When I received a sample of the LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel Yarn from Lion Brand Yarn, I immediately fell in love with the packaging and presentation. Plus, with such an odd name, I couldn’t wait to try it out and see what it could do (and how it would treat my hands). After testing it alone, then incorporating it into several different kinds of projects, I’m pleased to report that the yarn was a ton of fun to work with, performed beyond my expectations, and left my skin completely free of scratches and irritation.
The LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel Yarn is a lace weight yarn that is 75% wool and 25% stainless steel. It is part of the LB Collection®, Lion Brand Yarn’s line of affordable premium yarns that are available exclusively through the Lion Brand Yarn catalog or website. It is comprised of 2-ply wool wrapped around 1-ply stainless steel, which, while adding strength, also gives it a slight sparkle in the light. Each cone contains 14 grams (273 yards/244 meters) of yarn and retails for $10.00 US.
Yarn detail view: 2-ply wool and 1-ply stainless steel
According to the Lion Brand Yarn website:
LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel Yarn
Article # 485Part of our collection of affordable, luxury fibers, this unique Wool Stainless Steel yarn creates unique pieces that keep their shape. Strong, yet lacy, it’s great for ethereal wraps or beautiful original jewelry. Combine it with other yarns to add texture and strength to sweaters and accessories.
Gauge: Variable gauge is acceptable for all knit and crochet.
Product Care Instructions: Items made from this yarn may be laundered through the use of water, detergent or soap and gentle hand manipulation. No bleach product may be used. A machine dryer may not be used. Item may not be smoothed or finished with an iron.
What I loved:
1. The wool stainless steel was easy to crochet and knit, and did not feel at all stiff or rough to the touch.
2. Thanks to the stainless steel strand woven into the yarn, you can make detailed lace stitches and arrange them by hand without needing to block with water. This would be great for holiday ornaments or knit and crochet work that will be hung or displayed!
3. The yarn holds spirals and bends until straightened by hand. Once straightened, no visible kinks or curls remain in the yarn. When unraveling stitches, it is easy to smooth the yarn back into its original shape.
4. Once crocheted or knitted, the finished piece holds bends, curves, and folds.
5. The wool stainless steel yarn can be combined with yarns of other sizes and fibers to add texture, strength, and color.
6. When combined with other yarns, wool stainless steel yarn allows the finished product to hold and maintain shape.
7. You can double the strands to get a thicker piece that holds shape and weight even more firmly than pieces created with a single strand.
8. Wool stainless steel yarn can be used to add dimension and texture to non-knitting and crochet projects. It can also be used to make fun accessories and wearable jewelry.
9. The yarn is suitable for use in for knitting, weaving, and rosette looms.
10. Although the yarn is reinforced by stainless steel, it is flexible and soft to the touch. It doesn’t feel rough against the skin, and could be incorporated into some wearables to add shape.
What I didn’t love:
1. The yarn is strong once knitted, crocheted, or doubled and twisted, but it’s fairly easy to break a single strand. (It is lace weight, after all.) Because of the shimmer and color, it’s tempting to use one strand for jewelry making, but it isn’t quite strong enough.
2. As of right now, only four dark colors are available: gray-blue, black, dark magenta, and burgundy. I’d love to see more colors—especially white and green—because this yarn would be perfect for making holiday decorations and embellishing embroidery projects.
3. Because it holds shape, whenever a project gets scrunched, it stays that way until it’s fixed by hand. This could be frustrating with accessories or artful designs.
Overall Impressions:
I enjoyed trying out the LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel Yarn, and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was work with. Beyond traditional yarn craft, it can be used in projects ranging from jewelry-making, home décor, and art projects to paper embellishment, scrapbooking, and decoupage. I found it to be an adaptable, high-quality product with a very reasonable price point.
Disclosure: Samples provided for review, but my opinions are honest and my own!
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how cool is this! I never knew such a thing existed! Thanks for the review!
I was wondering how it would feel and how it would lay on the body. Interesting thanks for reviewing it.
This review is so thorough but so open-ended… Like so much of what you do, it makes my brain meat fill up with possibilities and so, I thank you.
Does it smell metallic? I have a small scarf that was woven with some metal and it has a faint odor of brass.