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Thursday April 16, 2009 Competitions Simply Knitting issue 54
King Cole Zig Zag – sock yarn review
We reviewed six sock yarns in issue 53 of Simply Knitting and after our expert had finished with them, we took them down the pub and asked the folks at our local knit and natter what they thought.
King Cole Zig Zag was the first sock yarn to be put through its paces. It's our expert's favourite, but what would the knitters think of it?
Review by Simply Knitting Technical Editor, Kirstie McLeod
The bright, shifting colourways and high nylon content make these fun and durable socks great for everyday wear and as gifts.
We love the cheerful colours and practical nature of this yarn. You can knit socks for the whole family and not worry about them felting in the wash as the yarn is machine washable.
The six colourways have been chosen to suit all age groups and range from pretty Marble (shown) through the muted, earthy hues of Granite to the bright blues and purples of Aqua – perfect for girls and boys who don’t like pink!
The variegated colourways have short dye repeats and will knit up differently depending on the size sock you make, so you may get spirals (as shown), clumps of colour or a complete mix. It’s impossible to make a completely identical pair of socks, but part of the fun of knitting with this yarn is discovering what pattern the colours come out in.
Machine washable at 40˚, Zig Zag is also great for baby clothes as it’s so easy to care for and the five colourways are bright and cheerful. King Cole currently has a small number of patterns for accessories and garments for both children and adults available, but this is a relatively new yarn so the collection may grow over the coming months. You can also substitute Zig Zag in your favourite 4ply patterns to create lovely, durable knits.
So our overall conclusion? Well, the reviewers are divided, but it seems to be a good yarn at a reasonable price.
Have you used King Cole Zig Zag?
We'd love to hear what you think of King Cole Zig Zag so if you've used it, please leave a comment!
As with all writing, it's better to stick to what you know firsthand: it's easy to judge the colour through a computer screen but rather harder to tell if it's splitty or how well it washes! Please do also bear in mind that the spinners and dyers may read your comment.
King Cole Zig Zag was the first sock yarn to be put through its paces. It's our expert's favourite, but what would the knitters think of it?
 |
Yarn Facts Ball weight: 100g Ball length: 448m Yarn content: 50% superwash wool and 50% nylon Knits as 4ply RRP £4.49 Rec needle size 3¼mm |
Review by Simply Knitting Technical Editor, Kirstie McLeod
The bright, shifting colourways and high nylon content make these fun and durable socks great for everyday wear and as gifts.
We love the cheerful colours and practical nature of this yarn. You can knit socks for the whole family and not worry about them felting in the wash as the yarn is machine washable.
The six colourways have been chosen to suit all age groups and range from pretty Marble (shown) through the muted, earthy hues of Granite to the bright blues and purples of Aqua – perfect for girls and boys who don’t like pink!
The variegated colourways have short dye repeats and will knit up differently depending on the size sock you make, so you may get spirals (as shown), clumps of colour or a complete mix. It’s impossible to make a completely identical pair of socks, but part of the fun of knitting with this yarn is discovering what pattern the colours come out in.
Machine washable at 40˚, Zig Zag is also great for baby clothes as it’s so easy to care for and the five colourways are bright and cheerful. King Cole currently has a small number of patterns for accessories and garments for both children and adults available, but this is a relatively new yarn so the collection may grow over the coming months. You can also substitute Zig Zag in your favourite 4ply patterns to create lovely, durable knits.
 Click to for a larger image. Swatch knit in the round on 2.75mm needles. |
The knitters said: "Feels quite scratchy but looks pretty cool" -- Elle "Neat stripes. Very nifty colours – fun!" -- Elizabeth "Bleugh. Hate the colourway and it's as scratchy as Noro sock yarn. 2/10" -- Jess "Not my personal feel but would be hard wearing. Good stitch definition but may not keep its shape." -- Helen The team said: "I love the way the colours have come out on this swatch. I didn't think they'd work well together when I saw the ball, but I really like this." -- Elizabeth B, Production Assistant "It feels a little rough on the hand but would be fine on the feet. At that price it's a great yarn for your first pair of socks and it certainly feels like it would be hard wearing!" -- Miriam, Production Editor |
So our overall conclusion? Well, the reviewers are divided, but it seems to be a good yarn at a reasonable price.
Have you used King Cole Zig Zag?
We'd love to hear what you think of King Cole Zig Zag so if you've used it, please leave a comment!
As with all writing, it's better to stick to what you know firsthand: it's easy to judge the colour through a computer screen but rather harder to tell if it's splitty or how well it washes! Please do also bear in mind that the spinners and dyers may read your comment.
