I just pulled my finished shawl out of the dryer and have to say, it was a VERY pleasant surprise! I washed this along with a shawl in Red Heart (Retro Stripes!) and another in Mandala Sparkle.

As scratchy as I found this yarn to work with, it launders up BEAUTIFULLY! In fact, it came out softer than the Red Heart and the Mandala Sparkle shawls!
Lessons learned for me include using a smaller hook size (recall I used a Size J on this and think it would have had better stitch definition with either an H or even G). I also want to see how it performs in a pattern that is less "loopy" (this pattern has a lot of triple crochet stitches that form the arcs) and more linear, to see if that also makes a difference..
I'll add this yarn to my occasional purchase list although I have to admit I have an affinity for natural fibers, like the Israeli MAKO Cotton used in the shawl shown below, or the many options in merino wool that are available. I do feel that these options are better for the environment AND in many ways more satisfying to work with, however; the shawl crocheted with Lion Brand Re-Spun cost less than $12 (with coupons) and I have enough leftover to make another shawl or wrap. The shawl below in cotton cost $27 with Juniper Moon Farms Cirrus yarn, and a virus shawl I finished earlier this year used just under $100 of hand-dyed merino wool/nylon/stellina (metallic fibers) yarn. I'll post that photo in another blog post - it deserves its own post ❤️

Thankfully as fiber artists we have MANY options: value priced to luxury and everything in between. I'm thankful for ALL the options, and grateful to have the ability to move between them.
If you're a fiber artist, interested in sustainability and can't or don't always pivot to cotton or wool, consider giving Lion Brand's Re-Spun a try.
(C) 2023 Stitch 'n Dish
コメント