I have a confession... since starting to knit with natural fibres last year I have become obsessed with high quality natural yarns. I prefer locally sourced, but it's not easy to find. My favourite is A to Z Alpaca's Hand dyed chunky weight yarns. They are a small family run farm located in Southern Alberta, and the yarn is 100% Canadian made. The skeins are soft, supple, and a massive 200 grams. I have, however, begun looking into other sources for other fibers, like Merino wool and Silk. I have found the Malabrigo yarns to be amazing to knit, with beautifully soft Merino wool. They are a small family owned company from Uruguay, that works with a cooperative of women to produce these stunning yarns. So not local, but certainly a small business worth supporting. So my latest batch of items is dedicated to experimenting with new fibres, and sources. FUN!
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This hat is made using Malabrigo Rasta yarn in Plomo. The pattern is free on Ravelry, and is called 'An Unoriginal Hat'. It's soft, thick, and super warm.
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This hat is a pattern that is a modification of a YouTube tutorial that I used to first learn how to crochet. After crocheting most of the beanie, I picked up all of the stitches with 4mm circular needles (92st) and knit in a 2x2 rib to get the brim. The yarn is Noro Haniwa (50% silk, 20% wool, 20% nylon) which knit more closely to a cotton than a wool fabric.
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I named these mittens my Utility Mitts. I needed to accomplish a couple of things with these: 1. I wanted to use some of the handspun yarn my Grandma gave me when she quit knitting (arthritis is evil). 2. I needed a pair of wool mitts for managing the cool, crisp fall weather. So I cast on 24 to a pair of size 8 circular needles, and after a 2x2 rib cuff, stockinette the rest of the way. I didn't have enough handspun to do both mitts, so I added in the teal stripe (Patons wool) to extend the length. I always do an afterthought thumb, because I find Gusset thumbs to be a little ugly. Overall the mitts are thick and warm, but a little snug, I would cast on more the next time, but they will grow with wear being a natural fibre, so I'm not too worried.
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