April 2024

Newly-published books

Marie Greene's new book Knitting Light includes patterns for twenty summer knits, all made using plant fibers, or plant fiber blends. As Marie points out, when the weather's hot, you're probably not reaching for clothes made of wool. However, she recognizes that some of us aren't so keen on knitting with plant fibers—and she's got some ideas that might help.

Marie says that you can't expect to get the same experience knitting with plant fibers as you would when knitting with wool. Instead, "success comes from learning how to work with each fiber's unique personality, embracing the differences, and adjusting your technique, when necessary, to get the results you want."

One technique adjustment that Marie recommends is to relax your hands while knitting. She says that since "plant fiber can be significantly stiffer than wool [...] you'll see more space within and between your stitches than what you're used to. Your instinct might be to tighten your grip on the needles to eliminate those spaces, but resist!"

Tightening my grip and pulling on the yarn is certainly my instinct when I see space around my stitches, so I decided to try following Marie's advice to stay relaxed instead. I made a swatch using Rowan Cotton Glacé, a mercerized cotton yarn that I've always found uncomfortable to knit with in the past. Marie suggests going down a needle size or two to get gauge with a more relaxed knitting style, so I tried using 3mm needles instead of the 3.25mm recommended on the label.

I learned two things from my experiment. First, I found it more pleasant to knit with the Cotton Glacé than I remembered it being before. No more sore hands from trying to yank yarn into a position it doesn't want to be. Second, I had thought that my knitting might end up looking a bit of a mess without me tightening up the stitches, but it didn't. I even matched the gauge listed on the label: 23sts per 10cm. The knitting isn't perfectly neat, but considering that I tried not to adjust the stitches at all, I think it came out pretty well.

Marie includes lots of other advice in the book about working with specific plant fibers, as well as advice on how to get a good fit for your finished project. So if you like the idea of making more handknits to wear on warmer days, Knitting Light may be the book for you.

New and discontinued yarns

New

Adriafil
Alterego – Sport – 100% Cotton – S on S plied – Solid colors

Araucania
Junto – Sport – 63% Linen, 37% Cotton – Slubby tweed – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Austermann
Coleen Linen – Aran – 60% Linen, 25% Cotton, 15% Viscose – Slubby tweed – Semi-solid colors, Self-striping (gradient transition)
Eila – Bulky – 49% Tencel / Lyocell, 30% Cotton, 21% Linen – Fleecy chain – Solid colors

Big Twist Yarns
Baby Bear – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors, Dotted colors
Petite – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors

Blue Sky Fibers
Organic Cotton Sport – Sport – 100% Organic Cotton – 2 ply – Solid colors

Borgo de'Pazzi
Amore Basic – Aran – 50% Acrylic, 50% Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Heathered colors

Cygnet
Marshmallow Pies DK – Sport – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping (long)

DMC
Merino Essentiel 8 – Super Bulky – 55% Merino Superwash Wool, 45% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors

Eddie Bauer
Adventurer Cotton – Fingering – 100% Organic Cotton – Plied – Solid colors
Wool-Paca Light – Sport – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Alpaca – Plied – Solid colors

Elements
Colours Cotton Blend – DK – 55% Cotton, 45% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Ella Rae
Marmel Duo – DK – 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic – Slubby tweed – Self-striping marls

Emu
Classic Baby DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Treasure 2 Ply – Lace – 55% Nylon, 45% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Treasure 3 Ply – Light Fingering – 55% Nylon, 45% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Treasure 4 Ply – Fingering – 55% Nylon, 45% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors

Gepard Garn
My Soft One – Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – Unspun roving – Solid colors

Hobbii
Daily Stitch Acrylic – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Daily Stitch Acrylic XL – Heavy Worsted – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Daily Stitch Mega – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Daily Stitch Mega XL – Heavy Worsted – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors
Toucan – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors

Juniper Moon Farm
Cotton + Merino – Aran – 70% Organic Cotton, 30% Merino Wool – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors

Järbo Garn
Merino Bomull – DK – 50% Cotton, 50% Merino Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors

La Bien Aimée
Prism – Sport – 50% Merino Wool, 50% Superwash Wool – Plied (woolen-spun)

Laines du Nord
Eco Crochet – Heavy Worsted – 50% Cotton, 50% Polyester – Chained – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
Gelato – Super Bulky – 52% Cotton, 48% Nylon – filled_tube – Multicolored
Per Tutti – DK – 70% Cotton, 30% Nylon – Fuzzy chain – Solid colors

Louisa Harding
Camilla – Aran – 80% Cotton, 10% Linen, 10% Viscose – Chained – Solid colors

Moda Vera
Blankie – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors

Novita
Viola – Fingering – 80% Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors

Panda
Happy-Go Brightly 8-ply – DK – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Self-striping (gradient marl)

Patons (Australia)
Aria 12-ply – Heavy Worsted – 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool – 2 ply – Semi-solid colors
Baby Dreamtime Merino 2-ply – Lace – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – White only
Baby Dreamtime Merino 3-ply – Light Fingering – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – White only

Premier Yarns
Fable (new 2024) – Super Bulky – 90% Acrylic, 10% Polyester – Single wrapped with thread – Self-striping
Premier Basix Marl Worsted – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping (gradient marl)
Premier Basix Tweed – Aran – 97% Acrylic, 3% Viscose – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Schoeller + Stahl
Fortissima Merino – Fingering – 75% Merino Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors, Self-striping

Skein Queen
Coorie – DK – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors

