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Jelly Yarn

I am always on the look for new knitting items. They might not be new in terms of just introduced to the public, but they are something I either have never heard about or used.  Jelly Yarn fits this category so let me share details with you just in case it is new to you as well.
Some of the vibrant colours of Jelly Yarn
Jelly Yarns appears to have been around since 2007 created by a company called Yummy Yarns.   The ¨yarn¨ is made with 100% vinyl and is a cord rather than a plied yarn.  It comes in bright colours and some actually glow in the dark.

The yarn was developed to knit a patent leather purse and because the yarn is vinyl, it is waterproof.  This I suspect does not make it suitable for making wardrobe items so it is used for accessories like:  purses, handbags, beach bags, belts, bracelets, ornaments, hair accessories, toys, and coral reef projects.  Ravelry has 90 items made with Jelly Yarn; check them out here.  One of the more beautiful applications I found are these:
Crocheted snowflakes by Snowcatcher 
According to a a group from Indianapolis, Indiana called Naughty Knitterz, there are several things to keep in mind if a knitter is going to use this product.

• The best knit stitch for creating a flat texture in Jelly Yarn is the Knit Through the Back Loop stitch. 
• Metal needles are recommended when working with Jelly Yarn. (I suspect the yarn would stick to bamboo, plastic or wooden needles.)
• To make your knit fabric more durable, carry along a strand of Fine Jelly Yarn with your fiber yarn.  (It comes in both fine and bulky weight, perhaps the fine weight will help the durability of hand knitted sock heels.)
• If your tension is too tight, your stitches may not slide on the metal needle easily. To help make the stitches glide easily, we recommend using a little hand lotion applied along the stitches on the needle.  (Hmm, not something one does with wool.)
• Knitting with Jelly Yarn is a little different then fiber yarn. Instead of weaving ends, make a double knot (square knot) to prevent the stitches from unraveling after the 1st cast on stitch, when joining yarns and, after binding off.
•Jelly Yarn is easy to block.  Heat the piece, with a hair dryer on low, for a few seconds. Place the piece on a flat hard surface and make the sides even. Tape the edges of the piece to the surface (optional). Place a weight such as a dictionary or phone book on top overnight. Assemble as instructed in the pattern.
Using hand lotion on the stitches is counter intuitive to me, but I have knit with plastic bags in the past and know how challenging it can be.  Maybe lotion helps.

See that honey-brown coloured Jelly Yarn in the background of the first photo?  I have been looking for just the right thing/yarn to knit syrup for knit pancakes or waffles for at least a couple of years.  Jelly Yarn in that colour seems to be just what I am looking for, so I am about to order it.  This act means my resolution to make no yarn purchases in 2015 has already been broken, only 11 days into the year.  Oh well. . . . who was I kidding with that resolution?

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