A tale of two tweeds

This weekend I managed to knit another 10 swatches for the swatch jar at the shop. These swatches are actually proving to be very valuable selling tools. If a customer is choosing between two yarns, he/she can see sample garments knit up in each one. But if one sample garment is in stockinette, and the other is in cables... well that's not really comparing apples to apples. So in addition to seeing each yarn knit up in a sample garment, now you can also see each yarn in a basic stockinette swatch. This has already helped a number of wavering people make up their minds.

I've always loved tweeds. I started knitting when I was 15, and I knit some of my first few sweaters with tweedy yarns. We have two worsted weight tweeds in the shop now that I just love. One is Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed and the other is Plymouth Tweed. They are both great - in different ways.
Comparison:
Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed
147 yds for $9 (6.12 cents per yard)
5 on a US 6
85% wool 10% silk 5% cashmere

Pymouth Tweed
109 yds for $7 (6.42 cents per yard)
5 on US 8
100% virgin lambswool
Most people think the Silkroad DK is more expensive. It's Jo Sharp (sounds expensive, right?), it's $9 per ball, and it has cashmere and silk in it. Plymouth also has a reputation for lower priced yarns. But if you calculate the price per yard, the Jo Sharp is actually LESS... 6.12 cents per yard compared to 6.42 cents for the Plymouth. A lot of people don't do that price per yard calcuation, but in this case it shows that it can prove just how wrong a perception really is.

The Silkroad DK was heaven to knit with. The finished swatch is very soft and light. The overall color palette of this yarn is much softer. My dry hands were definitely "sticking" to this yarn, which was kind of annoying. (It would have been easier has I put on some No Crack cream before I started knitting, but I was too lazy to get up and get some.) I would love to make a sweater or vest out of this yarn, but I would need to make sure my hands were lubed properly!

I also really liked the Plymouth Tweed - it was surprisingly soft! It is squishy soft in the ball, but as I ran it through my hands I didn't really think it would be that great to work with. I stand corrected. It did not catch on my dry, scaly hands at all, and I think the color palette is vibrant and fun. My eyes are now opened up to the many possibilities for this yarn!