It was one week ago today ...........
Before I show you some of the samples I got last week at the retreat, I wanted to show you two of the Rib Warmer vests that I knit for gifts. The colour on the right does not show up well, as it is a lovely soft mauve colour! They are just the best project to take in the car or to knit while watching TV. I have two more to knit in this same yarn - one in a denim blue and one in a lovely milk chocolate brown. By then, I will have this pattern firmly established in my brain!
Now on to last weekend!
Yes, it was one week ago today that I was getting settled in at Camp Homewood and today I thought about the weekend. I thought I would share some of the samples we received on the Saturday afternoon.
Sample 1 - Mango Moon Recycled Silk from Nepal. These yarns are made by women who are living in some very bad situations. The saris are made into yarn that we can buy and some of the money goes to help these women. I would have thought it would be a much 'stiffer' yarn, but it is lovely and soft! I certainly plan to buy some to make a scarf or something. Anything that helps underprivileged women is something I want to participate in!
Sample 2 - also from Mango Moon - Bali Sky and is 100% Viscose. Now this is not a man made fiber as such. Viscose comes from wood fiber and is again from recycled clothing and also from Nepal
Sample 3 - Corn yarn - 100% Corn and from China. Corn has a naturally high amount of starch in it. The Corn yarn is formed from a superfine strand of fiber that has been knit into a tube. It's a relaxed enough fiber that the tube collapses on itself, producing a flat strand of yarn that look remarkably similar to homemade pasta. It is hard wearing and very easy to care for and it can be machine washed and dried. It is relatively new on the market and its uses haven't been fully explored as of yet. I was thinking - not that I would knit them for me - about the undies that were in the Spring IK - remember the thong! The yarn has a slight dried-corn smell - not unpleasant, and has that feel of cornstarch!
Sample 4 - 100% Soy and again from China which is made from the residue of soybeans from tofu manufacturing. The process is 100% natural. Soy is eco-friendly and is biodegradable. The United States is currently the largest exporter of soybeans in the world. I have not knit with as yet!
Sample 5 - Bamboo - 100%- another eco-friendly yarn that is biodegradable. I have a ball of this to knit and just now I love to feel it. It is a yarn that always has a 'cool' feel to it. It is unusual for its breathability and coolness. It is great to wear and I can see that this will be more and more available in the market place!
Sample 6 - Malibrigo - 100% Merino wool from Peru. This is delicious - need I say more!
I think these samples (there are 19 more to show you) are invaluable to me. I can knit up to try for gauge, wash them, see if they suit my project and then simply frog them; order the amount I need and I just rewind my sample.
We were given sheets with the corresponding numbers and the facts on the different yarns! Some of these are not available in our LYS here, but in the fullness of time - who knows!
Before I show you some of the samples I got last week at the retreat, I wanted to show you two of the Rib Warmer vests that I knit for gifts. The colour on the right does not show up well, as it is a lovely soft mauve colour! They are just the best project to take in the car or to knit while watching TV. I have two more to knit in this same yarn - one in a denim blue and one in a lovely milk chocolate brown. By then, I will have this pattern firmly established in my brain!
Now on to last weekend!
Yes, it was one week ago today that I was getting settled in at Camp Homewood and today I thought about the weekend. I thought I would share some of the samples we received on the Saturday afternoon.
Sample 1 - Mango Moon Recycled Silk from Nepal. These yarns are made by women who are living in some very bad situations. The saris are made into yarn that we can buy and some of the money goes to help these women. I would have thought it would be a much 'stiffer' yarn, but it is lovely and soft! I certainly plan to buy some to make a scarf or something. Anything that helps underprivileged women is something I want to participate in!
Sample 2 - also from Mango Moon - Bali Sky and is 100% Viscose. Now this is not a man made fiber as such. Viscose comes from wood fiber and is again from recycled clothing and also from Nepal
Sample 3 - Corn yarn - 100% Corn and from China. Corn has a naturally high amount of starch in it. The Corn yarn is formed from a superfine strand of fiber that has been knit into a tube. It's a relaxed enough fiber that the tube collapses on itself, producing a flat strand of yarn that look remarkably similar to homemade pasta. It is hard wearing and very easy to care for and it can be machine washed and dried. It is relatively new on the market and its uses haven't been fully explored as of yet. I was thinking - not that I would knit them for me - about the undies that were in the Spring IK - remember the thong! The yarn has a slight dried-corn smell - not unpleasant, and has that feel of cornstarch!
Sample 4 - 100% Soy and again from China which is made from the residue of soybeans from tofu manufacturing. The process is 100% natural. Soy is eco-friendly and is biodegradable. The United States is currently the largest exporter of soybeans in the world. I have not knit with as yet!
Sample 5 - Bamboo - 100%- another eco-friendly yarn that is biodegradable. I have a ball of this to knit and just now I love to feel it. It is a yarn that always has a 'cool' feel to it. It is unusual for its breathability and coolness. It is great to wear and I can see that this will be more and more available in the market place!
Sample 6 - Malibrigo - 100% Merino wool from Peru. This is delicious - need I say more!
I think these samples (there are 19 more to show you) are invaluable to me. I can knit up to try for gauge, wash them, see if they suit my project and then simply frog them; order the amount I need and I just rewind my sample.
We were given sheets with the corresponding numbers and the facts on the different yarns! Some of these are not available in our LYS here, but in the fullness of time - who knows!
posted by Peg-woolinmysoup | 4:33 PM
3 Comments:
Hmmm...a corn thong...the mind boggles! The samples look wonderful, let me know what you think of the bamboo. I just bought a wool/bamboo blend from Panda and I'm anxious to see how it knits up.
I'm waiting on my book with the ribwarmer vest pattern in it and I'm really chomping at the bit. They're beautiful. I love the simplicity of them.
Beautiful yarns!
Very nice rib warmers! I bet you have that pattern down by heart now! Have fun playing with your samples.
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