Hi everyone! In lieu of a regular podcast episode, I'm uploading a bonus Ramble all about plant-based yarns and what to look for when you shop for them. I've chosen to do a little browsing at Amazon, Knit Picks, and Etsy as these are sites available to a lot of folks with yarns for those on a more modest budget, as well as more luxe options. Time stamps are available here to help you navigate this lengthier style of video: About Plant-Based Yarns and Things to Consider: 00:01:58 Amazon Browsing: 00:08:00 Knit Picks Browsing: 00:37:18 Etsy Browsing: 00:47:17 Ravelry Bundle: 00:54:50 A few things, plant-based yarns are out there in lots of places and from lots of retailers. Google "plant-based yarns" and you're bound to find something. This video is just a "starter course" on what to look for and things to consider. Like I mention here, read reviews (if they're available). I've provided links to sources I used when putting together this video. Feel free to read further about anything I mention here. Have a great day and I'll see you in the next one!
If you ever can buy LanaGrossa Meilenweit vegan, do it. Fot 400meter i pay 8 dollar in Europe. Its the most drapery cotton (with a bith poly) i ever used in 55 years.
What valuable research. Some trivia for you: after World War One there were massive forest fires here in Northern California and to address this problem the Federal government imported eucalyptus trees from Australia to prevent the fires because their complex root system was believed to be a deterrent. Soldiers were sent to undertake this massive planting operation.What was unknown at the time was due to high concentrations of oils in the bark they were essentially planting exploding bombs which were fed by the massive amounts of shredding bark. Since the trees are not native to the US they are no longer planted in California. I am intrigued by the Devon based company that makes the tape yarn. Again my thanks.
Back when I was first learning to knit, I ambitiously made my husband a sweater with Sugar and Cream yarn. The color was gorgeous but one sleeve was about 2 inches longer. Also as the day grew longer, it stretched. A lot. By the end of the day, it was down to his knees😳 He was so proud and told everyone at work that I had made it lol. It was a good learning experience!
I was amazed by your self control and not going down the rabbit hole of the non natural yarn. Any time I am shopping I start with yarn and next thing I know I am looking at lawn ornaments. 😂
I’m so glad! I know background music can be very distracting when it’s too loud (which doesn’t take much) so I’m happy this struck a good balance. That’s what I was aiming for. Thank you! ❤️
What a full video! I learned so much! Especially some of those plant based fiber terms. Thanks for all the research and time you put into this! And please keep doing the voodoo you do!!! ❤
Thanks for your stellar video! I made notes, and sharing your video with my knitting friends. Your guidance on how to search for plant-based yarns on major websites is very valuable indeed!
Yay plant fibers! Watched the ramble while working on a t-shirt with LB CoBoo. I just finished a tank top in Universal Yarns’ Bamboo Pop, also a cotton/bamboo blend. I love this fiber combo so much. The drape and the shine are slinkier than 100% cotton. Wanted to mention LB 24/7 Cotton, because their medium weight is a chainette that is stiffer and has none of the bounce of wool. Love it, but it will grip wooden needles and tire the hands if you’re a tight knitter. Once I adjusted things and used metal needles, the knitting went much more smoothly.
Schachenmayr may be expensive b/c it is imported from Germany. In Germany, it is about 3 USD for 50g. Schachenmayr is located in the Black Forest and they produce really nice yarn - Regia is a super popular sock yarn here in Germany. Just FYI. 🙂
So, about the Anne Brazilian yarn. It’s very fine, the biggest hook you can use is a 2mm, it’s a lace like project yarn. And Círculo is basically the best we have in Brazil in terms of yarns and tools. And getting anything else (ie imported) is pricey af. It’s the yarn I learned crochet on, and too thin for knitting.
😊I literally gasped when we got to the tencel because I JUST ordered from her The Librarian 4 days ago!!!!!!! I am so glad you found her and I will totally rave I am sure when it arrives! Thanks for this in depth awesome explore! You are the best!
I really enjoyed this shop along. I learned a lot more about the behavior of natural fibers from this! It would be super cool if you did a video discussing the more commonly used fibers and their behaviors/uses. It would be very helpful for someone who is finally ready to move away from basic acrylic into alternative fibers.
I have been using knitpicks yarn for the past 10 years. Billow is my favorite, but it is not as bulky as it says. It is extremely soft though. I really shouldn't watch this episode lol It is making me want to go and buy more yarn that I do not need. I think this is the most tempting video I have ever seen on yarn shopping reviews lol
Thank you for sharing! I've worked with several plant-based fibers for projects and enjoyed the change of pace/ feel of the fibers, but hadn't seen many on the ones you featured here. One drawback of plant fiber yarn is that because they don't stretch and bounce back, cables can be a nightmare of impossible to close holes. I completely scrapped a gorgeous project for that reason (and sadly, I was using the recommended yarn base!) Perhaps I'm not up to that level of skill, yet, but that experience taught me a lot about what to expect with plant fiber yarns. You're so wonderful to listen to! Thank you again!
