Valley Yarns Haydenville DK Yarn Review
Are you looking to try merino yarns but struggle to know which ones to try? Valley Yarns Haydenville DK is a merino blend yarn that was added to Lovecrafts late in 2021 and comes from WEBS America’s Yarn Store. Read on to find out more about this yarn, the types of project it might be suitable for and if it’s right for you.
Why Haydenville DK?
It’s late 2021 and I am looking for new yarns to try and want to make a jumper for myself. I had recently shared a short survey with my followers and one of the things they struggled with, and I do too, is trying new yarns or knowing what to make with them. I used this information as an excuse to try new yarns and justify buying them! Haydenville DK came to my attention as I scrolled through the new section of lovecrafts. Merino is one of my favourite fibres to work with and I am always interested in finding something that is easy to work with, accessible and more affordable to share with my audience. I had also recently accepted the opportunity to guest design on the Two Brothers Blankets Blog and jumped on this as the perfect opportunity to try a new yarn.
To check out the Nain Sweater, designed with this yarn, head over to the blog post on Two Brothers Blankets, where you can find the free pattern.
Haydenville DK – the info bits
So a single skein/ball of Haydenville DK is 60% Superwash Merino, 40% Acrylic Microfibre blend yarn. It comes in 50g balls which contain 125m/136 yds per ball. Available in 24 shades (on Lovecrafts), this yarn is priced at £3.49 per ball. It is also available in 5 and 10 ball colour packs (which I used to make my Nain Sweater) and a bulky weight version.
First, let’s talk about the price. £3.49 for 50g of merino blend yarn this soft for me is a great price. What makes it more attractive is the availability of value packs and the various sale opportunities on Lovecrafts. I think the downside for me is that there are no mixed colour packs of the Haydenville Dk yarn, which might make it more attractive for some as a step up from their regular or more familiar yarn brand.
How does it feel?
Amazing. As soon as I touched it I wanted to use it. Haydenville Dk is what I consider a true dk weight yarn, reasonably tightly wound, light, fluffy but without the pill and great to work with. This yarn feels silky and soft and has a shine to it, but unlike other shiny yarns it doesn’t have that awful residue or residual feel.
What’s it like to work with?
Between us I frogged 8 balls of this yarn when creating my Nain Sweater, and not only did the yarn not pill, it didn’t get all tangled or lose its smooth soft feel in my hand. I chose Teal and Lake to make my design. Teal green shades that are deep and luscious, and so far haven’t lost their depth in the wash.
To check out the stitch definition on this yarn see the sample images below:
Yay or Nay Haydenville DK yarn
For me, it’s a yay. This yarn is a great value yarn for those who want to move into using more natural or blended fibres. Although the range of colours is not as vast as what you can find in many acrylics, what they do have is luscious and enough of a range to tempt many.
The feel of the yarn, drape and price makes this an affordable option for more long lasting shawl or garment makes. An oversized scarf or cowl can be achieved with a 5 ball pack, a shawl or super scarf would be the ideal project for the 10 ball pack or 2 of the 5 balls. As a gift maker and seller this is something I would offer to those who are budget conscious but want something a bit special, as the recipient would love it. Great for garments or shawls that are meant to be worn in layers, moderate year round climates, or as a crossover item between seasons.
Projects you could try with Haydenville DK
5 x skeins + 1 skein of fluffy yarn would make Marian Bay Cowl and Mitts Set
5 x skeins would also make either of the Stella Moebius or Blooming Cowls
2 x 5 skein packs would make an amazing colour contrast for the Linen Stitch Scarf
I hope you enjoyed the post and look forward to seeing your projects made with Haydenville Dk yarn !
Pop into the Facebook Group and let me know what you think if you get some, or have used it previously. Or just to suggest another yarn I might try and fall in love with!
Bye for now,
B x
