As a lover of velvet, I had to try some of these “velvet” yarns. Though absolutely gorgeous, there are drawbacks to using it. I’ll talk about the good, the bad, and the questionable in this review, as well as share my pattern for the Mossy Hollow Cowl.
Velvet yarn is essentially a shinier, silkier version of chenille, and probably what I would consider a novelty yarn…or at least, it may not be ideal for more practical things like socks. However, it is great for scarves, cowls, and blankets. (I even thought about knitting a duster or jacket from one of the larger skeins…)
The Good
The thing I love the most about this yarn is the way it feels. It is so slinky-smooth! I love soft, silky things, and this is perfect in that regard. It also has a gorgeous, rich luster, just like velvet fabric. It’s a treat for the hands and eyes.
Also, even though I’ve seen some lighter versions, most of the velvet yarns I’m seeing would be considered a chunky or bulky weight, so if you enjoy a quick knit, these are perfect for that.
The two brands I tried, Bernat Baby Velvet Yarn and Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth, are both machine washable. Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth advises to dry flat, while the Bernat Baby Velvet Yarn label states it can be tumble dried.
The Bad
Because this yarn is so slinky, it does have a tendency to crawl off of the skein and get a little tangled. This in itself isn’t such a big deal, but it does lead me to mention one of the worst things about this yarn: if you pull at its fuzz, it sheds very easily.
I learned this quickly when I had to take out a knot that I had tied. The knot wasn’t that tight, but any pulling at it will dislodge the fibers, and once that is started, it’s hard to stop it.
Also, there are a number of breaks in all the skeins I bought, which is understandable. Normally, when I come across knots in skeins, I undo them and reattach them with a Russian join. However, this is impossible with this type of yarn, so you have to deal with the knots. Additionally, the core of the yarn that holds the fibers together is usually white, and especially noticeable if your yarn is in a dark colorway.
This yarn needs to be treated with a lot of care if you use it…and again, you’ll want to be very careful about making mistakes in your work or creating knots, because undoing them will probably be the ruin of your yarn.
The Questionable
All of the velvet yarns I’ve researched are made from the same thing: 100% polyester, which is essentially plastic. And when you wash plastics, microfibers are a big problem. So, given that I know these fibers detach easily, how many are coming out in the wash? (I imagine, quite a few.)
It may not be practical to hand wash a baby blanket, but I plan on hand-washing my cowl. Will this make a big difference? I honestly don’t know.
Conclusion
Despite its drawbacks, I do enjoy working with velvet yarn because it does feel so lovely. To me it’s a sort of luxury yarn, and like velvet, to be used sparingly or as an accent. It’s definitely not a workhorse yarn, but for pieces that will receive extra care you might give it a try.
If you want a simple project, maybe start out with a basic garter stitch scarf, or try the pattern I made below:
Mossy Hollow Cowl Knitting Pattern
This pattern is so simple, you can memorize the whole thing before you knit it. I used one skein of Yarn Bee Velvety Smooth and a pair of US 13 circular needles (16″ or smaller).
Instructions:
Cast on 68 sts; join round, careful to not twist stitches.
Round 1: knit 2, purl 2, repeat.
Round 2: knit.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until the cowl is the length you want, or until you run out of yarn. Bind off & weave in ends.