Quince + Co. Willet cotton yarn is my ABSOLUTE go-to for my baby or soft drape wearables. It's probably the softest and easiest cotton I've ever used. It's a Maine based company, and it's from-scratch USA made!
Thank you for this. I live on the NC coast and our warm season is about 7 months. I realized after our unseasonably warm winter that I am not getting much wear with my wooly sweaters. I need more tees and light weight garments in my life.
One thing I found from less reputable companies is that they BRAND their product with a name that mimics the ingredient... so the lesson is really read the ingredient percentages. Example: Alpaca may only have 10% of Alpaca... but its called Alpaca Yarn. Read read read the fine print. 🙂
Yay, shout out to Treasure Goddess Yarns! A Friend & Indie Dyer here near Kansas City! This is her brand new line. Many are using it for the upcoming Marie Green 4 day knit along. I purchased the exact color you showed and am making a Summer Shawl/Scarf. Nice to work with. Looking lovely so far. Really enjoyed this super informative ramble on plant base fibers. Thank you!!
Thanks for the cotton info. I'm lucky here in Minnesota we have a local yarn store that their mission was only to sell plant based yarn and they have been successful for about 4+ years. Yarn Tales 1.
Such a fun video, and your self control is something to be marveled! I’m currently knitting the Anker’s Summer Shirt in Lion Brand Coboo and absolutely love it, and it’s easily found at your local Michael’s and Joann stores (coupons galore!). The sheen you see is actually from the bamboo content. Hope you’re having a lovely holiday weekend with your family! ❤
Made a Cumulus Tee by Petiteknit in knit picks Lindy Chain color Mist. It doesn’t split the way many cotton yarns do, for the reason you mentioned. It is a terrific wardrobe staple.
This came at the perfect time. I was just complaining yesterday that I feel like so few people talk about plant-based fibers. I live in a warmer climate and love working with plant based fibers to stay cool and wear my knits year round. ❤🧶🌿 Such a wonderful video!
I love your content so much! I really enjoyed this deep dive into an experienced knitter's thought processes when shopping for yarns. I would love to see an animal fiber rendition of this! Your content is highly valuable to me because it makes knitting more accessible to me as a beginner who likes to make informed decisions :)
I bought the catania yarn earlier this year as a substitute for my patons grace beeswax yarn that I ran out of. I enjoyed the catania yarn and it matches very well the the beeswax on my butterfly top/garment.
I really enjoyed this video. The music in the background really made it 💯 for me lol…. and I learned a lot I am about to start a cotton bamboo top and I had it in my head that it was going to stretch not shrink so I think this video saved me a lot of time and heartache.
I’m so glad this was helpful and that you enjoyed the music. I had originally thought I would leave it out, but I kept going back to it feeling like something would be missing otherwise. Whenever I’m working on my computer or browsing in my office, I always have some music going in the background. It’s a vibe. ☺️
As always ,extremely educational as I am starting a summer T in cotton, hemp and polyester. Thank you so much for your research. Your podcasts are always so helpful.❤
This is a great, informational overview. I have some truboo, I'll say it's definitely shiny and silky, I think it's mercerized but agree it doesn't say. I really like that thru hasn't an award tho, I'd heard that bamboo wasn't as environmentally good as one might expect, so I feel a bit better using it. ❤
Hi Tayler - loved, loved, loved this video. Thank you so much for explaining all the plant fiber yarn. I’ve always wondered about the different cotton yarn, Pima, mercerized, etc. and you explained this so well. Another great informative video!! I hope you’re feeling better. 💕
Hi Taylor I love the 24/7 cotton Made a runner for table and would be beautiful to make tanks with has a great sheen to it and lovely to knit Taylor .. lots of info on these cotton yarns Somethings I didn’t know Thank you so much Your pods are always great !!! Have a wonderful week ahead 😊💝🇨🇦
Schachenmayr is actually a really popular garment brand here in Germany. I use catania for amigurumis. The brand is also well known for their sock yarns.
Thanks for the info! I feel like I have a lot of experience already with plant based fibers because I can't wear wool at all, not even merino, superwash, etc. I do most of my garment knitting in acrylic or plant fiber blends. But I still learned some interesting things from this and I definitely want to look into some of the yarns you showed. 😊
I am knitting with Coboo for a tee at the moment and so far I am liking the fabric it is creating. I also have KP Cotlin on hand which was supposed to be for one project that never got made (it happens) and some King Cole Bamboo Cotton that is waiting for me to start a cardigan. Since my LYS closed 😢, I shop online at Love Crafts, Knit Picks, or Webs.
