Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Yarn From Milk?

, by . 2 Comments

This Spring, [tag]South West Trading Company[/tag] released the [tag]Vickie Howell Collection[/tag], a set of three types of yarn. These are [tag]Craft[/tag], made of 35% [tag]Milk Fiber[/tag] and 65% Organic Cotton; [tag]Rock[/tag], made of 40% [tag]Soysilk[/tag], 30% fine [tag]wool[/tag], and 30% [tag]hemp[/tag]; and [tag]Love[/tag], made of 70% [tag]Bamboo[/tag] and 30% [tag]Silk[/tag].

According to [tag]Knitting News Cast[/tag] review of the milk fiber yarn, the organic cotton has a softness and a wonderful drape due to the presence of the 35% milk fiber.

Stefanie Japel of [tag]Glampyre Knits[/tag] used both the Craft and the Rock in creating patterns for SWTC. She mentioned that she liked the yarns and loved the way they worked up.

Other than stores that sell the products, I haven’t been able to find any sites, blogs or usenets that have mentioned these yarns. They really sound like a wonderful addition to the yarn world and would certainly help those who are allergic to wool have additional choices in fiber.

Comments please if you have found the Vickie Howell Collection yarns at your LYS.

Next Pattern:

Comments

  2. Thanks Rhonda. I wanted to find more opinions of the yarn also. No one is writing comments on the ‘net about the yarn. Is it because it is hard to get, too expensive, or is everyone in the pool? 🙂

    Laura

Have you read?

A Short and Sweet Top to Knit for Summer

I think one of the things that keeps me from wearing some of the summer tops that I have knit is that when they use worsted weight yarn, they’re actually heavier and warmer than a normal T-shirt would be. Which sometimes is fine, since I tend to be cold, but it’s not always what you want from your warm-weather gear.

That’s why shirts and tops knit with fingering (aka sock) yarn are so great. They’re super light weight and honestly they don’t take as long to knit as you probably think they will.

I’m sure that’s true with the Maya Top from Gavriella Treminio, especially if you choose the cropped length option. This top down sweater has a textured circular yoke with bobbles and eyelets, while the rest of the body is worked in stockinette stitch. Other than the integrated ribbed neckband, other edges are left in stockinette so they will roll slightly to finish the casual look. 

The design comes with seven different size options, ranging from 36 to 62 inches in the chest. The pattern page doesn’t say how much ease is meant to be included in the pattern, but starting at size 36 would leave it pretty roomy for folks in the smaller sizes.

I don’t think the suggested yarn is made anymore, but it looks like a top that would be lovely in a mercerized cotton or a linen and silk blend, something with a little bit of shine to it. This is one of those times when the yarn suggestions on Ravelry can be super helpful because you can see what yarn other people used and how their finished projects came out.

You can get this pattern on Ravelry.

Looking for more summer top patterns? I’ve collected some lacy top knitting patterns here, and a few great tank top knitting patterns here.

[Photo: Gavriella Treminio.]

Leave a Reply