May 2023

Newly-published books

If Rowan wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia with Rowan Hide & Seek, then they succeeded with me. Looking through the patterns and pictures, I feel nostalgic for my own childhood, for knitting for my boys when they were younger, and for the period in my knitting life when I made every Rowan pattern that I could get my hands on!

The book contains 10 sweater and cardigan patterns, all designed by Martin Storey. If you make any of them, I hope you can enjoy a little nostalgia along with the knitting!

In Beanies and Other Knitted Hats, Fiona Goble says that hats are "a great way to perfect your skills and try out new stitch combinations, without commiting yourself to have to knit every evening for months on end". While knitting for months on end sounds just fine to me, I can see the appeal of using a small project like a hat to learn something new.

The book has designs using a range of techniques from garter and stockinette stitch through to cables, lace, stranded and intarsia knitting. It also has instructions for all of the basics, so it might be a good book for a complete beginner, or for any knitter who would like to learn those skills.

One technique that I picked up from the book was a seaming technique called 'flat stitch'. I usually seam with mattress stitch, and I was curious to see how flat stitch compared, so I experimented on some swatches.

Flat stitch

Flat stitch involves bringing the sewing needle up through the center of an edge stitch on one side, then doing the same on the opposite side, alternating back and forth as you sew the edges together.

Flat stitch

Comparing flat stitch to mattress stitch

Here are my swatches seamed with flat stitch:

(1) Needle coming up through the center of an edge stitch; (2) Front of fabric; (3) Reverse

For mattress stitch, you take the sewing needle under the bar between stitches, one stitch in from the edge. Here are my swatches seamed with mattress stitch:

(1) Sewing under the bar between first and second stitches; (2) Front of fabric; (3) Reverse

Mattress stitch gives a near-invisible finish on the front of the work, but it makes a hefty two-stitch ridge on the reverse. You might barely notice this ridge on a sweater, but it can be more annoying if you're seaming something small, like hats or mittens.

Flat stitch produces a visible seam on the front of the work but much less bulk on the reverse compared to the mattress stitch seam.

Although the flat stitch seam is more noticeable on the front than a mattress stitch seam, I can see situations where it makes sense to use flat stitch. Sewing under the bar (mattress stitch) can be tricky if you've knitted with a fuzzy or textured yarn. Only having to come up through the center of a stitch (flat stitch) would be easier, and I imagine you wouldn't notice the slight untidiness of a flat-stitch seam in a textured or fuzzy fabric.

Flat stitch might also be a good option for seaming fabric made from bulkier yarns. When you use mattress stitch for a bulky yarn, the ridge can be so large that it distorts the front. In this case, the flat-stitch seam may look better overall and will probably feel more comfortable to wear.

"Half" mattress stitch

There is another option (not mentioned in the book) which is essentially the same as mattress stitch, except you pick up a bar half a stitch in from the edge, rather than a full stitch in. I tried it out with the same swatches as before and, as you can see below, it resulted in a seam that sits between regular mattress stitch and flat stitch in terms of both bulk and neatness.

(1) Picking up the bar half a stitch in from the edge; (2) Front of fabric; (3) Reverse

As always with knitting, there are many different methods available to solve a problem. All you have to do is decide which suits you best!

New and discontinued yarns

New

Biches & Bûches
Le Petit Shetland – Fingering – 100% Shetland Wool – Plied (woolen-spun) – Marled colors

Dale of Norway / Dalegarn
Multi Popkorn – Heavy Worsted – 31% Polyester, 24% Acrylic, 24% Wool, 12% Mohair, 9% Nylon – Fuzzy with tufts – Tweedy colors
Solé – Bulky – 100% Cotton – Fiber core wrapped – Tonal colors
Viva Bouclé – Super Bulky – 70% Organic Cotton, 12% Nylon, 9% Alpaca, 9% Mohair – Bouclé – Self-striping marls

Katia
Aqua – Worsted – 50% Cotton, 50% Polyester – Crepe – Semi-solid colors
Concept Bohemian Silk – Sport – 67% Cotton, 33% Silk – Plied – Multicolored

King Cole
Baby DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Simply Footsie 4-ply – Fingering – 93% Acrylic, 7% PBT (Elastic) – Plied – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
Puno Luce – Sport – 30% Baby Alpaca, 30% Wool, 20% Cotton, 20% Nylon – Fuzzy chain – Semi-solid colors

Lion Brand
Mandala Impressions – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Multicolored

