[The Reader]

This is what was inside my recent purchase of two Lion Brand Pound of Love skeins. It looks to me like these pieces were added to make up the weight. It happened in both of the skeins I purchased.

I wrote to Lion Brand and they apologized and gave me a credit for the 2 skeins plus shipping costs. Great customer service!

But, why did this happen in the first place?

 

[MMWRay]

These skeins are manufactured with very little human interaction. The process has quality control checks but something like this will happen severally times before it is caught. I don't think I would be quick to condemn cheating on a skein when this would save the manufacturers nothing in the big scheme of things.

 

[Susan from NC]

I hate to even suggest it, but could they have been returned skeins by someone who tried the yarn and didn't want to use it? It's good to hear that Lion Brand did the right thing.

 

[Sam2]

I’m glad you got good customer service. It’s very frustrating finding little bits of yarn mixed in with the skein.

 

[targa416]

That looks terrible. I’m glad Lion Brand customer service reacted quickly and in the right way.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

Have you ever weighed the yarn before using it?
On one big project, just for kicks, I weighed every ball of yarn - all from the same manufacturer. Most were significantly overweight; a few were spot on, and even fewer were underweight.

 

[The Reader]

These skeins are manufactured with very little human interaction. The process has quality control checks but something like this will happen severally times before it is caught. I don't think I would be quick to condemn cheating on a skein when this would save the manufacturers nothing in the big scheme of things.

On one skein, maybe. But on 2? Lion Brand wanted the label info to follow up. I was pleased with the response.

 

[MMWRay]

On one skein, maybe. But on 2? Lion Brand wanted the label info to follow up. I was pleased with the response.

Yes if you bought essentially the same dyelot wouldn't you expect it to be very similar, even down to mistakes?

 

[Morgan Girl]

Yes if you bought essentially the same dyelot wouldn't you expect it to be very similar, even down to mistakes?

If I am buying the same dye lot I do expect the color to be very similar, but I don't expect yarn barfs/knots/breaks to be the same from one skein to another. To me - and I could be wrong - "dye lot" is when the yarn was colored in a big batch and since most yarn making involves machines that are winding many skeins at one time, I wouldn't expect the exact same issues in the middle of multiple skeins.

 

[MMWRay]

If I am buying the same dye lot I do expect the color to be very similar, but I don't expect yarn barfs/knots/breaks to be the same from one skein to another. To me - and I could be wrong - "dye lot" is when the yarn was colored in a big batch and since most yarn making involves machines that are winding many skeins at one time, I wouldn't expect the exact same issues in the middle of multiple skeins.

You don't seem to understand manufacturing. I am not saying anything about color just that the machines are making it at the same time like they do identical dyelots. That also means a malfunction in the machinery which would produce a yarn barf or knot will be repeated at the same running until it's fixed.

 

[run4fittness]

Glad you had such good customer service.

 

[Morgan Girl]

You don't seem to understand manufacturing. I am not saying anything about color just that the machines are making it at the same time like they do identical dyelots. That also means a malfunction in the machinery which would produce a yarn barf or knot will be repeated at the same running until it's fixed.

Maybe not. All the videos that I have ever seen of yarn being made show a long row of machinery doing multiple skeins at a time all the way down the row. I always figured that even if the yarn breaks on one, that doesn't mean it is breaking on each one down the entire row. And just now I am wondering how the machine can even keep skeining yarn if it breaks, so there isn't any tension on the loose end to keep guiding the yarn as it comes through. I guess maybe you would have to actually be in the manufacturing spot to really see what was going on at any given time.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

... I guess maybe you would have to actually be in the manufacturing spot to really see what was going on at any given time.

Now that’s an idea for a road trip!!
I wonder if there are any mills that allow visitors while the machinery is running? For that matter, I wonder if there are any working mills left in North America.

