Introduction
"Baa, baa black sheep, have you any wool?"
Known for its warmth, durability and luster, wool is usually the first yarn knitters and crocheters think about when fall arrives. It is also a bad memory in the minds of those who ever received itchy garments as gifts. EVERYONE has a "shrunk garment" story. And many folks still think that wool hats take your hair out. Nonsense. That was BACK IN THE DAY.
The majority of wool yarns produced today DO NOT ITCH. There are just as many that are machine washable, too. Wool, being similar in composition to human hair (which is why we shouldn't be offended about having "wooly hair") is too often erroneously blamed for skin irritation; it is the dyeing and/or processing of it that is the problem. It pays to make samples.
No longer a "winter yarn" only, wool blends are available for year-round wear. So, if you're a crafter on the comeback trail, shake off the past and check out the new yarns (some shown here). If you are new to knitting or crocheting, don't listen to old wives tales. Step to the present. Old wives tales about wool are just that–OLD.