Thank you SO MUCH for this fiber chat! It was extremely helpful, not just for cotton, but for ALL fibers! I wasn’t considering drape/weight of yarn or construction of the final product NEARLY enough when choosing yarn for patterns. 💡 Now I understand why, as Jonna (from Knit Together With Kim And Jonna) says, “A yarn and a pattern don’t necessarily make a baby”. I never get tired of learning from you! Happy knitting. 💜
I have hated cotton for all of my 16 years of knitting, but I want to change that or at least give it more of a fair try this year. One can only knit so many winter gives in North Carolina and I'd really like to increase the versatility and amount of time my knits can be used throughout the year. Thank you for all this juicy knowledge!
Drape and structure being on opposite end ps of the spectrum seems obvious, but you saying it out loud and blew my mind, literally putting things in perspective! Now I have some decisions to make. 😁
Thank you! As someone whose eczema doesn’t like wool yarns and a new knitter I’m in search of alternatives and still don’t understand what to use for various projects. Your video was super helpful. 💙
I learned so much from this video! Most of the knitting content I have come across focuses very heavily on animal fibers, which I can't use. This was very helpful 😁
I'm so glad you found it helpful. I like all kinds of fibers and as someone who lives in a warm weather climate cottons, linens, and other cool fibers are a must.
hi Barbara.. love this episode.. just one thing to add.. Pima and Tanguis cotton are from tropical america ( from US to Perú) and are a different variety than Egytian cotton.. Pima normally is used for clothes and luxury stuff and the Tanguis variety for cheaper things.. the normal color of the cotton is in brown tones or green tones and the genetically modified cotton is white.. just wanted to add this.. big hug!
Hmm, that is really interesting. The research I did indicated that both pima and Egyptian are from the species Gossypium Barbadense. But you know, how much can you really trust the googles? When I think about it I don't know that I have ever seen any hand-knitting yarns labeled as Egyptian cotton. I definitely have lots more I can learn about cotton. But one thing I do know is that I like knitting with it!
Great video with lots of things to keep in mind! One tip I've found is that if you're knitting in the round with cotton, use interchangeable needles with the correct size needle in your dominant hand and a smaller needle in your non-dominant hand (assuming you're not swapping directions doing something like short rows). It gives you more space to work, so it's easier on your hands. I recently made a hat where every stitch was a twisted stitch and I don't think I would have been able to finish the project otherwise! I also share the sentiment about stores selling cottons in dull, muted colors. I started my own indie dye business for plant fiber yarn, To Love and Dye, because I was so jealous of beautiful, bright, variegated wool yarn! Half my family is vegan and the other half can't tolerate wool or acrylic so my options for yarn were limited for so long!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and that is a great tip. I applaud you on your small business! In my first few years of knitting I tried to dye my own cotton yarn (because of lackluster colors) and found it to be a total pain in the but LOL. I am happy to buy it from professionals.
Thank you for this super informative video! This video is gold for me as a vegan (never using animal fibers) and beginner knitter. I have knitted several (beginner-easy level) knitted garments and the weight of cotton is definitely something to be aware of. I am a bit apprehensive to follow a more advanced garment pattern, since I am not so much for blocking a swatch before starting, so I think my journey of knitting will mostly consist of shawls and simple tops made in panels. Which is still awesome and I still get to use my beautiful plant fiber yarns :D
Thank you so much for this explanation. I wish I knew your channel before I made my beret and shrug. I chose cotton simply because I live in tropical country and needed yarn that won’t burn my skin😂 The beret turn out too wide and not stretchy😅 Since that I never used cotton for beanie, beret or something like that. As for the lacey shrug, the pattern gives 2 type, short and long. I chose the long one because from the gauge calculation it will reach down to my knee. Just like you said about weight down, by the end of the project, the bottom of shrug eveb reach my heel LOL! But I like the shrug a lot, so I redo all over again, I chose the short version and perfectly fall right above my knee. So far, the most successful project using my cotton yarn is my yoga mat bag. It holds my heavy mat very well!
I enjoyed how informative this was! Years ago I used regular cotton to make my first child a blanket of small dense squares - boy was that a mistake. 😂 I wish I knew then what I know now. Thank you for sharing with us! xoxo
That was very informative! I find that cotton yarns are splitty, even the higher end Pima cotton. I do like there are wool/cotton blends that will work better though. Thank you for this video.
