Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Why is the yarn so expensive?

Here is the international issue of Vogue Knitting!

Dear Nicole, (and all other anonymous)

Thank you for your comments about our yarn. I understand that not everyone can afford our yarn and understand budget constraints.

Vogue Knitting asked us for a variety of our yarns to test and write a pattern for, we submitted the yarn about a year ago. They chose that particular yarn and wrote the pattern.

You might not know that our yarn is all hand-made. It is hand-spun from the finest fibers that I can find, which aren't inexpensive, one pound of 60%Merino/20%Cashmere/20%Angora is $110.00. This is an exclusive fiber so we have to commit to purchasing 50 pounds at a time. We hand-paint the fiber before it is hand-spun. This particular fiber is very difficult to dye as it felts readily, and even will felt sitting on the shelf for very long.
We use all USA spinning power, meaning that all our yarn is spun by people (using the old fashion spinning wheel) living in the USA. One skein represents 5-7 hours of loving labor. Two skeins would be 10-14 hours of labor and as many as 6 weeks to complete.

We are a cottage industry, a dream of my daughter and I, to provide the finest and highest quality hand-spun yarn to yarn shops. I'm confident you might feel differently if you were able to knit with our yarn, and so this is my offer. If you will give me your address I would be happy to provide you with a sample of our yarn and hopefully you might change your mind, especially now understanding what goes into making this yarn.

Thank you again for your comments and I hope you will give me an opportunity to provide you a sample of our yarn,
Trish Andersen

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

being that I know how hard it is to MAKE the yarn I agree with the thoughts of it is nice to know that there are people who are keeping this craft alive and well.

thanks Trish for all the opportunities you provide us!

realife@asis.com said...

Many years ago, I tried to make a living spinning and dyeing and knitting and failed miserably- or happily. People would say "I can get it cheaper at Cost Plus". I had fun but it was intense paying the rent. Now I'm finishing a handspun Perendale sweater I started in Feb. It is so lovely working with my handspun even if it is only carded and not combed and spun imperfectly. It has such life. I think it is wonderful Vogue branched out and had some handspun. If you are making it on spinning, this is so great!