A yarn substituition question

[neverputasockinatoaster]

About 3 or 4 years ago I saw a pattern on a magazine for a beautiful bag. I knew my mother would adore it so I bought the magazine. The blurb said the crochet bag was suitable for a beginner to crochet so I ordered all the wool I needed plus the handles, planning to make the bag for my mum's birthday.
The yarn was Patons DK Linen Touch.

I was very new to crochet. I soon discovered that, while the actual pattern might have been beginner friendly, the yarn wasn't. I ruined most of one ball of yarn because it kept splitting and the squares looked shite. If I frogged them the yarn was un useable.

I gave up.

I am now much better at crochet and want to tackle the bag again. It is in 3 colours and I have all the yarn needed for two of them as I didn't touch them. However one colour I ruined and don't have and the yarn has been discontinued.

As the bag is made up of squares do you think I could get away with a different yarn? I've looked on a yarn substitution site and got a few names that are similar in feel etc.

Part of me feels that the cost of a couple of balls of yarn would be worth seeing if I could salvage the other yarn, if I don't it's never going to get used!

It's this bag.......
www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Crochet-Knitting-Sewing-Pattern/dp/B004TIBB0W

OP I don't crochet but I do knit and weave - I often buy reduced wool on e-bay.

I seem to buy a lot of Noro and Debbie Bliss wool that I have never heard of!

If you join Ravelry you can look up wool that will work in place of your own wool if it is listed. If not you can look by weight, length on a x gram ball, etc.

I am sure that you can find something that will work weight and type wise.

I would give it a go - as someone who always has far too many things on the go I know exactly where you are coming from! My longest project was a really wide sleeved moss stitch cardigan that I didn't touch for 3 years after finishing the back and one front.

As lavender says this is where Ravelry is brilliant. The pattern in their database is here

If you click on the "yarn ideas" tab you can see what others have used

I have used knit picks cotlin DK (70% cotton, 30% linen, so close to the patons composition) in the past and that's been good. It's available from Great British Yarns iirc but may well be available elsewhere too

in theory you should be able to combine any and all yarns made of any natural fibres (regardless of fibre content and percentage) as long as instructions are for same hook size and they are the same "category/weight"" of yarn (so DK with DK, 4ply with 4 ply, lightweight with lightweight etc)

but of course if you want the same fibre content or feel or sheen it might be best to contact manufacturer for advice on what they suggest as substitutions.

and you could always PM Pistey and Knotty who coordinate the Woolly Hugs blankets, they know a lot about different yarns and might be able to help.
(find any Woolly Hug threads and PM the person who started it)

hth

I meant to say that if you use a mix of different yarns of course washing instructions should be followed based on considering the most "sensitive" fibre.

Thank you! I didn't think about ravellry!

I'm going to get a suitable yarn and go for it otherwise all the other yearn will be wasted.