Barbara I’ve found you. Your cotton information was brilliant. I’m a great prolific knitter and have several cotton tops? Now not understanding why they head for the floor, spent ages trying to tighten my tension thinking this was at fault. Just bought a pattern for cotton vest /waistcoat the pattern is knitted in one piece, fine, love circular but of course this pattern is completely unsuitable. The yarn suggested is cotton DK will check this out of Ravelry!
Thank you Barbara for once again delving into the depths and taking us with you 😍. This is a very timely topic for me as I have just completed my first cotton garment and have purchased heaps more to knit even more garments. I really enjoy your videos and how you share your extensive knowledge. I love your intensity and yep you definitely answered all my questions 😊I always learn something new.
Note for those using cotton and linen yarns is to take time and condition wooded needles afterward. It is not just your hands that will dry out. Thanks for your perspective. I use lots of cotton and cotton blends. Personally I have found that a fitted cabled garment works well as the cables offer structure to the fabric just like seams do. They are often worked at a tighter gauge as well. You just have to make sure you do not stretch out the stitches when cabling.
Wood needles are treated with beeswax. This wears off with use so can be reapplied either with a beeswax candle or wax paper. If you work with wools the natural lanolin in the yarn keeps the wood conditioned.
I've been knitting and crocheting for nearly 36 years, and I settled on acrylic being my go-to fiber, for a number of practical reasons; I've dealt with my share of criticism for that, but let's face it, wool can get very expensive, and I'm working with a budget. That being said, I've looked into other fibers over the years, and just before the lockdown in 2020, I tried a cotton-bamboo blend that really annoyed me (yes, fiber has the power to do that). Essentially, it would explode on contact. By that, I mean that if you approach a stitch with a needle, that stitch would separate into 4 plies out of fear, I suppose, like a pufferfish. This would happen with more than half the stitches, and after the only project I made (a hat that ended with a sock foot on top, quite popular with the young ladies for whatever reason), I had enough, and went back to acrylic.
Splitty yarn can be super frustrating and adding in the slippery nature of bamboo would make it worse. I wouldn't write off all bamboo tho, it has much more to do with the structure of the yarn itself than the fiber content.
LOL welp, found this video too late 😂 literally finishing up a cabled sweater for my husband out of, you guess it, 100% mercerized cotton! I did not know about the elongation. We live in Texas so I picked cotton for its cooling because it can be 30° in the morning and 65° in the afternoon making my husband hesitant to reach for a sweater for work. I also know it's washable which makes my life easier 😊 I guess we will see how it wears 🤷🏼♀️ guess I'll reach for a blend next time 😂 poor hubby always gets my experiments. Really thought I had thought this through 😅
If you knit it top down and you get significant stretching you might be able to pick out the bind off at the bottom and remove some of the length once you see how bad it gets. Or it might work out just fine! Fingers crossed!
Thank you for the video! I'm just making simple single crochet table placemat worsted weight 100% 4 ply cotton. Can you tell me if it will shrink (I gather it will) when washed and dried and possibly how much shrinkage? I appreciate it.
The best way to determine that would be to knit a gauge swatch, measure it, launder it as you plan on laundering the finished piece, and then measure it. Because it all depends on your yarn, needles, and pattern.
About 10 years ago I knitted a pair of socks out of a cotton yarn that was stretchy, it must have been a blend. My daughter LOVES these socks, but I can't find this yarn anywhere. It came in variegated colors and, of course, I've lost the label. Having stretchy yarn is wonderful for socks, but my daughter can't wear wool. What would you suggest? Yay! I just found it! It's called Fixation.
There's also a Tencel, Cotton, Elastic blend intended for socks! There are a few companies who dye it: Vegan Yarn in Canada, To Love and Dye, as well as Cottontail which are both in the Portland, OR area!
Would like to hear your thoughts on cotton/bamboo and cotton/polyester blends. I have been considering making myself tanktops for summer use here in Central Arkansas. Love watching you, especially all of the information about yarn and knitting. Thank you.
I did a T-shirt in Cotton/Bamboo. It was a DK weight and I've found that here in AZ it's a bit too heavy/warm still in the early fall. I'm not sure how weather compares, it was in the high 80s/low 90s the last time I wore it out.
