20 knittingmag.com
YARN REVIEW
KING COLE
NATURAL ALPACA DKKing Cole has added a natural
luxury fibre to its collection of
budget yarns. Natural Alpaca
DK is a beautiful lightweight
DK that provides distinct stitch
definition, which really opens
up to show how stitches are
constructed. It has slightly
more texture than some
alpacas I have tested thanks
to a halo of fibres around the
central strand of four plies, and
knits up smoothly and evenly.
It would make great cables.
Natural Alpaca DK
represents good value for
money and is available in
50g balls, making it ideal for
colourwork or smaller projects.
Our sample is knitted in 4324
Cream, one of eight natural
shades which all complement
each other well.
No specific designs have
been created for this yarn but
it will knit to any King Cole DK
pattern. Hand-wash in a mild
detergent and block to dry
away from direct sunlight.Composition: 100% superfine
alpaca
Weight: 50g Length: 100m
Rec needle size: 4mm
Tension (10cm): 28 sts x 28 rows
RRP: £ 7.9 9
Contact: kingcole.comPETER PAN
PRECIOUS CHUNKYPeter Pan Precious Chunky
is a versatile yarn that can be
used for making and lining
garments as well as for toys. It is
incredibly soft and lightweight
and made from a premium
blend of nylon and polyester.
It is classified as a fur yarn, but is
more delicate and downy than
a lot of similar yarns. It knits up
quickly and evenly on 6.5mm
needles and requires little or no
blocking. As with all furry yarns,
Precious Chunky works best
on needles with fine points.
With the emphasis on
cosiness and cuteness, all eight
shades in this range are named
after baby animals or terms
of endearment – including
3436 Chick (pictured). There
are lots of lovely patterns for
little ones, including a book of
blankets, cardigans, hoodies,
jackets, dungarees, ponchos,
capes, gilets and accessories
for 0 to 2-year-olds. Machine-
wash at a low temperature,
tumble-dry low.Composition: 80% nylon,
20% polyester
Weight: 50g Length: 75m
Rec needle size: 6.5mm
Tension (10cm): 14 sts x 20 rows
RRP: £2.49
Contact: thehomeofcraft.co.ukRICO FASHION
COLOUR SPINRico has added new shades
to Fashion Colour Spin for- I think knitters will really
appreciate the fact that this
tape yarn is wound into a ball,
as you are able to see all the
colours each shade has
to offer.
Fashion Colour Spin has
a lovely smooth handle
and does not split, although
I would still recommend
using 6mm needles with
good points.
This yarn would be
comfortable to knit with even
on the warmest of days. It
delivers quite a stretchy fabric
with lots of drape. Stitches are
clearly defined and the fabric
does not drop after blocking.
Shades in the range focus
on bright splashes of colour
that form stripes of different
length and complexity. This is
an ideal yarn for holiday knits
and the designs are inspired
by life at the beach. Machine-
wash at a low temperature, do
not iron or tumble-dry.
Composition: 100% cotton
Weight: 100g Length: 230m
Rec needle size: 6mm
Tension (10cm): 17 sts x 22 rows
RRP: £ 9.9 9
Contact: rico-design.dePAINTBOX YARNS
RECYCLED T-SHIRT
Recycled T-Shirt is a real
warrior of eco yarns as there
is no re-dyeing or waste water
involved in its production.
The process begins with
Paintbox sourcing waste
offcuts of T-shirt fabric from
manufacturers, which are
sorted depending on their
quality, width and fibre
content, then by shade. The
offcuts are bound together to
create a continuous yarn.
I found it a little tricky to knit
with at first and it may be easier
for crochet. I moved up to a
15mm needle, held my needles
differently and was able to
develop a rhythm. The resulting
fabric is strong and quite heavy,
making it a great choice for
homeware such as rugs and
floor cushions, and there are
free patterns on the website.
There are 28 colours in the
range, including 004 Light
Grey (pictured). Hand-wash,
do not tumble-dry. May be
dry-cleaned.
Composition: 90% cotton,
10% synthetic
Weight: 800g Length: 120m
Rec needle size: 12mm
Tension (10cm): 8 sts x 10 rows
RRP: £8
Contact: lovecrafts.com