Comfy Cottons

Tara is a great cotton/microfiber yarn from GGH. It knits up at about 4 stitches per inch, so you can have a summer cardigan in no time! Two of the sweaters currently in our front window are made of Tara: Flair from Knit and Tonic and the Sweater with Cap Sleeves (above) from Rebecca #33 (also available free on their website). Tara would be a good substitute for Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton if you’d like to try something other than pure cotton. We have Tara in beautiful neutrals, including black, white, and grey, as well as some nice bright colors.

On the lighter side, GGH Bali is a worsted weight cotton/acrylic blend. If you are interested in how this knits up, we have this cute little hoodie dress from Rebecca #39. The yarn looks great in stripes, and we have some colors that would complement each other well.

Finally, there’s Rowan Calmer. With 25% acrylic, this yarn has a nice bounce to it, and it is a popular choice for sweaters, accessories, and baby items.

We have a sample from the Baby Knits Kit worked in Calmer. The knitted fabric is nice and dense and so very soft. I often recommended this for hats if the intended recipient is very sensitive or allergic to animal fibers. We have every shade of pink you might want, as well as some beautiful earth tones.

The acrylic content in these yarns gives them a springiness more like wool than pure cotton. In addition to being easy on the hands, these cotton blends knit up into garments with a nice elasticity, allowing them to retain their shape without stretching and sagging. If you are avoiding animal fibers or just want to try out a comfortable cotton yarn, one of these might be just the thing!

Sweet Nothings

As the seasons change slowly here in Portland, I am thinking about what I would like to be knitting and wearing in the coming months. With my heavy woolies packed away for the summer, I find myself gravitating to the laceweight mohair and silk yarns at the shop.

Even though these yarns create a warm garment, the finished product is thin enough for summer layering. Also, most of these pieces require just three or four skeins of yarn, so the finished product weighs almost nothing!

Of course, Kidsilk Haze is fabulous for these kinds of sweaters. Veronique (above) from French Girl Knits and Precious from Kim Hargreaves’ Heartfelt collection each use only three balls.

I have my sights set on this simple, perfect hoodie from Rebecca #42, made with only three balls of Kid Melange from GGH.

Sally is working on Petrol from Rebecca #38. The bottom half of the sweater is knit with 2 strands of Kid Melange held together, and the top half uses a single strand.

Sabine is a beautiful wrap cardigan from Cocoknits, and the smaller sizes require only two balls of Filatura Di Crosa Golden Line Superior, which we have in both black and steel gray. The cashmere/silk blend is incredibly soft and would feel perfect wrapped around even the most sensitive shoulders on a cool evening this summer.

Several customers have fallen for Cia, knit up in Louet KidLin. The lace shawl collar adds interest, but would be easy enough for a beginning lace knitter to tackle.

There are so many beautiful options. Now I just have to commit to one. Which is your favorite?