@@lorihadley5370 Thank you Lori. We had temps in the high 90s and low 100s this past summer. Also had high humidity. Need something to help me keep cooler. BTW did you grow up in NH? My first grade teacher, Mrs. Hadley, had a daughter named Lori.
Lori-I agree.I tried lion brand coboo yarn which is a 3, for a tank top, and it is too heavy for Iowa in the summer. Discouraged me from using cotton for tops. I'm thinking linen and fingering weight.
@@jeanette6396 I've done a number of tanks now, in a number of different fibers. The linen ones are definitely my go-to ones for really hot weather; most of them are either fingering weight or lace weight held double. Of course, my linen/silk blend is a close second. (They all worked great the last time I got to be in Iowa during the summer - visiting family - though I grew up there. I've transplanted to California, which still has the heat issue. 😀)
I think one thing that helps with hand troubles knitting with cotton is to just keep at it and build up more hand strength. It used to hurt my hands but then I knit a sweater with very non-stretchy (Berocco remix) yarn and by the end of it I had no problems. I’ve heard a designer say the same thing, so I think there’s something to that.
Good point! Hand strength is always a good thing, but unfortunately the hands get hard wear and age can take its toll. Muscles can only do so much when the joints start wearing away LOL.
Verry nice video! Question: i started a woman sweater 50%cotton 50% poliacryl. Is that a bad ideea? Are those good sweater/pullover yarns. Ty for your time!
Good info. I'm wondering - if I get good at knitting with cotton and knitting such that it doesn't hurt my hands, would that help in knitting with unspun (nutiden, plotulopi, etc) that breaks if you pull it too hard? I've not really used either --- just mentally questioning.
Great video and very timely. I'm working on a sweater for my daughter who likes cotton. We settled on a cotton/bamboo blend. Do you have any suggestions for weaving in ends? And best ways to connect skeins? Wool is so much easier.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit wow, you're setup has improved! Would love to know more about your sailing lesson! I use a very similar method to weave in but am struggling with my current cotton/bamboo project. The ends just keep popping through and fraying. Ugh.
So - I still remember being admonished when learning to do laundry that you needed to pre-wash cotton shirts in case they shrank, and then be vigilant if using very hot water on subsequent washes because it might cause further shrinkage. It's REALLY hard to wrap my brain around the concept of a cotton garment stretching, even if I do understand the theory. Do you have any idea if a very hot wash would manage to shrink up a knitted cotton piece? My gut says no, because I think the mechanisms in each case are different, but I haven't strenuously tested this.
Your comment sounds interesting. I hope it’s ok that I share this. Cotton doesn’t react (contract or bloom) to the weather like any gauge wool does in hot, cold or humid weather. So, the term stretch or stretchy doesn’t seem to apply to cotton fiber. (Stretchy stitching aside) Cotton is great for absorbing moisture, laying flat and being pulled or pressed straight because it is straight. I don’t think cotton is stretched, it’s pulled because it’s a straight or rigid fiber, like rope. To me, stretch implies elasticity, like wool.
I once tried to crochet a skirt in the round in worsted cotton. I didn't even get a third of the way through before I realized it was going to be to heavy and not hold it's shape. I would have been wearing it at my ankles by the end of the day! Big mistake, Lol!!! Lesson learned.
I have not had very good luck with cotton if my tension is not perfect. So, I know with wool, the blocking process generally takes care of those slight tension differences. Do you have any suggestions for blocking cotton garments to take care of those tension issues?
I’m starting my first cotton garment and I’m having a terrible time trying to get gauge. I’m very close to gauge using the same yarn and needles in the pattern pre-blocking. But post-blocking, my swatch grows by 20%, so I’m trying smaller needles and even drying my swatch in the dryer. Do you have any recommendations for meeting gauge with cotton yarn? (I suspect the designer didnt taking blocking into consideration).
If the pattern calls for blocking then I would surmise that the designer took blocking into consideration. My suggestions would be to do what you have figured out for yourself ie: to adjust your needle size to compensate for the difference between your gauge and the designer's gauge and consider the dryer. The only other troubleshooting thing I can think of is to make sure you are swatching in the round if the pattern is knit in the round. Cotton is quite notorious for growing and tends to be knit at a tighter gauge to compensate.
