jinxintheworld t1_j1l1g4l wrote on December 25, 2022 at 5:53 AM

I'm going to add my two cents as a knitter. If you want something for casual use, merinos going to be ok, but how the merinos spun is going to make a big difference. That's going to be hard to tell if you don't go with a know quality brand, and I wouldn't trust amazon for that. Merino's going to be softer, and it may pill easier, as it has a high micron count (is a thinner fiber).

If you are looking for day in day out out door wear, and you have a high itch tolerance for the places where the sweater may touch your skin (wrists and neck), a rougher wool may be a better option. Be aware that this type of sweater may actually smell a bit sheepy, it's not a bad smell and is mostly the lanolin still present in the wool, which is a good thing.

Most new sweaters not from specialty retailers are not going to fit this description, as the export market doesn't support it. Even the made in Ireland sweaters are mostly high micron count imported Australian and new Zealand wool from what I understand.

Either way a good quality wool sweater is a great investment, and should be viewed as such. Taking good care of it by hand washing and laying flat to dry, and only washing when the garment really needs it. Many sweater knitters I know only wash their hand knits once a season, even in cold climates where they are being worn frequently.

doomaflotch OP t1_j1lvnil wrote on December 25, 2022 at 1:19 PM

Thanks for the info!! That makes a lot of sense

doomaflotch OP t1_j1lvopg wrote on December 25, 2022 at 1:20 PM

Which wool would you recommend then for knitting? I always planned on knitting me one way down the line

jinxintheworld t1_j1m482u wrote on December 25, 2022 at 2:51 PM

Which ever kind you'll wear. Just like sewing your own clothes, knitting your own garments means you have much more control of what type of wool you use for each project.

MemoryHallucination t1_j1sos0l wrote on December 27, 2022 at 2:19 AM

Jumping in here as someone who grew up on a specialist sheep wool farm, I would highly recommend commissioning a knitter to make you a sweater in a style you like, to your measurements, from Wensleydale wool--its a rare UK breed and has wonderful, slightly shiny, durable long staple fibre. Soft enough to wear against my sensitive skin. Not cheap, but definitely (esp if you hand wash carefully and flat dry, and learn to darn) a BIFL option.

I'd avoid your typical Aran shop--the tourist and international trade means, as said above, that they don't often use legit local wool and it's often lower quality and itchy.