Outlaw Yarn
Nouveau DK – Worsted – 100% Polwarth Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Rico Design
Creative Cotton Camouflage – Sport – 45% Acrylic, 44% Cotton, 11% Nylon – S on S plied – Multicolored
Creative Cotton Fleece DK – DK – 75% Cotton, 13% Acrylic, 12% Wool – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Dotted colors
Creative Summer Sprinkles – Sport – 50% Acrylic, 50% Cotton – S on S plied – Marled colors
Fashion Cotton Double Printed DK – DK – 90% Cotton, 10% Nylon – Chained – Self-striping (dappled)
Luxury Cotton Silk Cashmere DK – DK – 75% Cotton, 15% Silk, 10% Cashmere – S on S plied – Solid colors
Luxury Organic Cotton Silk DK – DK – 77% Organic Cotton, 23% Silk – Single wrapped with thread – Solid colors
Superba Las Vegas 8-ply – Worsted – 72% Superwash Wool, 24% Nylon, 4% Metallic – Plied – Multicolored with metallic

String Theory Colorworks
Kilovolt – Sport – 90% Targhee Wool, 10% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors,Self-striping, Multicolored

Stylecraft
Love You – Aran – 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic – Plied – Speckled colors

Walnut Tree Yarn
Pure Merino – Fingering – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Multicolored

Wendy
Supreme Cotton Love DK – DK – 50% Acrylic, 50% Cotton – S on S plied – Solid colors

Wool and the Gang
Big Love Cotton – Bulky – 100% Organic Cotton – Fuzzy chain – Solid colors

Discontinued

Bendigo Woollen Mills
Rustic 12-ply – Bulky – 100% Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers

Bernat
Pop! – Heavy Worsted – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Gradient
Pop! Bulky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping
Roving – Super Bulky – 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool – Single ply – Solid colors

Brooklyn Tweed
Peerie – Fingering – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Colinette
Tao – DK – 100% Silk – Single ply – Multicolored

Ella Rae
Impressionist – DK – 65% Cotton, 25% Viscose, 10% Linen – Plied – Multicolored

Fibra Natura
Dona – Worsted – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors

Holst Garn
Noble – Fingering – 95% Merino Wool, 5% Cashmere – Z-plied – Solid colors, Heathers

Knitting Fever
Painted Sock – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Gradient

Lion Brand
Vanna's Style – DK – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Loops & Threads
Cozy Fur – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Faux fur – Semi-solid colors
Cozy Heathered – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Semi-solid colors
Eco Naturals – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Multicolored
Natural Marl – Heavy Worsted – 69% Polyester, 22% Acrylic, 9% Wool – Fiber-filled net – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Marriner Yarns
Aran – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Chunky – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Cosy Toes 4-ply Sock – Fingering – 75% Merino Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Self-Striping
Double Knit – Sport – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Get Cosy Blanket Yarn Super Chunky – Jumbo – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors
Mercerised Cotton DK – DK – 100% Mercerized Cotton – Plied – Solid colors, Self-striping
Mermaid Chunky – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Multicolored
Mermaid DK – Sport – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Multicolored
Mermaid Super Chunky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Multicolored
Super Chunky – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Super Soft Baby 4-ply – Fingering – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors

Mary Maxim
Ultra Mellowspun DK – DK – 70% Acrylic, 30% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors

Moda Vera
Tolve 12-ply – Heavy Worsted – 70% Wool, 30% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Semi-solid colors
Yana – Bulky – 50% Wool, 30% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Marls

Noro
Enka – DK – 50% Cotton, 20% Silk, 15% Nylon, 15% Wool – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient marl)

Pascuali
Alpaca Royal – Light Fingering – 80% Superfine Alpaca, 20% Baby Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Undyed
Atlantis – Sport – 70% Cashmere, 30% Mulberry Silk – S on S plied – Solid colors
Bayak – DK – 75% Yak, 25% Bamboo Viscose – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Cairo 4 – Sport – 100% Camel – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Forest – Fingering – 70% Merino Superwash Wool, 15% Bamboo Viscose, 15% Cotton – Plied – Solid colors

Phildar
Phil Charme – Worsted – 50% Acrylic, 50% Mohair – Fuzzy – Solid colors

Red Heart
Sweet Home – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors, Multicolored

String Yarns
Classica Bulky – Bulky – 100% Cashmere – S on S plied – Solid colors, Heathers
Classica DK – DK – 100% Cashmere – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Heathers

Swans Island
All American Collection Worsted – Aran – 75% Rambouillet Wool, 25% Alpaca – Plied (woolen-spun) – Solid colors, Heathers, Tonal colors

The Knitting Goddess
100% Bluefaced Leicester DK – DK – 100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool – Plied – Multicolored
4-ply BritSock – Fingering – 60% Wool, 20% Alpaca, 20% Nylon – Plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored, Gradient sets, Self-striping
4-ply Merino Nylon sock – Fingering – 75% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied
SparkLynne 4-ply – Fingering – 75% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon, 5% Metallic – Plied
Two Flocks – DK – 50% Blue Faced Leicester Wool, 50% Poll Dorset Wool – Plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored

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.

See you in June!

Wendy

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