Thank you SO MUCH for this fiber chat! It was extremely helpful, not just for cotton, but for ALL fibers! I wasn’t considering drape/weight of yarn or construction of the final product NEARLY enough when choosing yarn for patterns. 💡 Now I understand why, as Jonna (from Knit Together With Kim And Jonna) says, “A yarn and a pattern don’t necessarily make a baby”. I never get tired of learning from you! Happy knitting. 💜
There are so very many things that have to be considered and that go into a happy pattern/yarn pairing. It's serious dating LOL!
I love this episode, I learned so much! I would love to see a series on other fibres too: linen, bamboo, silk, alpaca, mohair, BFL etc
I have this one: th-cam.com/video/TE0RUWPDP2w/w-d-xo.html and this one th-cam.com/video/ek-PY7Yn7qM/w-d-xo.html that you might find interesting.
I have hated cotton for all of my 16 years of knitting, but I want to change that or at least give it more of a fair try this year. One can only knit so many winter gives in North Carolina and I'd really like to increase the versatility and amount of time my knits can be used throughout the year. Thank you for all this juicy knowledge!
I hope it empowers your knitting!
I love watching you - you always bring a smile!
Awww, thank you for your kind words.
Drape and structure being on opposite end ps of the spectrum seems obvious, but you saying it out loud and blew my mind, literally putting things in perspective! Now I have some decisions to make. 😁
I am glad that I said it in a way that made things click!
Very, very interesting. Thank you for this information!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent information!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you! As someone whose eczema doesn’t like wool yarns and a new knitter I’m in search of alternatives and still don’t understand what to use for various projects. Your video was super helpful. 💙
If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out this video: th-cam.com/video/i68hzCuHRmA/w-d-xo.html
Great video thank you
Thank you so much for watching!
I learned so much from this video! Most of the knitting content I have come across focuses very heavily on animal fibers, which I can't use. This was very helpful 😁
I'm so glad you found it helpful. I like all kinds of fibers and as someone who lives in a warm weather climate cottons, linens, and other cool fibers are a must.
This was so helpful!!! Thank you! 🥰
You're so welcome!
hi Barbara.. love this episode.. just one thing to add.. Pima and Tanguis cotton are from tropical america ( from US to Perú) and are a different variety than Egytian cotton.. Pima normally is used for clothes and luxury stuff and the Tanguis variety for cheaper things.. the normal color of the cotton is in brown tones or green tones and the genetically modified cotton is white..
just wanted to add this.. big hug!
Hmm, that is really interesting. The research I did indicated that both pima and Egyptian are from the species Gossypium Barbadense. But you know, how much can you really trust the googles? When I think about it I don't know that I have ever seen any hand-knitting yarns labeled as Egyptian cotton. I definitely have lots more I can learn about cotton. But one thing I do know is that I like knitting with it!
Great video with lots of things to keep in mind! One tip I've found is that if you're knitting in the round with cotton, use interchangeable needles with the correct size needle in your dominant hand and a smaller needle in your non-dominant hand (assuming you're not swapping directions doing something like short rows). It gives you more space to work, so it's easier on your hands. I recently made a hat where every stitch was a twisted stitch and I don't think I would have been able to finish the project otherwise!
I also share the sentiment about stores selling cottons in dull, muted colors. I started my own indie dye business for plant fiber yarn, To Love and Dye, because I was so jealous of beautiful, bright, variegated wool yarn! Half my family is vegan and the other half can't tolerate wool or acrylic so my options for yarn were limited for so long!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and that is a great tip. I applaud you on your small business! In my first few years of knitting I tried to dye my own cotton yarn (because of lackluster colors) and found it to be a total pain in the but LOL. I am happy to buy it from professionals.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I hear that, and I completely understand why there aren't a lot of people doing hand dyed cotton! It's a labor of love for sure.
Thank you for this super informative video! This video is gold for me as a vegan (never using animal fibers) and beginner knitter. I have knitted several (beginner-easy level) knitted garments and the weight of cotton is definitely something to be aware of. I am a bit apprehensive to follow a more advanced garment pattern, since I am not so much for blocking a swatch before starting, so I think my journey of knitting will mostly consist of shawls and simple tops made in panels. Which is still awesome and I still get to use my beautiful plant fiber yarns :D
I'm glad that this video was useful for you!
this was great, i love listening to you talk! it makes learning so exciting 😍☺️
Thanks for hanging out with me!
