best kid yarn, ever
I’m almost afraid to tell you, it’s so good. So plump and bouncy, wooly, warm, indescribably luscious, and washable. I’m afraid there will be none left in the world for me when everyone finds out how good this yarn is for baby and kid knitting.
Of course, for those out there who dye yarn you probably already know, it’s kona superwash merino in sport weight, like a light worsted. Knitting parents and people-who-knit-for-babies beware, it’s addictive – and wonderfully flexible, knitting on anywhere from size 4 sock needles to size 9s for a soft, loose drape.
Patricia Thom, owner of Abundant Yarn & Dye Works in Portland, Oregon, explained to me how kona superwash’s bouncy goodness is created by any given mill following a recipe that specifies things like microns and twist. The yarn is then used by several companies – and individual artists – to dye their colorways. Some incredible dye jobs on kona superwash include Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Great Adirondack, and Interlacements (they call it “Toasty Toes“). Adrian at Hello Yarn will custom dye it; she made some for me in bright popsicle colors last spring.
To dye your own, look for the “blank” yarn sold via Henry’s Attic. It can be found on ebay, through googling, or perhaps at your local yarn shop.
The 560 yard skeins provide enough to make a whole baby gift set or a rockin’ pinwheel blanket. And Sarah Peasley has a gorgeous Elizabeth Zimmerman sweater shown here. With such huge skeins, even the leftovers are often enough to do something really good.
March 27th, 2006 at 3:34 am
hmmm… just checked out some ebay auctions. there are some beautiful hand dyed yarns on there. if you do bid on ebay, just make sure to look at how many yards you’re buying. the listings i saw were for significantly less than 560 yards.
March 27th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Ok you need to dish on the pattern for that bonnet!
March 27th, 2006 at 9:41 am
Aah, so cute:) Love the blues.
March 27th, 2006 at 11:25 am
What gorgeous wool! Love the colours! And I love that bonnet too! Gorgeous I tell you…just gorgeous.
Katt
March 27th, 2006 at 11:36 am
Hi Denise,
You can click on that bonnet photo and it will go to all the specs on my blog. It’s Elizabeth Zimmerman’s bonnet on page 108 of The Opinionated Knitter, with a couple modifications that I note on my blog.
Glad you like it!
Larissa
March 27th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Ooh, that looks like some leftover Spinel from your olympic shawl! I was at Knit/Purl with my lacey sweater for the bind-off event. I can’t stop thinking about that shawl because I want to make one now, too, to wrap my baby in. Mmm, bouncy!
March 27th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
French children wear these little hats faithfully, there is a slight differnece in that in France these hats are pull-ons, the neck is one piece to the hat and does not tie on. They are called Cagoules. I love the color of this hat and the plmup little lips!!
March 27th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I just got some of the new Kona fingering weight. I can’t wait to dye some and see if it fattens up in the wash just like the sport weight does.
The Kona is such an interesting yarn. It’s so lightweight for the yardage. YOu get 100 more yards per pound than Louet Gems Opal (another sport weight superwash wool I use) and it’s a chubbier sport weight, to boot. There’s a vast difference (600+ yards per pound) between the Kona fingering and the Louet Gems Pearl. That’s a whole pair of socks made from the difference.
Thanks for the mention, sweet lady!
March 29th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
I love this post – I am really excited to have you on board and can’t wait to see what else you do
March 30th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
I looooove the bonnet, and the yarn colour!
Of course the fact that the little wearer is really, really qute, could contribute some!! :o)