Shrinkage... and not the Seinfeld kind....

We had a great question this week on our Facebook page about shrinkage.  Working with any natural fibers you have to be on the look out for shrinkage and stretching.  Just like the beings these fibers come from... they are alive and they are elastic.  Fibers are designed to react to the environment and the body that wears them.  Here's a breakdown to what we know about these different types of fibers and their reaction to the washer and dryer:

Cotton and Other Plant Fibers: Probably the toughest fibers out there.  They come from a plants and are highly resistant to heat and washings.  Cotton takes a licking and keeps on ticking.  The fiber can be blocked and pulled to extremes only to shrink back after a nice long drink of water from your washing machine.  Remember that when you wear plant fibers they tend to pull to gravity and stretch.  Therefore, if you knit up an item in linen or cotton take into consideration the effect that might have on your finished item and make proper adjustments.  There are limits to this wonder fiber... too much bleach, chlorine or starch will erode the magical properties of the cotton fiber.  So wash those cottons in some cool water and don't over do it on the bleach or soaps.  For your cottons items that are heirlooms, keep them out of the sun and wrapped in acid free paper to preserve them.  Linen works similarly as does bamboo.

Wool and all other Animal Fibers:  We're talking the afro of the lamb my friends.  There are several types of wool but all carry the same fiber structure where the fiber contains little nubs that when agitated together create the felted wool you see in over washed items.  Here's a great video courtesy of The Laundress Blog...

Courtesy of http://www.fleetfeetchicago.com

As you can see, hand washing is the best idea for this type of fiber.  Those nubs on each fiber are the problem when washing.  Any agitation will bring about unwanted felting.  This applies to all types of
wool and alpaca.  While some wools have less of a nub than others... its still there and you'll be playing a game of Russian Roulette if you think a tumble or two won't affect your precious knitted items.

Chemicals and Soaps?
As you've probably noticed there are a lot of different mild laundry soaps out there for your knits.  Which one you choose really is a personal choice.  We cannot recommend one over the other but we can urge your to look into them all and to stay away from your traditional detergents when washing your hand knits.  If you want to prolong their use and keep them looking like the day they came off your needles look into some of the following:

• Eucalan - This is carried at The Yarn Club and is stored up by the register.  This product is designed for delicate washes.  It is non-toxic, biodegradable, phosphate free and has a natural lanolin enriched formula.  
• Soak - Another delicate wash contender!  Soak comes in an array of scents including scentless. Designed with the knitter in mind all it's products are guaranteed to get your knits clean without fear of chemical mishaps!
• Dreft - Although not fully tested by the knitting community Dreft is a mild detergent you can get at any local grocery store.  Originally designed for baby wear and very sensitive skin, Dreft is mild enough to give it a go for your hand wash knits.

I hope that answers some of your questions.  Remember to watch our for call for questions on our Facebook page every Tuesday!  Comment on the thread with YOUR questions and we'll try to answer it for you here on The Yarn Club Blog!

Sources:  Why Do Clothes Shrink, Why Do Clothes Shrink in the Wash,

Simple Summer Cowl

The summer is still sizzling here in Virginia Beach! Inside at The Yarn Club we are stocked with lots of great yarns for summer and high humidity knitting. One great yarn you might have missed is Alp

Natural by Feza Yarns. This is a worsted weight yarn with 231 yards per each 100 gram skein. It's a mixture of cotton, silk, linen and acrylic. These fibers act differently than wools and animal fibers. While they can provide some warmth they tend to breathe. This means while it's hot and icky the yarn will feel cooler by your skin... then when the sun goes down or you walk into an air conditioned building that cooling effect will quickly turn into a warmer feeling. Overall these fibers work to keep your body temperature at a normal level. A quick look over on Ravelry for patterns to knit up with Alp Natural include the following...

Effin Scarf by Loretta McCollough

Only need ONE SKEIN for this project!  You can buy this pattern in store too!

Linen Top by Kat Coyle

This is a FREE pattern on Ravelry using two to three skeins of Alp Natural!

Finally we have our own FREE pattern!  You might have seen our shop sample... a cowl made out of one skein of Alp Natural!

Easy One Row Cowl

By Jan Stover

Courtesy of The Red Thread

With 16" or 24" size 7 circular needles, cast on 100 stitches.  Place marker and join in the round, taking care not to twist stitches.

Rounds 1 & 2 Knit

Round 3  *(YO, K2tog); repeat from * around

Reap round 3 until almost out of yarn.  Knit 2 more rows and bind off loosely.  Weave in your ends and ENJOY!

Hitofude goes viral

Hitofude Cardigan KAL

By Hiroko Fukatsu

 

The Yarn Club is delighted to host a Knit-A-Long to the ever-popular Hitofude Cardigan by Hiroko Fukatsu. This lace cardigan was published in October 2013 and continues to be one of the top patterns on Ravelry. The Yarn Club has over 30 active knitters who have recently completed their project, just started their project or are starting their second Hitofude now.  Designer Fukatsu says she is just an ordinary housewife who loves knitting. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.  The word Hitofude means brushstroke.  And this cardigan is just that.  It is constructed in one continuous knit.  WOW! 

The cardigan she says was designed so that you never have to break your yarn while knitting it. No scissors needed, just a continuous knit.   It is also a very simple lace repeat with only 8 rows in the pattern. 

The pattern comes in six sizes and can easily be altered. Any fingering weight yarn will work. At The Yarn Club we are seeing great results using Anzula Breeze, Madelinetosh Merino Light and the new Dandelion, Neighborhood Fiber Company’s Rustic Fingering and Studio Sock, Juniper Moon Farm’s Zooey, Anzula Cloud…. Just to name a few! While working this pattern up in a wool or alpaca blend will add some warmth for year round wear we also recommend trying linen for the humid and hot summers on the beach!

The Hitofude construction is the most complex concept to understand while knitting this cardigan. Fukatsu has you start at the top with provisional cast-ons. You will complete the upper back and sleeves, then close the sleeves and work down to the bottom. Many knitters say the construction is similar to a shurg.

Join us at The Yarn Club on Fridays at noon to work on this pattern or online through our Ravelry group. We have a dedicated thread to this KAL and will post our progress, tips and more!