 

[Morgan Girl]

I know of this one: Mountain Meadow Wool | Buffalo, Wyoming Wool Mill It is on my bucket list of places to visit. Also, if you ever get to PEI you need to check out Belfast Mini mills. They make small scale mills that can be run by just a few people. Basically the same way a large mill would run, but in a version that could be handled by a family or small community business. They have sold and set up mills in countries all over the world to help fiber producers get a better return on their work. They also have a lot of local and fair trade yarns from other countries. They have a shop there and they do tours of the mill on the farm, explaining each step in processing and answering all and all questions. And we had a bunch of questions! 😀 If I lived on the island I would be a regular customer in the shop.

 

[edithann]

Good you had great customer service..happy knitting!

 

[Sam2]

Now that’s an idea for a road trip!!
I wonder if there are any mills that allow visitors while the machinery is running? For that matter, I wonder if there are any working mills left in North America.

Check out the mill on Prince Edward Island. I’ve been there a few times. Great place for yarn too.

MacAuslands Woollen Mills

Crafting beautiful wool blankets and wool yarn has been the specialty of MacAuslands Woollen Mills of Prince Edward Island since 1932. We are the only mill in Atlantic Canada still producing traditional woollen blankets of 100% virgin wool yarn. Take a visit to MacAuslands Woollen Mills, and you...

www.macauslandswoollenmills.com

Here are some photos from our trip there in 2011.

 

[The Reader]

Check out the mill on Prince Edward Island. I’ve been there a few times. Great place for yarn too.

MacAuslands Woollen Mills

Crafting beautiful wool blankets and wool yarn has been the specialty of MacAuslands Woollen Mills of Prince Edward Island since 1932. We are the only mill in Atlantic Canada still producing traditional woollen blankets of 100% virgin wool yarn. Take a visit to MacAuslands Woollen Mills, and you...

www.macauslandswoollenmills.com

Here are some photos from our trip there in 2011. View attachment 1278421
View attachment 1278420
View attachment 1278423
View attachment 1278422

Thanks for sending these pics. Looks like a wonderful place to visit.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

I know of this one: Mountain Meadow Wool | Buffalo, Wyoming Wool Mill It is on my bucket list of places to visit. Also, if you ever get to PEI you need to check out Belfast Mini mills. They make small scale mills that can be run by just a few people. Basically the same way a large mill would run, but in a version that could be handled by a family or small community business. They have sold and set up mills in countries all over the world to help fiber producers get a better return on their work. They also have a lot of local and fair trade yarns from other countries. They have a shop there and they do tours of the mill on the farm, explaining each step in processing and answering all and all questions. And we had a bunch of questions! 😀 If I lived on the island I would be a regular customer in the shop.

Too bad I didn’t know about them when we visited PEI while our daughter was living there a bunch of years ago.
On our way back one time, we did stop at the Briggs and Little mill in New Brunswick. Unfortunately, the mill wasn’t running when we got there. I looked at yarn in the shop, but didn’t buy any. My only souvenir is a beaver-gnawed branch about a yard long and three inches diameter. I fetched it from where it had stuck in the stream, almost under the roadway in front of the mill. I guess the millpond used to power the mill in pre-electric days.

 

[klrober]

In case I missed it was there something wrong with your 2 skeins of yarn other than the extra stuff added in?....

 

[bakrmom]

This is what was inside my recent purchase of two Lion Brand Pound of Love skeins. It looks to me like these pieces were added to make up the weight. It happened in both of the skeins I purchased.

I wrote to Lion Brand and they apologized and gave me a credit for the 2 skeins plus shipping costs. Great customer service!

But, why did this happen in the first place? View attachment 1278219

I have never experienced this- until today. I bought mandala cake and went to start a project, found the end easily but was quite surprised when a large core(?) came out. It was quite a long piece, maybe 5+ yards and matched what was left in the center. The way it was wound was what you would expect in a cake not like someone stuffed a random glob inside. It doesn't matter for what I'm making but it is annoying.