biggeek

Okay, so I just read a bunch of your blog for the first time. Got the link from my bud Alice (aliceinyarnland@blogspot.com). You knit the coolest stuff AND you like GBV!! We saw them here in Portland on the 15th of Nov. One question I have is regarding your Harlot poncho. Do you have a pic of the finished product? I have yarn for it, but the only pic I have is Yarn Harlot's. Thanks!

I have to agree with you. Fun fur is vile, vile stuff. That being said... just made two scarfs with something that looks very much like fun fur -- one in purple and pink stripes and one in a purple with some odd flecks in it. In my defense, there were two sweet little girls who I know will squeal with delight when they get them, and I couldn't resist. But I guess that's the beauty of being a kid -- typically, you don't care how tacky somethig is and oddly enough, a lot of things that are otherwise tacky lose a little of their tacky edge when doned by adorable little girls...

did I just say "write" instead of "right"? Excuse me! What an idiot!

I'm with you. I hate fun fur. I hate it I hate it I hate it. I hate all novelty yarn. I will even go as far as to say I hate acrylic. (but I like some blends). I don't feel write wearing petroleum products around my neck like that. I'd rather wear an animal's hair, thank you very much.

Total agreement there! My husband's cousin asked me to help her learn to bind off and I was so excited, but then I found out that she chose this same yarn for her first scarf. I had to "educate" her. (nicely, of course)

Shall we start a new group - KAFF - Knitters Against Fun Fur - does someone want to make a button?

Beth! You are sooo funny! I, too, can't stand to see this scarf anymore! It's everywhere - on the subway, in the supermarket, and so on. I actually knit with fun fur [it was for a teeny little purse for my boss's daughter] and it was h.e.l.l.

OH MY GOD ! That would be hysterical! I will ask Missa, I don't know how to design buttons!

I have to agree with all of you, I don't ever recall a time when the fashion gods came down and nominated that stuff as a great fashion accessory. Though, like Rachel said, it can be very cute on little girls. But when we were little we used to play with pink feather boas! How is this any different, aside for the fact that less pink and purple birds have to give up their feathers for little girls dress up games?
But any adult in their right mind should avoid it at all costs!

totally with you on this one!

They are horrid, you are right. Very scary things indeed. The only good thing for that kind of fuzz is to make those felted monster slippers I've seen kicking around a bit, and even then, slightly tacky.

I'm tempted to light a candle in memory of all the muppets hunted down and viciously skinned to make those hideous scarves. But then I remember that fuzzy hydrocarbon-based novelty yarns are combustible, and that's probably not a good idea...

Not sure if this'll display the image, but it's also available through the url thingie above. Can we tell I'm bored at work today? :)

Hmm - I kind of like this stuff - in fact I made two for Christmas - and both "Ladies" squealed as well.... Am I missing the boat, or just not as committed as everyone else? BETH?

oh but you haven't seen the NORWEGIAN fun fur! it's so much better! i'll send you some asap! ;-)

i'm definitely up for a KAFF group and button!

Add me to the list of non official KAFF members ;)

what kills me is the Fun Fur craze has caused me to never wear my fluff scarf that I made years ago because people assume it fun fur and ask me how I got such pretty fun fur. I'll have to save it for a few years until fun fur dissappears!

OMG! You've put my blog on your sidebar, and you can't even read it. I'm honored, thank you! :-)
I'm so with you on this novelty yarn thing. KAFF group sounds like a decent thing to do. ;-)

My dd and her best friends all wear and love fun fur, but they are all UNDER 16....for the rest of the planet I agree they are a big mistake. Kinda like wearing your 'princess' or 'spiderman' costume after the halloween part is over - slightly weird and UGGH!!

If someone starts a KAFF, I'm totally in. I went to the yarn store with my mother (who doesn't knit) the other day and caught her looking at fun fur pattern books. I nearly cried.

I agree fun fur is horrid. Personally I like simple yarns, can never beat a nice wool.

Amy S I love the knitter's against fun fur button. I am going to have to add that to my side bar! Thanks for creating it!

After my comment from yesterday I went to your gallery to look for your finished Yarn Harlot poncho. You knit great stuff!!! What pattern is that skirt?

