Felting Yarn Substitutes for DROPS Snow
Based on fibre content, meterage, and felting behaviour.
DROPS Snow is a 100% non-superwash wool with a meterage of approximately 50 m per 50 g. This equates to around 1 metre per gram, which is a useful benchmark when selecting substitutes.
The options below are reliable alternatives based on fibre content, spin, and availability.
1: Wool of the Andes Bulky Yarn
A 100% non-superwash Peruvian Highland wool with a meterage of 125m to 100g, making it close to the target ratio. It produces an even fabric and felts consistently, making it a dependable substitute. The finished felt is cohesive and firm with minimal surface halo.
2: Ístex Álafosslopi
A 100% non-superwash Icelandic wool with a meterage of approximately 100 m per 100 g, closely matching the target ratio. The yarn is lightly spun and contains both fine and coarse fibres which produces a beautiful dense fabric with a rustic finish and large halo. Felting takes longer than Drops Snow. The felted fabric is durable and long lasting.
3: Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease® Roving Origins Yarn
A 100% non-superwash wool roving-style yarn, when held double has a meterage close to the desired ratio. The loose, minimally processed structure promotes effective fibre bonding, allowing it to felt readily. It produces a fabric with a soft and slightly rustic texture.
4: Cascade Yarns Eco+ (Held double)
A minimally processed, non-superwash wool with a lighter meterage when used singly. Holding the yarn double achieves a comparable thickness. It felts firmly and produces a durable, slightly rustic fabric.
5: Patons Classic Wool Worsted Yarn (Held double)
A 100% non-superwash wool with a meterage of approximately 200 m per 100 g when used singly. Holding the yarn double achieves a thickness close to the target ratio. The smooth, plied construction results in a more gradual felting process, producing a cohesive fabric with a slightly less rustic finish than roving-style yarns.
6: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky
A wool-rich blend with added mohair (15% mohair and 85% wool ). The yarn felts reliably while retaining a soft halo, resulting in a slightly less rigid surface. Suitable for projects where a softer finish is preferred.
James felted slipper in Ístex Álafosslopi and Drops Snow
Here’s a comparison between a smooth felt (DROPS Snow) and a more rustic felt (Ístex Álafosslopi); the slipper pattern is available here.
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