Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Yes, you can knit with bamboo

Yarn made from 100% bamboo is really rather nice to work with. I discovered this after a custom order was placed for a bamboo hat and scarf set. The recipient is allergic to wool, and the buyer wasn't thrilled with the thought of acrylic. So I recommended bamboo (I knew it was soft, but had never actually knit anything with it) because it won't get heavy when wet like cotton.

I really enjoyed making this set. The yarn (Bernat Bamboo -- part of their new Natural Blends yarn collection) doesn't split, and doesn't seem to shed. It does shred a little at the very ends when being threaded into a tapestry needle (for weaving in all the ends). But otherwise it was a dream. My mom, who helped out by making the hat, loved it as well. It is definitely easy on the hands. And sooo soft, with a nice sheen to it.

My only complaint about this yarn right now is the limited color selection. So far I've only found 6 colors: baby blue, cream, beige (those three were used in this set), pink, lemon, and pale sage.

Here is the finished scarf and hat:

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