In an effort to bust my stash and list as many hats in my shop as possible (mama needs some cold hard cash), I've been crocheting up a storm. As a result, I've been plowing through the deep dark recesses of my yarn cubbies, shortly thereafter remembering why I shoved certain detestable skeins of yarn to the back.
One of those yarns is Red Heart Boutique's Unforgettable. And truly, after my most recent experience with it, I will never forget. Unfortunately.
Just look at how the ball split into three separate, knotted sections. LOOK AT IT!
The Specs
Fiber Content: 100% Acrylic
Skein Weight: 3.5oz (100 g) ball
Yardage: 270 yd (247 m)
Recommended Crochet Hook: 6 mm (J/10) hook
Recommended Knitting Needle: 5mm (size 8) needles
The Story
I'd picked up a couple balls for a custom order last year and it was an absolute nightmare to crochet. I chalked it up to the specific pattern, which I kept messing up and needing to rip back. Well, this yarn doesn't lend itself well to frogging due to its single-ply structure and roving content; it felts upon itself immediately, creating knots and - more often than not - tearing apart in my hands.
So this time, I tried something simpler: whipping up a few of my Really Easy Slouchy Beanies. And I still lost my will to live. It was all fine and dandy until the ball started to unravel because the fiber is so slippery. The pattern is so simple and I crochet so fast that I typically don't need to look down at what the yarn is doing. Here, I was constantly untangling or ripping the yarn's knots apart the closer I got to ball's middle and end. I even threw away the last third of a ball because I couldn't take it anymore. Not that I'm widely known for having patience, but as I was trying achieve instant gratification, the never-ending knots just hindered my enjoyment.
I've never had a yarn experience like this before in my life. And it's not like I can just write it off as, "Oh, well, at least it was a bargain yarn." Because it's not. I mean, it's definitely not a luxury hand-dyed situation that you can purchase at your LYS, but it's not exactly cheap at $6.19/ball when you wind up throwing it away.
The Good Stuff
That said, there are some positives to the yarn. Although I'll probably never buy it again, that's surely my personal preference and perhaps the good will outweigh the bad for you.
For one thing, the yarn comes in a gorgeous variety of rich colors featuring long color changes, meaning it's one of my favorite types of yarn visually. It's a shame I hate working with it because it looks phenomenal and would otherwise be calling my name.
Second, it's soft and has beautiful drape, making it perfect for fashionable garments and accessories. I have to say I love how my beanies look in Unforgettable because this yarn makes the pattern look more complicated than it is and the hats slouch beautifully. Again, I'm disappointed I hate working with the stuff because I want to use it for more hats.
Don't Judge Me
I want everyone to know that although I'm a self-proclaimed yarn snob, I also think affordable, large-brand acrylics have their place. That's why I'm always on the hunt for the highest quality yarns I can get my hands on that yield the largest profit margins possible when making sellable items for my etsy shop. Unforgettable would absolutely fit my qualifications if it wasn't such a PITA to work with.
What Do You Think?
Have you used Unforgettable before? Have I been too harsh, or is my review right on the money? Let me know about your experience in the comments!