Excellent video. I am a cotton spinner and love my cotton
I am always impressed by spinners!
Thank you so much for this explanation. I wish I knew your channel before I made my beret and shrug. I chose cotton simply because I live in tropical country and needed yarn that won’t burn my skin😂
The beret turn out too wide and not stretchy😅 Since that I never used cotton for beanie, beret or something like that.
As for the lacey shrug, the pattern gives 2 type, short and long. I chose the long one because from the gauge calculation it will reach down to my knee. Just like you said about weight down, by the end of the project, the bottom of shrug eveb reach my heel LOL! But I like the shrug a lot, so I redo all over again, I chose the short version and perfectly fall right above my knee.
So far, the most successful project using my cotton yarn is my yoga mat bag. It holds my heavy mat very well!
Cotton works great in bags. I'm glad you now have the knowledge you need to make better decisions about yarn choices. Onward!
You did a beautiful job providing info. Thank you! 👍 PS: Your shopping bag is to die for! Just beautiful!!! 🙏
I am so glad the video was helpful for you.
Tnkx a bunch ... I learned so much! I'm a huge cotton fan, especially since menopause ;) Sunshine
You are so welcome!
Very, very informative. Thank you so very much for sharing.!
Yay! Thank you!
Thanks for the clear and deep Information. Enyoed it really. Best wishes
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for all this information🙌🏼
Glad it was helpful!
This is so informative. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
Insightful Barbara! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Barbara! I just finished a cotton marketbag. I did a cotton/bamboo Tshirt that was much nicer to knit with vs. the 100% cotton of the bag.
It's pretty common to find bamboo mixed with cotton and it makes lovely yarn. It adds shine and drape and can make things a bit more floppy LOL.
I enjoyed how informative this was! Years ago I used regular cotton to make my first child a blanket of small dense squares - boy was that a mistake. 😂 I wish I knew then what I know now. Thank you for sharing with us! xoxo
It's a journey and I am sure that blanket was cherished by the child ... flaws and all.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit 💕
Very helpful information, thanks again🌺🌷🌸
Thank you for watching!
Thanks for all the wonderful info!
You are so welcome!
That was very informative! I find that cotton yarns are splitty, even the higher end Pima cotton. I do like there are wool/cotton blends that will work better though. Thank you for this video.
They are more splitty than animal fibers because they have no grabbyness. Using a blunt, wooden needle can help with that.
I always learn from your videos. Thank you! I've been interested in doing something with cotton. You've given me lots of insight!
Go for it! I'd love to see what you do.
Barbara I’ve found you. Your cotton information was brilliant. I’m a great prolific knitter and have several cotton tops? Now not understanding why they head for the floor, spent ages trying to tighten my tension thinking this was at fault. Just bought a pattern for cotton vest /waistcoat the pattern is knitted in one piece, fine, love circular but of course this pattern is completely unsuitable. The yarn suggested is cotton DK will check this out of Ravelry!
If the pattern suggests cotton then it might work. It's possible that the designer took that into consideration. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you Barbara for once again delving into the depths and taking us with you 😍. This is a very timely topic for me as I have just completed my first cotton garment and have purchased heaps more to knit even more garments. I really enjoy your videos and how you share your extensive knowledge. I love your intensity and yep you definitely answered all my questions 😊I always learn something new.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am glad you enjoyed the video.
Note for those using cotton and linen yarns is to take time and condition wooded needles afterward. It is not just your hands that will dry out.
Thanks for your perspective. I use lots of cotton and cotton blends. Personally I have found that a fitted cabled garment works well as the cables offer structure to the fabric just like seams do. They are often worked at a tighter gauge as well. You just have to make sure you do not stretch out the stitches when cabling.
Thanks for the tips!
What does condition the needles mean?
Wood needles are treated with beeswax. This wears off with use so can be reapplied either with a beeswax candle or wax paper. If you work with wools the natural lanolin in the yarn keeps the wood conditioned.
I've been knitting and crocheting for nearly 36 years, and I settled on acrylic being my go-to fiber, for a number of practical reasons; I've dealt with my share of criticism for that, but let's face it, wool can get very expensive, and I'm working with a budget. That being said, I've looked into other fibers over the years, and just before the lockdown in 2020, I tried a cotton-bamboo blend that really annoyed me (yes, fiber has the power to do that). Essentially, it would explode on contact. By that, I mean that if you approach a stitch with a needle, that stitch would separate into 4 plies out of fear, I suppose, like a pufferfish. This would happen with more than half the stitches, and after the only project I made (a hat that ended with a sock foot on top, quite popular with the young ladies for whatever reason), I had enough, and went back to acrylic.
