December 2021

Newly-published books

The Tunisian Crochet Handbook might have provided me with a solution to a problem that I sometimes have with knitting—that it's not windproof.

Tunisian crochet is sometimes described as a cross between knitting and crochet. It's made with a long crochet hook, so doing it feels more like crochet than knitting. However, the techniques involved can also be described in knitting terms. A row of Tunisian crochet is made with a "forward pass" and a "return pass". In knitting terms, the forward pass is like picking up stitches along an edge. The return pass, where you work back along those stitches, progressively removing them from the hook as you go, is similar in knitting terms to casting off.

Depending on how you work the forward and return pass, you can make many different and attractive fabrics.

What all the fabrics have in common is an interlocking grid-like structure. The return pass creates a horizontal line of stitches. The forward pass pulls new stitches up vertically from below (or within) those horizontal stitches, creating the grid structure.

My guess is this structure will make clothing more windproof than similar knitted or crocheted fabrics. At least, when I held up my Tunisian crochet to the light, it let through a lot less light than my knitting.

I made a swatch with bands of Tunisian simple stitch, Tunisian knit stitch, regular single crochet and stockinette knitting. Most light showed through the knitting section, then the single crochet, then the Tunisian simple stitch and the least light showed through the Tunisian knit stitch. I'm hoping if the light can't get through, then the wind won't be able to either! I'm going to try out the Elm Slouch Hat (shown below) from the book, to see if it keeps me warmer than my knitted hats.

If you're interested in learning more about Tunisian crochet, I think The Tunisian Crochet Handbook would be a great choice to get started. Toni Lipsey explains the techniques clearly, with plenty of accompanying pictures and no expectation of prior experience in knitting or crochet. She also has a YouTube channel, in case there's anything you're still not sure about.

New and discontinued yarns

New

ABC Yarn
Safe and Sound DK – DK – 70% Acrylic, 30% Amicor – Plied – Solid colors

Araucania
Abrazo – Aran – 75% Merino Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – filled_tube – Multicolored

Big Twist Yarns
Fleck Super Bulky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – 2 ply – Semi-solid colors
Shimmer – Super Bulky – 98% Acrylic, 2% Metallic – 2 ply – Multicolored marls

Biscotte Yarns
Hermione – Lace – 75% Kid Mohair, 25% Silk – Brushed bouclé – Tonal colors, Self-striping, Speckled, Multicolored

Deramores
Studio Baby Luxe DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Elements
Big Colour – Super Bulky – 50% Acrylic, 50% Wool – Plied – Multicolored

Emu
Classic Chunky – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Classic Super Chunky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Garnudsalg
Blackhill Élevé – Fingering – 100% Wool – Plied – Tweed colors, Heathered colors

Heirloom
Alpaca 4-ply – Fingering – 100% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Heathered colors

HiKoo
Madrona – Fingering – 30% Alpaca Easy-Wash, 30% Merino Eco-Wash Wool, 20% Bamboo Viscose, 20% Nylon – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors

ITO
So Kosho – DK – 90% Merino Superwash Wool, 10% Cashmere – Plied (woolen-spun) – Solid colors, Heathers

Ice Yarns
Wool Superbulky – Bulky – 75% Acrylic, 25% Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors

James C. Brett
Happiness DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors
Top Value Super Chunky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors

Knitting Fever
KFI Collection Indulgence Organic Sock – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Self-striping, Multicolored

Kremke Soul Wool
Reborn Jeans – Aran – 70% Cotton, 25% Polyester, 5% Other (Unknown) Recycled Fibers – Tweedy – Semi-solid colors

Laines du Nord
Matera – DK – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors
Vasto – Aran – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors

Lana Gatto
Coriandolo – Sport – 75% Wool, 23% Acrylic, 2% Metallic – Single ply – Self-striping
Sirio – Sport – 40% Kid Mohair, 40% Superfine Alpaca, 20% Nylon – Fuzzy – Self-striping
Zenzero – Bulky – 51% Acrylic, 27% Wool, 10% Alpaca, 10% Silk, 2% Viscose – Single ply – Tweed colors

Lana Grossa
Brigitte No. 2 Seta – Heavy Worsted – 38% Baby Alpaca, 33% Nylon, 25% Merino Wool, 4% Silk – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors

Loops & Threads
Cozy Wool Merino – DK – 55% Merino Superwash Wool, 45% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors, Self-striping

Mary Maxim
Super Soft – Aran – 72% Acrylic, 28% Polyester – Fuzzy chain – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Moda Vera
Shadow 8-ply – DK – 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic – Plied – Tonal colors

