Showing posts with label Linen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Linen. Show all posts

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Rowan Damask





Damask
Rowan
57% Viscose 22% Linen 21% Acrylic
Approx. 115 yds/50g
Weight: DK
Gauge: 5.5 sts/1in on Needle: US 6
My Color: 41

A very pretty yarn with very little pattern support. It's much softer to work with than a pure linen yarn, and would still make a cool, lightweight garment.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Looks Like She's Bulked Up A Little, Bless Her Heart


100% Wet Spun Linen
Gauge: 3.5-4 sts per inch on 5-6 mm needles (8-10 US)
Machine Washable and Dryable!
100gm = 150 yds
My Color: Blue Fescue 16-2822-2
Retail Price: $18.86


Oh, I liked this one much better than the sport weight version. I liked its bulk and its slightly haggard appearance. It softens considerably in the washer and dryer, and would make for a quick knit, or, as in this swatch, crochet garment or home decor item.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

A Linen By Any Other Name is Still the Same





Linen (by Louet)
Claudia's Handpainted Yarns
100% Linen - sport weight
100 grams/270 yds
Gauge: 6 sts/inch on 3 - 3.5 mm needles
My Color: Blue Terra Cotta
Retail price: $31.50


This is the same yarn as Euroflax Linen sport weight by Louet, which I have reviewed previously here. This, however, has been beautifully hand-painted by Claudia, and comes in some gorgeous colorways. It is not yet shown on her website, but if you like linen, you'll like this one. I worked this swatch in the lace pattern that is used on a camisole in Joan McGowan-Michael's new book, "Knitting Lingerie Style." I happened to get an autographed copy at TNNA this month, but you can get a signed one, too, at her website. Just click on the link to the book in this post, and it will take you to the page.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Hey, Kid, Do You Bamboo?


Alchemy Bamboo


Bamboo and KidLin Pixie held together


Louet Sales KidLin Pixie



Bamboo
Alchemy Yarns
100% bamboo
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1" on US needle size: 5
50 gr = 138 yards
Color: Full Metal Alchemist 11 C
Retail price: $30.50

KidLin Pixie (Lace Wt.)
Louet Sales
49% Linen / 35% Kid Mohair / 16% Nylon
Gauge: 5 sts per inch on 3.75-4.5 mm needles (5-7 US)
50 gm = 250yds
Color: 35 Raffia Tan
Retail price: $12.50

Each of these yarns by itself is incredible, but together, they're even better. The Bamboo is so silky, and the KidLin is nice and soft. The Bamboo would make a great summer sweater or tank, with its luster and saturated color, and the two together would be great in a Fall weather garment.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Gelato and a Bath


Italian Ice
Knit One Crochet Too

61% cotton/26% linen/13% viscose
Texture: mate ribbon with shiny wrap
50 gr = 76 yards
Gauge: 16 sts per 4" on needles size US 9 (5.5mm)
My Color: 611 robin's egg
Retail Price: $9.00

I'm neutral on this one. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. But the bath mitt is cute. K1C2 has a kit with this yarn and a bar of soap, and a pattern for a mitt and a soap pouch. It would make a cute gift, as a kit or as the completed items.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

A Geranium By Any Other Name...


50% Linen, 30% Acrylic, 20% Viscose
50g = 100 yds.
Gauge: 11 sts per 4 in. on needle size 10.5 U.S. (7mm)
My Color: 6051
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $5.99


The patterns (Needful book 304) for this yarn are really cute. It's too bad I don't like the yarn itself. It has all these random strands of what looks like colored grass or straw, but which I'm sure is linen, and they stick out at strange angles. It is not my favorite, by far.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Irish Linens


Fiber Content: 52% Cotton, 48% Linen
Gauge: 5.5 Sts per in. on US Needle Size 6
50g = 126 yds
My Color: 103 Deep
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $9.65
This was fun to use. It is several strands of beautifully colored linen and cotton, which is nice and soft. It looks great crocheted up in this little pattern from The New Granny Square. That's a great book, too. Definitely worth checking out.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

John Linen



"Euroflax Sport Weight linen in 49 solid colors and 16 beautiful blends."
100% Wet Spun Linen
6 sts per inch on needles US 2-4
1300 yds/lb. Solid Colors: 100 gm Skeins (270 yds); 50 gm Skeins (135 yds); 1/2 lb Cones (650 yds); Blended Colors: 100 gm Skeins (270 yds); 1/2 lb Cones (650 yds)
My Color: Cedarwood 18-2464-7
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price for 100 gm hank: $20.95



If you've ever knit with linen yarn, you know that it can be like knitting with rope, in terms of the softness factor, but once washed and dryed in the dryer (Yes, I said, "dryed in the dryer"), it can be as soft as cotton. Well, I decided to forgoe the exfoliation treatment and washed and dryed the yarn before knitting with it. While this softened it some, it still wasn't as soft as I'd like. So, I washed and dryed it again after I knit the washcloth, which is what this is, by the way. I tried to do the one in the Knitter's Stash book, but it was much bigger than I wanted, so I just used the handy Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns and worked out the Dragon Scales pattern in the size I wanted. It is amazingly softer after its final wash and dry.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Soy Merino Latte




Savannah
The Fiber Company
50% merino, 20% organic cotton, 15% linen, 15% soya
50 g = 65 yards
Gauge: 3-3.5 stitches per inch on US size 10 needles
My color: Blue Sky
My source: The Knit-Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $16.80


From their website: "The Fibre Company offers a collection of yarns made from unique blends of natural fibers including alpaca, camel, cashmere, organic cotton, linen, merino, silk, soy and yak. The mission of The Fibre Company is to create sustainable natural fiber luxury yarns paying special attention to environmentally friendly production methods such as the use of low-impact dyes and organic cotton and wool where possible."

I was a very picky eater growing up, so my mom often used the gentle persuasion technique of telling me to "Eat it or wear it!" at the dinner table. I've since forgiven her (can't you tell?), but with this yarn, I actually could maybe eat a part of it, and would gladly wear it. As the mother of two small children, I hold the record for McDonalds drive-thrus, so I don't know from organic. But if you care about what you put IN your body, I suppose you care about what you put ON it, too. If so, this might be the yarn for you. Its organicity is as close as this one comes to granola, though, as it is not the least bit crunchy. It is nice and soft, and I can see it becoming a great cardigan that would be as comfortable to wear as a favorite bathrobe.