Awesome information here! I will be re-watching to check out some of these terrific yarns. Currently I'm on a "yarn diet", but will buy for specfic projects. Thank you for sharing!
I'm shocked! Catania ist a German Yarn. And we can get it in Germany from 2,10€ to 2,90€ per 50g. 2,10€ is about 2,30$ I think. Wow. I will never say, that wool and other fibers are too expensive for me Here in Germany.🙈
I really think that wool is only for very cold climates. We should embrace more plant fiber yarns and I want to see more patterns that look good in plant fiber yarns. Also i think cotton should be combined with a little bit of acrylic in order to be more lightweight.
Ooh I love Lion Brand 24/7 cotton! Lots of colors for a good price (especially when I buy it on sale at Joann’s). I do think it’s more of a DK yarn rather than worsted like they claim. I think this is because cotton tends to be heavier/yard and they’re basing the yarn weight on how many yards/100 grams. Which makes sense, but I tend to base it on stitches/inch because that’s what tells me if I’ll get gauge. Otherwise, I’m a big fan of Creative Linen from Rowan (ok, it’s a lot more expensive lol) which is 50/50 cotton and linen. Side note: every moment is an orange moment for me 😅
Great video and info! Hope you do lots more plant based videos since its too hot here year round to do much with wool. Currently knitting the Edie Tee by Isabel Kramer out of Universal Bamboo Pop, 50% cotton, 50% bamboo. Loving the yarn and pattern so far! Thanks for the entertaining session!
Hope you're having a nice weekend! I'm working on some summer knits and also going through an orange phase. Just finished the Shima Tee with terra cotta as my main color. I think it's the weather. I tend to go for brighter, warmer colors when it starts getting hot out.
Thanks for this. I only started knitting with wool two years ago. Before that I only used acrylic that I could buy at Joann’s. I just bought some Coast from Holst which is 45% cotton and 55% wool. I going to make I loved seeing some other options and what they can be used for. Great episode. ❤
My local craft store just added Lion Brand’s recycled cotton/poly yarn on cones. Re-up with 651yds. Couldn’t resist. Testing lacy designs for a summer shrug.
This is pretty much how I go about online shopping, too. It was great to see how you discern and dissect the different reviews, as well. I think some of the lower star reviews are often ridiculous, and it's nice to see it's not just me. Thanks for another great video! Oh and PS - I've also been craving an acorn colored cardigan. I've been planning out my yarn and pattern for my birthday knitting project. 😊
I am currently knitting the Corran Cardigan (you have it in your bundle) and I am using DROPS Bomull-Lin. This is a 53% cotton, 47% linen blend. I am enjoying it very much. It doesn't come in many colours (mainly naturals), but it is an economical choice. I knit the Ankers Summer Shirt in LB Cooboo and I love it!
Ok I honestly wasn't even thinking about knitting with plant fibers, but now im hooked. I have some Cotton et Lin in my stash that I bought on clearance that I may have to go ahead and make up into something lacy :) Thanks for the enabling lo.
Right?! Same. I mean, I’ve always appreciated them, but it’s this last two months where I’ve been really diving down that rabbit hole that I’ve started to sort of obsess. 😍😅
24/7 cotton is stiff and cordlike but fine for like bags, coasters, placemats, and maybe would be good for shawls and open weave cardigans? I Haven't tried washing it yet, I hear it softens after washing. Definitely not soft before washing. (this refers to the worsted, not DK)
Great video! I’m personally not a fan of buying yarn off Amazon because it’s usually more expensive than buying from a craft store or a brand (ex: Lions brand) directly and the options just aren’t great. I find it interesting because I do like shopping on amazon for most things because it’s usually cheaper and shipping is fast but for some reason not for yarn.
Schachenmayr is the same company that makes Regia... some of the best sock yarn in the world. I would not hesitate to buy their products. It's good stuff, works up easily, and wears like iron.
My favorite cotton yarn is a Butterfly Super 10 Mercerized cotton yarn, (I believe that it is made in Greece but I could be wrong). it is a DK weight. I am not really fond of knitting with cotton but this knit up almost like a wool. Seems like it was a cable type plies rather than simple singles simply plied together so you don't get the usual yarn splitting while knitting. not easy to find but a beautiful yarn
This is so helpful! I will say that KP CotLin (8-10 yrs ago) was very rough, with pieces of fiber that cut into my finger as I knit a cardigan for my mom. I haven't purchased it since, so I don't know if it's changed. Years ago I crocheted a skirt in cotton. It was so heavy the skirt was pulled/warped out of shape. So I frogged it and made a lap blanket. I love the looks of so many tees and sweaters, but the busts of the models are a fraction of my bust size so nothing fits me the same way. It's so disappointing to have the fabric act differently than expected. I really wish more models were bustier so I would have a better idea and maybe not spend a lot of money and time on something I don't want to wear. (sorry for my ramble, but I had the thought so many times watching this video and seeing so many gorgeous yarns).
