Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Baby Snowball
Review Date: June 21, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Fall 2010

The Look

Like marshmallows on a string, Sirdar’s Baby Snowball soft and cuddly. In the ball, this yarn looks resembles a fluffy snowball. Super-sized polyester slubs are strung along a cord, placed precisely to fit a knit stitch before and after each slub using US size 10.5 needles. Sirdar brought this popular novelty yarn to babies in charming pastel colors. Adults will like the expanded color palette for spring and summer garments and home accessories.

The Feel

The pompoms feel like small cotton balls and make this yarn cloud soft. It rates #10, ideal for babies.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

Several patterns for baby blankets, sweaters, hats and wraps are available in pamphlets from Sirdar. There are also lots of free online patterns for shawls, wraps, pillows and bags. Baby Snowball is

Color Range

Sirdar refers to the color palette as baby shades of ice cream and snow white - or gently frosted colors with pretty pink, trendy lilac, blue or green. These feminine colors will appeal to adults, too.

Working It

Trust your instincts when working with Baby Snowball as you will need to adjust knitting a little to handle the yarn. Helpful videos and blogs are posted on the internet: a particularly helpful video comes from Lincraft, an Australian craft company. Eight free project ideas are posted to the site, too. Some knitters carefully cast on in the usual method and others cast on by making backward loops in the cord between the pompoms. Sirdar recommends casting on using an oddment of yarn (make sure it is washable). Some designers chose to continue the cast on for a ribbed border; others created garments with no border by switching to Baby Snowball on the first row. After the cast on row, it’s simply a matter of always inserting the needle in the cord in the space before the pompom and the next stitch in the space after the pompom, seating the pompom at the back of the work. Continue in this manner to achieve a double sided pebbly fabric. Cast off in the usual manner; no one seemed to experience difficulty casting off. Lincraft offers up a great tip for sewing in ends: severely trim the pompoms without cutting the main cord so that the finished thread fits through a large eyed needle. Once trimmed, fasten off the ends as with any yarn.

What I’d Like to Make with It

Beyond basic scarves and wraps, this yarn has potential for very lovely baby garments, especially when a cute garter, lace or ribbed border is added in a complementary color. These borders have the added advantage of retaining shape and offering a little more fit than is possible in the super bulky gauge. Do make a gauge swatch or scarf with one ball of this yarn to develop some level of comfort in knitting with it before you embark on a more complicated pattern.

Knitting Outside the Box

Padded coat hangers are one of those overly luxurious items everyone likes to have. Use pastel colored Baby Snowball to support your delicate and cherished hanging clothes.

Blocking It

Dry flat. Reshape while wet. This yarn stretches when wet and will require reshaping back to original dimensions. Do not dry in tumble dryer. Do not apply heat because this yarn is 100% polyester.

Washing It

May be machine washed in warm water.

Wearability

This yarn won’t pill, but oils will stain polyester. Scarves will pick up oil stains from your neck and face, especially oil based makeup. The good news is that these stains can be removed in treated promptly. Moisten the stain with water and a little Dawn or other grease-fighting detergent or pretreat with a stain remover like Oxiclean. Do not let stains dry or set in the dryer.

Overall Recommendation:

Knitters who enjoy novelty and experimentation will enjoy knitting with Baby Snowball. It rates #7.