Choosing which yarn to get
Yarns range from natural and eco-friendly to entirely synthetic, from affordable to downright decadent... 

Look and feel: 

• Premium yarns - baby alpaca, merino wool, cashmere, angora, mohair, etc. all look and feel incredible!  Their drape, softness, and luxury appeal are unparalleled - not to mention all the rich and unique colors that high-end, hand-dyes create
• Wool and wool blends - wool is a classic for a reason, offering tremendous warmth, moisture-wicking, and durability, holding their shape well with washing and wear
• Synthetics - acrylic, polyester, rayon, and nylon have taken smushy softness to a level that was unimaginable when I was a kid - like flooping into a cotton candy cloud - and come in so many vivid, varied, and consistent colors
• Plant-based yarns - cotton, bamboo, or vegan silks tend to come in finer weights, and I love a good, chunky yarn.  I have recently come across some bulky cottons, though, that are really soft, offering a squishy alternative for folks looking for vegan hand-knits from natural fibers... I look forward to giving them a try!
  

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Cost: 

• Premium yarns - material costs for knits made from premium yarns, especially the really soft ones, can be quite high - easily $20-$80 per skein (and some skeins are smaller than others, requiring more skeins to complete a project).  That's why all knits aren't just automatically made from cashmere or angora.
• Wools and wool blends - wools range considerably in cost depending on where they are sourced and how they are processed.  Low-micron wools, hand-dyed, organic, sustainably produced, and fair trade yarns will invariably be priced a little higher
• Synthetics - these are often the most affordable option for hand-knits

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The Itch Factor: 

Here's the deal with itchy, scratchy knits... I have bought so many yarns over the years that felt so smooth and wonderful in the store then still itched after I knitted them up.  What I learned is that when yarn is in a ball, the fibers stay smooth and in line with one another.  Knitting bends those fibers into loops, and tiny fibers will fray and stick out around each bend (like fly-aways and frizz in hair) which is what causes that scratchy feel.  

Almost all wools will have some degree of fraying, although premium, low-micron wool yarns minimize fraying and feel soft... coarse wools tend to itch the most.  Synthetic and plant-based fibers stay smooth when knitted up and avoid itchiness altogether.  

What really varies the most is people's sensitivity to those tiny wool fibers sticking out.  I am really, really sensitive to scratchiness, and most of the yarns that I love to knit with make me itch so much that I can't wear them.  What it means for you is that every yarn I use gets measured against my own level of sensitivity - so most people find the yarns I use incredibly soft and not itchy at all.  

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Allergies:

• Lanolin:  folks who are allergic to the lanolin in wool can find it difficult to enjoy hand-knit garments and natural fibers.  Plant-based fibers (cotton, bamboo, vegan silk) and synthetics are great alternatives.  Or stick with premium yarns made from animal hair: alpaca, llama, angora (rabbit), cashmere or mohair (goat), which are all lanolin-free and generally considered hypoallergenic. 
  
• Dyes and Chemicals:  the textile industry is becoming increasingly responsive to health and environmental concerns about the use of harsh chemicals and dyes.  Options for minimizing exposure to irritants include: organic cotton, bamboo, silk, and animal yarns, undyed yarns, plant-based/azo-free dyes, and Oeko-Tex certification (indicating free from harmful chemicals).  
• Dustmites and Animal Dander:  common allergens can be trapped in fibers during yarn manufacturing, storage, daily wear, and frankly, from the many pets in my house who shed everywhere while I'm trying to knit.  Choosing machine washable yarns can make it easier to keep hand-knits in good condition and allergen-free.  

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