Mountain Colors
Canyon Sport – Sport – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored
Montana – Aran – 100% Rambouillet Wool – 2 ply – Tonal colors, Multicolored
Silkdance – Fingering – 75% Merino Wool, 25% Silk – Tightly plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored
Tweed Fingering – Fingering – 85% Merino Superwash Wool, 15% Viscose – Tweedy – Tonal colors, Multicolored

Premier Yarns
Rustic – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Semi-solid colors

Qing Fibre
Dashing DK – DK – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckles
Dashing Fingering – Fingering – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckles

Queensland Collection
Falkland Worsted – Aran – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Rico Design
Creative Alpaca Dégradé Lucky 8 – Fingering – 50% Acrylic, 25% Alpaca, 25% Superwash Wool – Plied with a soft haze – Self-striping

Sugarplum Circus
Luxe Aran – Aran – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Baby Alpaca – 2 ply – Tonal colors

The Plucky Knitter
Cashmere DK – DK – 100% Cashmere – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckles

Vegan Yarn
Taika Aran – Aran – 50% Organic Cotton, 50% Tencel / Lyocell – Chained – Solid colors, Multicolored, Tonal colors, Speckles

We Are Knitters
The Meripaca – Bulky – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Baby Alpaca – Plied – Solid colors

Wool and the Gang
Back For Good Cashmere – Aran – 97% Cashmere, 3% Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors

Woolcraft
Souffle Chunky – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors

Yarn and Colors
Amazing – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Gentle – Aran – 100% Cotton – Loosely plied – Solid colors

YarnArt
Flowers Alpaca – DK – 80% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Self-striping (gradient marl)

Discontinued

Cascade Yarns
Furliscious – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Faux fur – Tonal colors, Multicolored

HiKoo
Kenzie – Worsted – 50% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon, 10% Alpaca, 10% Angora, 5% Silk – Tweedy – Tweed colors
Kenzington – Bulky – 60% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon, 10% Alpaca, 5% Silk – Chained – Heathers, Tweedy colors
Llamor – Sport – 100% Llama – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Undyed
Oh! – Heavy Worsted – 100% Superfine Alpaca – Chained – Heathered colors
SimpliAir – Lace – 81% Alpaca, 19% Nylon – Bouclé – Undyed

Knit Picks / We Crochet
Alpaca Bloom Lace – Lace – 91% Superfine Alpaca, 9% Nylon – Brushed bouclé – Solid colors
Paragon Sport – Sport – 50% Merino Wool, 25% Baby Alpaca, 25% Mulberry Silk – 2 ply – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
Lala Berlin Lovely Cashmere – Bulky – 60% Cashmere, 25% Nylon, 15% Wool – Fuzzy chain – Solid colors

Lang Yarns
Cashmere Cotton – DK – 55% Cashmere, 45% Cotton – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Gloria – Aran – 100% Nylon – Tape – Solid colors
Mille Colori Socks & Lace – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)
Oslo – Sport – 47% Cotton, 42% Merino Wool, 11% Camel – S on S plied – Solid colors
Rosalba – Heavy Worsted – 72% Merino Superwash Wool, 28% Nylon – Fuzzy chain – Self-striping
Tiziana – Bulky – 50% Acrylic, 50% Superwash Wool – Thick and thin – Multicolored

Mirasol Yarn
Huñi – Aran – 100% Highland Wool – Plied – Heathered colors

Noro
Tabi – DK – 65% Wool, 35% Nylon – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Patons (North America)
Classic Wool Bulky – Super Bulky – 100% Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Marls

Premier Yarns
Parfait – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors,Color dots

Queensland Collection
United Foursome – Sport – 55% Superwash Wool, 45% Cotton – Plied – Self-striping (Long)

Rowan
Island Blend – DK – 70% Falklands Wool, 15% Baby Alpaca, 15% Mulberry Silk – 2 ply – Solid colors
Selects Chunky Cashmere – Bulky – 100% Cashmere – Chained – Solid colors, Heathers
Selects Chunky Twist – Super Bulky – 90% Merino Wool, 10% Yak – Single wrapped with thread – Solid colors
Selects Patina – DK – 46% Mohair, 24% Nylon, 20% Merino Superwash Wool, 10% Metallic – Fuzzy chain – Solid colors with metallic

Shibui Knits
Cima – Lace – 70% Alpaca, 30% Merino Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors

The Plucky Knitter
Traveler Sport – Sport – 65% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Silk, 15% Yak – Plied
Trusty Worsted – Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – Plied

Trendsetter Yarns
Merengue – DK – 50% Cotton, 50% Soy Viscose – S on S plied – Self-striping

If you'd like to get in touch, please send a mail to hello@yarnsub.com (you can simply reply to this mail) or find me on Instagram.

I hope you have a happy, restful Christmas break and see you in January!

Wendy

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