Splitty yarn can be super frustrating and adding in the slippery nature of bamboo would make it worse. I wouldn't write off all bamboo tho, it has much more to do with the structure of the yarn itself than the fiber content.
Thanks Barbara, a lot of great content. How about methods of washing for cotton.
I am all about reading the care label on the yarn LOL. The #1 person who knows how to care for a yarn is the person who made it.
LOL welp, found this video too late 😂 literally finishing up a cabled sweater for my husband out of, you guess it, 100% mercerized cotton! I did not know about the elongation. We live in Texas so I picked cotton for its cooling because it can be 30° in the morning and 65° in the afternoon making my husband hesitant to reach for a sweater for work. I also know it's washable which makes my life easier 😊 I guess we will see how it wears 🤷🏼♀️ guess I'll reach for a blend next time 😂 poor hubby always gets my experiments. Really thought I had thought this through 😅
If you knit it top down and you get significant stretching you might be able to pick out the bind off at the bottom and remove some of the length once you see how bad it gets. Or it might work out just fine! Fingers crossed!
Thanks. I needed that.
Glad I could help
Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
Thank you !!!
You're welcome!
Good info. Thanks.
My pleasure!
Thank you for the video! I'm just making simple single crochet table placemat worsted weight 100% 4 ply cotton. Can you tell me if it will shrink (I gather it will) when washed and dried and possibly how much shrinkage? I appreciate it.
The best way to determine that would be to knit a gauge swatch, measure it, launder it as you plan on laundering the finished piece, and then measure it. Because it all depends on your yarn, needles, and pattern.
About 10 years ago I knitted a pair of socks out of a cotton yarn that was stretchy, it must have been a blend. My daughter LOVES these socks, but I can't find this yarn anywhere. It came in variegated colors and, of course, I've lost the label. Having stretchy yarn is wonderful for socks, but my daughter can't wear wool. What would you suggest?
Yay! I just found it! It's called Fixation.
I love it when questions answer themselves LOL! Thanks for watching.
There's also a Tencel, Cotton, Elastic blend intended for socks! There are a few companies who dye it: Vegan Yarn in Canada, To Love and Dye, as well as Cottontail which are both in the Portland, OR area!
Would like to hear your thoughts on cotton/bamboo and cotton/polyester blends. I have been considering making myself tanktops for summer use here in Central Arkansas.
Love watching you, especially all of the information about yarn and knitting.
Thank you.
I did a T-shirt in Cotton/Bamboo. It was a DK weight and I've found that here in AZ it's a bit too heavy/warm still in the early fall. I'm not sure how weather compares, it was in the high 80s/low 90s the last time I wore it out.
@@lorihadley5370 Thank you Lori. We had temps in the high 90s and low 100s this past summer. Also had high humidity. Need something to help me keep cooler.
BTW did you grow up in NH? My first grade teacher, Mrs. Hadley, had a daughter named Lori.
Lori-I agree.I tried lion brand coboo yarn which is a 3, for a tank top, and it is too heavy for Iowa in the summer. Discouraged me from using cotton for tops. I'm thinking linen and fingering weight.
@@jeanette6396 I've done a number of tanks now, in a number of different fibers. The linen ones are definitely my go-to ones for really hot weather; most of them are either fingering weight or lace weight held double. Of course, my linen/silk blend is a close second. (They all worked great the last time I got to be in Iowa during the summer - visiting family - though I grew up there. I've transplanted to California, which still has the heat issue. 😀)
I think one thing that helps with hand troubles knitting with cotton is to just keep at it and build up more hand strength. It used to hurt my hands but then I knit a sweater with very non-stretchy (Berocco remix) yarn and by the end of it I had no problems. I’ve heard a designer say the same thing, so I think there’s something to that.
Good point! Hand strength is always a good thing, but unfortunately the hands get hard wear and age can take its toll. Muscles can only do so much when the joints start wearing away LOL.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit Yes, very true! That advice probably won’t help someone with existing hand issues!
