May 15th Question of the week

Question of the week

“There are so many fibers like wool, cotton, and even bamboo as well as blends of fibers available in yarn, how do I choose the right one for my project?”

Let’s start with Bamboo yarn since the yarn of the week was a bamboo blend. Bamboo is a relatively new fiber for the knitting world and we get a lot of questions about it in the store. One hundred percent bamboo fiber is very drapey and usually has a sheen which makes it a great choice for a project that will be worn in the summer or warm climate. It also has anti-bacterial properties that make it more breathable than cotton and it resists odor which makes it a great addition for socks and tops! If you are looking for environmental sustainability in your yarns, bamboo yarn is often milled from left over bamboo product such as chopsticks and the bamboo plant can be harvested without killing the plant.

Some of the potential ‘cons’ of bamboo (there are “cons” for every fiber, that’s why there are so many, something for everyone!) is that a garment made from 100% bamboo can stretch. One way to overcome this would be to knit the yarn at a slightly tighter gauge, allowing that the fabric will stretch.

A great way to get all of the positive effects of bamboo yarn and eliminate some of the negatives is to use a bamboo blend such as bamboo and wool or bamboo and cotton. The wool can keep the fabric from stretching and the bamboo makes the yarn drapey and moisture-wicking for the perfect summer or warm weather garment.

We will discuss other fibers in upcoming question of the week so stay tuned.