Bobbels

Dear users and authors,
What are Bobbels? You see this word more often these days, but maybe not everyone knows what it means yet.
Could you perhaps explain it? Thanks for the information.

Bobbels are hand-wound yarns; they come in solid colors or in many beautiful color gradients. The yarn ranges from 2 to, in some cases, even 10 strands or more. However, 3- or 4-strand Bobbels are the most common.
The yarns are made up of multiple strands, which means they aren’t twisted together but lie side by side.
This takes a little practice when knitting or crocheting, but you get used to it quickly.
I don’t know why they’re called “Bobbels.” At some point, the word was just there.
A while back, I got caught up in “Bobbelmania” and have now crocheted my third design using a Bobbel like this. I’ll be testing the fourth one soon. :-)
The great thing is that you can even have a Bobbel wound to your specifications, guaranteeing that you’ll have a one-of-a-kind piece. 

I have the bobbel, the knitting needles, and the pattern for the shawl.... the only thing I’m missing is the time to make it!

And from what I read above, it takes some practice to knit with it. Or is it easier to crochet with a bobbel?

Um...
one more question: for the 4-ply yarn, what needle size do you use?

@Otterhaler_Haekeln
I used a size 5 crochet hook. That made the shawl nice and loose—perfect for summer.
(Dream in Pastel - see image)

I don't see any difference between knitting or crocheting with a Bobbel...
For 4-ply yarns, I used a size 4 crochet hook. 

You just have to try it out. They come in different thicknesses, too.
It doesn’t say that on the label, though.
You can at least get a rough idea by comparing the length to the weight.

Best wishes from the sunny, warm, and humid North Sea

Thanks for the info... Now I just need some time

I’ve been working with Bobbel for years. I love the color variations and the variety in the material.
I’ve already made a winter dress, a coat, and a jacket for myself with it.
Right now, I’m knitting a vest for my dad from it in forest green with yellow accents, and I still have two more of these wonderful yarns sitting in a box in the basement.
I’d like to use the “Herstzauber” yarn to make the blanket that we might crochet together here.
And from the other one, a cape. My mother-in-law gave me the idea—the colors are just like a winter day in the forest: winter white in various thicknesses and gray-brown.

That’s true about practice: at the beginning, I often missed the stitches, and that often resulted in unsightly loops. But don’t give up. You’ll get the hang of it quickly—it comes naturally.

Well, I have to revise what I said a few days ago. 
I have a new design on the needles, this time knitted. 
For it, I have a very nice Bobbel with 4 strands, one of them a light glitter thread.
Unfortunately, this Bobbel is really not easy to knit with at all; it would have been better for crocheting.
But the result looks great, which is why I’m going to finish it anyway.
But relaxed knitting is something else ;-).

A question about the Bobbels... should I start working from the inside, or does it not matter?

You can start from the inside (that’s how I do it) or from the outside.

I’ll keep it short:

An addictive substance^^

I bought several Bobbels really cheaply years ago. Now I’d like to crochet with them. However, they are 10-ply marled Bobbels.
I’m wondering what hook size to use. Unfortunately, they don’t have a label, and I also don’t know the composition of the individual strands. Unfortunately, the seller has also been gone for a long time. I think there is a high cotton content in it, because this yarn only stretches a little when pulled taut. Does anyone have an idea? There are no patterns for 10-ply plied yarn.

Well, I always say... just try it out...
Everyone crochets with a different tension; for example, with 4-ply yarn, one person might use a 4.5 hook, while another (like me) might use a 3.5 hook. So you can never make a blanket statement. It also depends on the thickness of the individual strands. Just try, for example, a size 6 or 7 hook and crochet a small piece. If it’s too tight, go up a size. If it’s too loose, go down a size.

Best regards, Claudia

Well, I’ve also caught the Bobbel mania, and I’m thrilled. I prefer crocheting, and working with these multiple strands goes quite well. With a 4-strand Bobbel at the moment, I’m even using a size 2.5 crochet hook. It works wonderfully; the yarn is super thin and soft (50% cotton and 50% acrylic), and I also crochet a bit loosely, so it fits.
If you have pure cotton Bobbels, you’ll probably need to use a larger needle/hook size than I am using now.

These Bobbels with that Lurex strand in them don’t crochet up well; I’ve tried it. The Lurex strand sometimes sags and doesn’t always run along evenly, but with a little practice that works too, though it’s less fun. Everyone just has to try it for themselves to see what works best.

Wishing everyone here a lovely weekend with crochet or knitting in hand. There’s still a whole lot of snow here.

I recently read a tip suggesting that you start Bobbels from the outside with Lurex thread.

OK, CreatOwl, I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.