Verry nice video! Question: i started a woman sweater 50%cotton 50% poliacryl. Is that a bad ideea? Are those good sweater/pullover yarns. Ty for your time!
The only way to know is swatch and find out. The poly should help the cotton hold it's shape.
Good info. I'm wondering - if I get good at knitting with cotton and knitting such that it doesn't hurt my hands, would that help in knitting with unspun (nutiden, plotulopi, etc) that breaks if you pull it too hard? I've not really used either --- just mentally questioning.
That is an interesting thought. It might help.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit time to give it a try. Lol
What’s the name/ brand of the chainette cotton linen used in the shawl behind you
It is Lindy Chain from Knit Picks, you can buy it on line! www.knitpicks.com/yarn/lindy-chain/c/5420254
Great video and very timely. I'm working on a sweater for my daughter who likes cotton. We settled on a cotton/bamboo blend.
Do you have any suggestions for weaving in ends? And best ways to connect skeins? Wool is so much easier.
So that's a whole lot more question than I think you know LOL. You might find this video helpful: th-cam.com/video/pZC5QbltmSw/w-d-xo.html
@@WatchBarbaraKnit wow, you're setup has improved! Would love to know more about your sailing lesson!
I use a very similar method to weave in but am struggling with my current cotton/bamboo project. The ends just keep popping through and fraying. Ugh.
So - I still remember being admonished when learning to do laundry that you needed to pre-wash cotton shirts in case they shrank, and then be vigilant if using very hot water on subsequent washes because it might cause further shrinkage. It's REALLY hard to wrap my brain around the concept of a cotton garment stretching, even if I do understand the theory. Do you have any idea if a very hot wash would manage to shrink up a knitted cotton piece? My gut says no, because I think the mechanisms in each case are different, but I haven't strenuously tested this.
Your comment sounds interesting. I hope it’s ok that I share this.
Cotton doesn’t react (contract or bloom) to the weather like any gauge wool does in hot, cold or humid weather.
So, the term stretch or stretchy doesn’t seem to apply to cotton fiber. (Stretchy stitching aside)
Cotton is great for absorbing moisture, laying flat and being pulled or pressed straight because it is straight.
I don’t think cotton is stretched, it’s pulled because it’s a straight or rigid fiber, like rope.
To me, stretch implies elasticity, like wool.
I don't really know the answer to this. If I really wanted to know about the shrinkage I think I would experiment with swatches!
I once tried to crochet a skirt in the round in worsted cotton. I didn't even get a third of the way through before I realized it was going to be to heavy and not hold it's shape. I would have been wearing it at my ankles by the end of the day! Big mistake, Lol!!! Lesson learned.
Crochet at least has more structure to the stitches, but yeah it makes sense that it would apply to crochet as well.
I have not had very good luck with cotton if my tension is not perfect. So, I know with wool, the blocking process generally takes care of those slight tension differences. Do you have any suggestions for blocking cotton garments to take care of those tension issues?
Unfortunately plant fibers are just less forgiving than animal fibers. Blocking will help but it won't solve significant problems.
I’m starting my first cotton garment and I’m having a terrible time trying to get gauge. I’m very close to gauge using the same yarn and needles in the pattern pre-blocking. But post-blocking, my swatch grows by 20%, so I’m trying smaller needles and even drying my swatch in the dryer. Do you have any recommendations for meeting gauge with cotton yarn? (I suspect the designer didnt taking blocking into consideration).
If the pattern calls for blocking then I would surmise that the designer took blocking into consideration. My suggestions would be to do what you have figured out for yourself ie: to adjust your needle size to compensate for the difference between your gauge and the designer's gauge and consider the dryer. The only other troubleshooting thing I can think of is to make sure you are swatching in the round if the pattern is knit in the round. Cotton is quite notorious for growing and tends to be knit at a tighter gauge to compensate.
Trying to find an alpaca silk yarn to sub for the mohair that is available. All of the ones I can find are not available easily. Any suggestions?
This is in regard to your new cowl. For some reason it posted on this cotton video...
how about soft cotton
There are definitely soft cottons out there. One of my favorites is Blue Sky Fibers Organic Cotton.
@@WatchBarbaraKnit I have alot of sifted cotton
Softed
yes as I'm aging, cotton tension and weight on the hands, is very noticeable. i won't be buying cotton.
It can be tough on the hands. More time for wool LOL!