I love that you did a video specifically about plantbased yarns! I started knitting only with cotton yarns because I believed I was allergic for sheep wool yarns (spoiler, I'm not, I'm just sensitive). I had a lot of problems determining the weight of cotton yarns. Not all online yarn shops that I shop at will mention the weight of a yarn (in the Netherlands there is a different way to mention what weight a yarn is, but I don't get that yet). Most fingering weight cotton are around 300 meter per 100 grams, which is more like a sport weight meter per 100 grams combination in my books. I now know that cotton yarn is a bit heavier than wool yarn and that that is the reason why there are slightly less meters per 100 grams in a ball. But, when it comes to cotton, I still feel safer when I'm able to feel the yarn before buying it. Also, some of the really thin cotton yarns are made more for loom knitting and just knitting or crocheting. I believe the Anne yarn is such a yarn. It is a little bit rougher to knit/crochet with.
Thanks for the great video! I watched this while knitting on my Seaborn Tee by Herbgarden knitwear, for which I'm using a bamboo cotton blend yarn from Stylecraft (so soft!!)
Hemp! We need more hemp blend yarns. 1. Hemp “wears in” instead of wearing out. 2. It’s cooler and stronger than cotton. 3. It holds dye longer than other natural fibers, 4. It breathes and wicks moisture. 5. Unlike some viscose, no toxic chemicals or processes are used to create hemp yarns. And, for anyone concerned, it comes from a strain of hemp that does not contain thc or cbd (I don’t really care about that, but realize some do).
LisaR : Bought Lindy chain during a sale and solved splitting issue for me ♥️Also , sweet cotton from Webs is Montague ( Valley yarn) 100 % organic 50 gm / 110 yds . Soft as butter and holds up beautifully- it's not thick / Thin , but plied with a fine strand you can't see... giving it a slight pearl strand look to unknit yarn .. once knit , it has a slight texture but even and absolutely gorgeous to work with and wear . Amazing for kids / babies / & blankes.. This comes from an "all about the wool" knitter :)
Schachenmayr is the most known yarn company in Germany for high quality sock yarn. All yarns I ever bought from this company seemed to me as high quality.
Timely and great topic! I’m so not ready for hot 🥵 weather. I’ve knit many a “spa” bath/face cloth with Cotlin by Knit Picks but don’t think I would use it for a garment. It sheds fibers like crazy when you are knitting with it, and it has a fuzzy/halo appearance and fades even with washing in cold water. I do dry it in the dryer so maybe if knitting a garment with it if it’s hand washed and air dry every time it needs laundering. I’d certainly skip Truboo by Lion Brand for knitting garments. Frogging a project right now in it but mostly because I picked a pattern that’s not appropriate for the yarn. However I’m noticing that the fabric the yarn creates would be very prone to irredeemable and frequent snags so nope. Anyone in the continental USA want 8 skeins of it in the color Navy (not even a true navy, more of a marine lagoon blue vibe)?
I will say the knitpicks Coltlin is soft but has little pieces of the linen that stick out and they make it feel really really prickly in my experience
This is good to know. I wasn’t able to see that on the site very well, but I imagine if I had taken a deeper dive into the comments, folks would’ve mentioned it. That sort of fiber shedding can definitely be irritating.
I feel like I need to mention this after seeing several yarn reviews stating the "color of the yarn was not as advertised". I used to have trouble discerning what color of yarn I would get when ordering online, but it turns out it was the way colors were represented on my laptop screen (no matter what color balance settings I would use). I get much better color representation on my phone than I do on my laptop. Luckily, I know someone who had most of the specific yarns in their stash that I have not been burned with buyer's remorse too often. I would also recommend, If you find a specific yarn that you like, to invest in yarn color cards, if available. But, I wanted to mention sometimes it is a user problem and not always the ads...
I’ve heard Arne and Carlos mention Schachenmeier (so?) yarn many times. Maybe they design colors for them, I’m forgetting. In any event, I’d trust what they trust, for what it’s worth.
100% Agree! Schachenmeyer is a great brand, and Catania is affordable and high quality. Bonus -- it's widely available and affordable in Canada, which is sadly not true of all the brands shown.
I have 15 balls of the schachenmayr catania. I asked for it for Christmas, but can’t for the life of me remember why I asked for it? What project was I planning?!
Circulo cotton is nice. Economical- a good workhorse. At my LYS we have the non mercized. Good for non clothing items. Love Berroco Pima 100 everything.