein and carefully choosing what to get for your next project, let’s be honest. You don’t have time for that! So you shop mostly online, which brings a big risk: what if you don’t like it?
That’s where I come in.
Let me be your trusted advisor by sharing honest & thorough yarn reviews so you’ll be confident when you try a new yarn. You deserve to enjoy it from cast on to bind off. Oh, and I promise you’ll love wearing it, too.
With each pattern released, you’ll find a corresponding review of the yarn specified in the pattern so you can cast on with confidence.
Why You Should Knit a Kirsten Joel Designs Pattern
My vision is to create knitting & crochet patterns that fit seamlessly into your everyday life. Never feel over- or under-dressed again when you wear a KJD pattern. And be confident knowing that the pattern instructions will be clear and easy to follow, even with your hectic schedule.
Why I Write Yarn Reviews
You are dep in the day-to-day tasks of managing a household, wrangling kiddos in the morning to get to school on time, and are knee deep in projects at work. The last thing you have time for is to spend hours online reading yarn reviews before casting on your next project. I’m here to simplify that for you. I stand by all the yarns I use for my projects, but they might not be the best fit for you.
So read on, learn about Wool & Palette Sport, and cast on with confidence.
Wool & Palette Sport: The Details
$17/ 50g skein
all colors created with naturally sourced dyes, several right from Emily’s home garden
3 ply Merino/Rambouillet Sport wool; grown and milled in the USA
Sport weight
312 yards / 50 g
Characteristics of the Yarn
Wool & Palette Sport is a bouncy, elastic yarn that is softer than expected. It’s a non-superwash wool with high fiber memory retention for crisp stitch definition. It’s perfect for textured stitches, lace stitches, and plump cables.
Receiving the Yarn
I had no issues with knots in the skeins, and they fit easily on my tabletop yarn swift. In the skein, they feel plump, squishy, and light. They do not smell overly woolly, have no residual dye smells, and have no color runoff. And they feel soft on the skin.
Winding the Yarn
My Knit Picks ball winder and ChiaGoo Yarn Swift work great. When winding, go a little slower than usual to avoid stretching this plump yarn.
Swatching with the Yarn
Wool & Palette Sport shines in textured stitches but also looks clean and refined in stockinette stitch. It obviously stands out in lace, as seen in the Leaflette scarfette and Sweet Leaf shawl. The 3-ply means that yarn overs will stay open. Wool & Palette Sport works well across a range of needle sizes. Worked on a smaller size, it’s great for pieces that get a lot of wear like hats, mitts, and jackets. Worked at a looser gauge you’ll experience a lovely drape that still looks dense; for example, Sweet Leaf is worked on US 6 needles.
The Merino wool mix makes for a buttery soft feel perfect for next-to-skin wear. It softens up even more after wet-blocking (keep reading below). If you are sensitive to wool, I highly recommend purchasing one skein and swatching it to test it for yourself before buying a large quantity.
Though I haven’t experienced any pilling yet, because it is 100% non-superwash wool you might encounter some pilling in high-wear areas like armholes or sleeve cuffs. Minimize pilling by taking care of your projects and using a fabric shaver or sweater stone to remove any pills.
Needle Choice
Wool & Palette Sport works well with your preferred needle material. If you tend to be a loose knitter, you might enjoy knitting with wood needles to keep your stitches from sliding off.
Blocking the Yarn
I highly recommend wet-blocking Wool & Palette Sport so the wool can plump, bounce, and smooth out your stitches. The fabric will soak up a decent amount of water, so take time to ensure you squish out all the excess water from your project. I highly recommend rolling it between two bath towels.
Projects with the Yarn
Wool & Palette Sport would make a decadent sweater without feeling overheated or itchy, but it feels just at home wrapped casually around your neck on a chilly winter day. P.S. The wool content will repel snow flurries, keeping you warm & dry on the coldest of days.
Taking Care of Wool & Palette Sport
Because Wool & Palette Sport is non-superwash, you’ll want to hand wash any projects made with it. Use cool water and a gentle wool wash like Eucalan. Never wring the fabric to squeeze excess water to avoid agitating the fibers and felting the fabric. Lay it flat to dry, pinning as needed.
Yarn Substitution
Due to its plump nature, substituting Wool & Palette Sport with another traditional Sport-weight yarn can be tricky and it might be helpful to look at DK weight yarns when searching for a substitute. Just always be sure to check your gauge!
Tell me what you think!
Have you used Wool & Palette Sport before? Do you have any questions about the yarn before you purchase a few skeins and cast on?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
