A PS. - needles, yarn, tools (stitch counters/markers, holders, stoppers, pompom makers, clips, blocking mats, etc.), you name it, 99% it’s going to have a tariff attached.
Gosh, you must be reading my mind. I “watched” a podcast yesterday that could be the one you are talking about. I agree with you wholeheartedly. It certainly missed the mark.
All the more reason to seek out local sheep farms and the wool they produce, support small processing mills near you, learn to spin, do your own dye work.
Most superwash yarn is processed in China regardless of where the yarn is produced. So factor in the cost of shipping the yarn to and from China. The most common superwash process, the Hercosett process, is incredibly water-intensive, and disposing of the deeply polluted waste water that results is too expensive to be feasible in countries that have environmental regulations on the discharge of waste water.
Many UK brands of yarn including Rowan (Laxton’s), Blackers, Jamiesons, John Arbon, Marie Wallin, some Debbie Bliss lines and West Yorkshire Spinners are spun in the UK.
Agree on lovely British yarns and love how textile mills have been preserved in England. I’m currently doing a deep dive on the super washing process, so you’ll likely hear more about Hercosett here, in future!
I don’t knit but I sew and recently inherited a large stash of needles, cutting implements, fabric, and thread. And this piece reminded me of how fortunate that is.
Thanks for this thoughtful analysis. For those of us with closet stash yarn, it will be a good time to make with what we have and donate to folks who need some comfort.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. It is so easy to get drowned in all of the garbage that the world seems to be in. Picking up our needles and yarn can be the only calming thing we do. I work in a local yarn shop and we are slowly figuring things out so we can provide what our knitters need and want, so they can find some peace.
Thank you! What is the name of the pattern in the picture?
I read Vanishing Fleece a couple of years ago--that was a really helpful book in understanding why it is so hard to get yarn that is from sheep to market totally American made. I feel for Indie dyers--their margins are already slim. So, I can't imagine they can absorb much more cost
The pattern is Savor Shawl, by @craftdoodling (Kavitha Raman). It’s available from her shop and I’ll be bringing kits back to my shop soon! Isn’t it a stunner?
And just when I needed an economist to explain this to me, you ride in, even more wise and wonderful than I imagined! Thank you. Focusing in, expanding out… a bit like contractions (since it’s lambing and all). May we birth kindness, justice, peace. ☮️
It is going to impact it hard.
A PS. - needles, yarn, tools (stitch counters/markers, holders, stoppers, pompom makers, clips, blocking mats, etc.), you name it, 99% it’s going to have a tariff attached.
Thank you for breaking down the economics behind it all so clearly. Brilliant and honest post in a much needed time.
Gosh, you must be reading my mind. I “watched” a podcast yesterday that could be the one you are talking about. I agree with you wholeheartedly. It certainly missed the mark.
All the more reason to seek out local sheep farms and the wool they produce, support small processing mills near you, learn to spin, do your own dye work.
Most superwash yarn is processed in China regardless of where the yarn is produced. So factor in the cost of shipping the yarn to and from China. The most common superwash process, the Hercosett process, is incredibly water-intensive, and disposing of the deeply polluted waste water that results is too expensive to be feasible in countries that have environmental regulations on the discharge of waste water.
Many UK brands of yarn including Rowan (Laxton’s), Blackers, Jamiesons, John Arbon, Marie Wallin, some Debbie Bliss lines and West Yorkshire Spinners are spun in the UK.
Please do write about the superwash production process. I stopped using it a few years back when I discovered how damaging it is for the environment.
Agree on lovely British yarns and love how textile mills have been preserved in England. I’m currently doing a deep dive on the super washing process, so you’ll likely hear more about Hercosett here, in future!
Thanks so much for this insightful and important post.
So many people already have stashed… maybe swap meets are in order.
I don’t knit but I sew and recently inherited a large stash of needles, cutting implements, fabric, and thread. And this piece reminded me of how fortunate that is.
Thank you for posting this.
This is such a clear and concise way of understanding what tariffs do. Thank you as always for your wisdom.
Thanks for this thoughtful analysis. For those of us with closet stash yarn, it will be a good time to make with what we have and donate to folks who need some comfort.
Thank you for reminding us that we need to see the big picture and allow ourselves to do what we are able on one or more issues. That is doable.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. It is so easy to get drowned in all of the garbage that the world seems to be in. Picking up our needles and yarn can be the only calming thing we do. I work in a local yarn shop and we are slowly figuring things out so we can provide what our knitters need and want, so they can find some peace.
Thank you! What is the name of the pattern in the picture?
I read Vanishing Fleece a couple of years ago--that was a really helpful book in understanding why it is so hard to get yarn that is from sheep to market totally American made. I feel for Indie dyers--their margins are already slim. So, I can't imagine they can absorb much more cost
The pattern is Savor Shawl, by @craftdoodling (Kavitha Raman). It’s available from her shop and I’ll be bringing kits back to my shop soon! Isn’t it a stunner?
And just when I needed an economist to explain this to me, you ride in, even more wise and wonderful than I imagined! Thank you. Focusing in, expanding out… a bit like contractions (since it’s lambing and all). May we birth kindness, justice, peace. ☮️
I am trying so hard not to live in fear and buy a bunch of needles just because.
I hear ya. But keep in mind that there’s always borrowing or the secondary market.
Truth