Ha! Beth you are a funny girl! I am totally agreeing with you. Funny little story: in the LYS the other day there were about 5 people that came in (within about a 30 minute period) and all wanted fun fur / crazy yarn, and the owners (of course they carry it because it sells) gave it to them, but when they left, the owner said : Oh God, I am so sick of this yarn! Please, go out of style NOW!
It was hilarious, and pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter :)

Hi Big Geek, I love this type of yarn...in fact I'm hosting a knitalong were we're knitting scarfs using it...haha. No, but it would be fun to start one...and then make you a VIP member of it =)

ICK. That hairy nasty stuff should be banned. I made a button too - you can see it by clicking on the URL thing. I used GRSites.com to make the button - it was pretty easy.

Ok I dont hate fun fur. However I do dislike it. I have knitted with the stuff usually for a costume for something. I actually made wrist warmers out of the stuff and a bikini top. which is actually pretty cool. however it was in a tan color not - hot pink. The scarves irritate the hell out of me because EVERYONE seems to have one. I am actually going to be using the stuff on a dog sweater here soon because my MIL has a cute little chihuaua that i think it will be cute on. But definitely not for a scarf for anyone over the age of 12... the stuff is just a b**ch to knit with.
blah.

Hi, I just stumbled onto this blog. I'm having a good laugh as I just started knitting with fun fur and I love it. It's easy for me. Of course, I'm doing the scarves. I'd be surprised if I finished it. I'm one who never finishes anything I start. My mom taught me to knit when I was around 9. Peace, Debra

Wow, it's really nice to know I'm not alone in the fun fur hate. I go so far as to dislike pretty much all novelty yarns, but fun fur is so hideous that it's right at the top of the list. I

Having fun reading your blog for the first time. This Fun Fur hatred cracks me up. I love Fun Fur and have made tons of scarves. I end up giving them away off my neck because people (even educated adults) LOVE them. Plus, it gives me a chance to talk about knitting, spread the love, and bring newbies in. Oh well--it takes all kinds.

BTW, I love cashmere, too.

OMG, and here I thought my loathing for anything fun fur was extreme. I'm glad I find myself in like company! Those scarves are worse than tying a ginormous caterpillar around your neck

I noticed today at Walmart that some of the fun fur was on clearance for $1.50. Does that mean it's on its way out? I can only hope..

I have to totally agree with the anti-fun fur movement.
First, when I set off a slight knitting craze in my boarding school, a girl asked me to find where she'd dropped stiches in her fun-fur. needless to say, this proved nearly impossible for an averagely skilled knitter suited to yarns with good stitch definition.
Then... My boyfriend's mother, in all her sweetness (but knitting naïvity) bought me about 12 skeins of a Sirdar version (7 pink, 6 lilac. can't remember the exact trade-name for the sirdar stuff) plus 2 knitting patterns (which includes a scarf and hat) last summer. I was horrified. Especially as this woman usually has good taste. perhaps she thought i was a "little girl".
Then that summer, i posted on craftster.org asking for any suggestions as to what to do with it. Hardly anyone came up with any suggestions, particularly suggestions that I wouldnt be seen dead in/wouldn't let sit around my house.
Unsurprisingly, the most use I have come up for it is a trim on a bag I knitted for my boyfriend's mother (the one who bought me the stuff in the first place).
I think I will probably give the rest to a charity shop unless someone can suggest something that doesn't look horrendous.

I know I'm late. I just went through your archives to find *the original* KAFF discussion. Fun Fur has it's place - I think a well-placed Fun Fur trim on a purse is not deplorable (note my phrasing). The bigger problem is that Fun Fur and its cousins have infiltrated our lives. They are in all of the knitting magazines, in all the yarn shops, and worst of all, new knitters want to take up knitting just to make Fun Fur scarves! And then some of them do not progress to other things, just keep cranking out those novelty scarves. But, to be fair, it's up to the knitter. I'm a fairly new knitter, and I have never purchased or used Fun Fur or other novelty yarns. Ever. I don't care if other people do, but I wish Fun Fur wasn't taking over everything in site.

Ah the fun fur....I never really quite understood the appeal of it all and the only thing I used it for was for some fringe on the bottom of a chunky sky blue afghan I had knitted (and by chunky, I'm talking 5 strands of worsted weight yarn). I never had the pleasure of actually knitting with the stuff though and I don't really plan on it anytime soon. Other than the fact that it's just too darned furry in general, I don't understand the point of it since the blasted crap is so pricy for such a small amount. You really can't make anything substantial with it (though I'm not really certain I'd be nuts about a sweater that made me look like cookie monster or telly from sesame street). I had to buy a lot of it for the fringe on the aforementioned blanket and I think after that I'm pretty much fun furred out.