Hi, I've been lurking here for a while and thought I'd poke my head up to get some suggestions. I'm relatively new to knitting and crocheting.
My son and I are allergic to wool. I am so allergic that if i touch wool, it makes my fingertips feel immediately dry and itchy and it makes my nose itchy but if i touch my face with the hand that touched the wool a sneezing fit will start. .
I can work with cotton, hemp, linen, and silk. I'm quite sensitive to nylon and acrylic fibers also, although i can touch them, I can't work with them for long periods of time.
the acrylic fibers seem most like the wool to me, although i can't really compare them...
So, i notice that most patterns i like are for wool or wool blend fibers and that a worsted wool is not the same thickness as a worsted cotton. (or is it?) the problem I'm having is that i can't seem to change the fiber of patterns.. and most cotton patterns I'm seeing are for little children, or summer wear. My son is man-sized, and summer here is short! I want to make thick cotton cable-knit sweaters!
maybe someone could explain if there are some rules to follow when changing the type of yarn in a pattern? i know cotton isn't as elastic as wool, so it seems (in my limited experience) that cotton cuffs have to be reinforced with elastic or tighter than indicated for wool.
and if anyone knows where to get hemp/linen yarn at good prices I'd like to know that, too!
Thanks in advance!