Sunshine Yarns
Wander Sock – Fingering – 70% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Baby Alpaca, 10% Silk – Plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored

The Farmer's Daughter Fibers
Confluence Cotton – Fingering – 40% Rambouillet Wool, 40% Targhee Wool, 20% Cotton – 2 ply – Semi-solid colors

The Plucky Knitter
Legacy Bulky – Bulky – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors
Legacy Fingering – Fingering – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors
Legacy Sport – Sport – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors
Legacy Worsted – Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors

Wollbiene
Cotton Fun – Sport – 55% Cotton, 45% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Yarnsmiths
Lagoon DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)
Play DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping

Discontinued

Big Twist Yarns
Heather – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Heathered colors

Cascade Yarns
Eco Plus Merino – Bulky – 100% Merino Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors, Heathers

Cleckheaton
Brushstrokes Hand Dyed 5-ply – Sport – 50% Acrylic, 50% Nylon – Plied – Multicolored

Diamond
Little Darlings Saten – Worsted – 100% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors

Expression Fiber Arts
Sugar Fluff Fingering – Sport – 80% Alpaca, 20% Acrylic – Plied with a soft haze – Tonal colors

Gründl
King Cotton – Bulky – 55% Acrylic, 45% Cotton – S on S plied – Solid colors

Hobbii
Donna – Super Bulky – 85% Cotton, 15% Polyester – Tweedy – Semi-solid colors
Limonata – DK – 52% Cotton, 48% Polyester – Chained – Solid colors

James C. Brett
Dotti – DK – 50% Acrylic, 50% Cotton – S on S plied – Dotted colors
Driftwood DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Kenyarn
Aurora Fingering – Fingering – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon – 2 ply – Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors

Knit Picks / We Crochet
Surefoot Sock – Fingering – 40% Superkid Mohair, 40% Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon – Tightly plied – Undyed
Upcycle Suri Alpaca – Heavy Worsted – 100% Suri Alpaca – Fuzzy – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
Capri – Sport – 55% Cotton, 30% Nylon, 15% Silk – Fiber core wrapped – Solid colors
Cara – DK – 57% Baby Alpaca, 33% Cotton, 10% Merino Wool – Plied – Semi-solid colors
Cotton Love – DK – 100% Organic Cotton – S on S plied – Solid colors
Fantasia – Aran – 50% Cotton, 24% Viscose, 16% Alpaca, 10% Merino Wool – Fuzzy chain – Semi-solid colors
Gomitolo Lino – Sport – 60% Cotton, 28% Viscose, 12% Linen – Plied – Self-striping
Gomitolo Sole – DK – 58% Viscose, 42% Cotton – Chained – Gradient
Mare – Sport – 50% Linen, 33% Silk, 17% Cotton – Plied – Self-striping (gradient transition)
Puno Due – DK – 63% Cotton, 37% Alpaca – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors
Puno Luce – Sport – 30% Baby Alpaca, 30% Wool, 20% Cotton, 20% Nylon – Fuzzy chain – Semi-solid colors

Lion Brand
Date Nights – Worsted – 82% Acrylic, 18% Metallic – Chained – Solid colors with metallic
Let's Get Cozy: Re-Spekt – DK – 45% Polyester, 30% Acrylic, 25% Cotton – Chained – Tweed colors
Mandala Craft Cake – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping
My Boo – Aran – 69% Viscose, 31% Polyester – Plied – Marled colors
Re-Spun Roving Jumbo – Jumbo – 100% Polyester – Single ply – Marled
Schitt's Creek – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers

Mirasol Yarn
Usun – DK – 92% Cotton, 8% Nylon – Chained – Solid colors

Miss Babs
Kunlun – DK – 70% Merino Wool, 15% Cashmere, 15% Silk – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors

Patons (Australia)
Ethereal – Aran – 48% Alpaca, 30% Nylon, 15% Acrylic, 7% Viscose – Chained – Tonal colors

Phildar
Phil Natural Loops – Super Bulky – 85% Alpaca, 15% Wool – Bouclé – Solid colors

Plymouth Yarn
Davila – Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors, Heathers
Equinox – DK – 65% Merino Wool, 20% Linen, 15% Mulberry Silk – Plied – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors, Tonal colors
Reserve Robust – Super Bulky – 100% Merino Wool – Single ply – Multicolored, Space-dyed

Posh Yarn
Elinor Sock – Fingering – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied
Esme Sock – Fingering – 100% Merino Wool – Plied
Hannah Sock – Fingering – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon – Plied
Martha Sock – Fingering – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon – Plied
Miranda Lace – Lace – 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere – Plied
Miranda Sock – Fingering – 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere – Plied
Pamela Sock – Fingering – 75% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon, 5% Metallic – Plied
Sylvia DK – DK – 50% Merino Wool, 50% Silk – Plied
Sylvia Lace – Lace – 50% Merino Wool, 50% Silk – Plied
Sylvia Sock – Fingering – 50% Merino Wool, 50% Silk – Plied

Premier Yarns
Momenti – Aran – 58% Cotton, 42% Acrylic – Chained – Self-striping
Snow Cone Light Chenille – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors

Trendsetter Yarns
Basis – Sport – 75% Cotton, 16% Alpaca, 9% Cashmere – Plied with a soft haze – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Universal Yarn
Universe – Fingering – 42% Linen, 41% Cotton, 9% Metallic, 8% Nylon – Fiber core wrapped – Solid color wrapped in dark thread

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

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 May!

Wendy

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