Feature
| PLANT-BASED YARNS
processed well or blended with other fi bres.
It’s also anti-bacterial and resistant to UV
House of Hemp
light and mould, making it a great choice
100% hemp, in fine, 2ply
for various soft furnishings.
and DK, 50g skeins,
Hemp yarns are still in their infancy, 85m, RRP £2-£4.50,
but they are available in fi ne to DK
www.houseofhemp.co.uk.
weights. Hemp yarns are naturally beige
to light brown in colour, although natural
creamy whites, greys, greens and blacks
Elsebeth Lavold
are available, as well as dyed shades.
Hempathy
Jane Pasquill at House of Hemp (www.
40% hemp, 40% cotton
and 20% modal, 24
thehouseofhemp.co.uk) produces a popular
colours, 50g, 140m,
hemp yarn and says: “For crochet projects,
3.5mm hook, RRP $6.95,
hemp is best used for straps, bags and
www.knittingfever.com.
anywhere you need a strong fi bre that will
take the strain.”
Soya
Soya yarns are soft
Soy protein fi bres were fi rst spun into These issues aside, soya fi bres still
and eco-friendly – this
pattern is from Yarn
textiles in the 1930s, paid for by Henry make for a super-soft, smooth yarn that’s
Forward 16, on sale
Ford, who used the resulting soft fi bres to stronger than cotton, with a light feel and
now (see page 37).
make suits. The USA is now the biggest soft drape. Its softness makes it feel warm,
producer of soya beans, with Brazil, yet it also has good ventilation properties, a
Argentina, China and India close behind. natural resistance to UV light and it absorbs
Nowadays, soya yarn is made using waste moisture well, making it ideal for all types
fi bres leftover from the process of creating of clothing.
soya milk and tofu, which might otherwise Soya yarn is available in lace weight up
be thrown away. to chunky, often on its own but it is also
This makes soya yarn a fairly cheap blended with other fi bres to add softness,
and eco-friendly choice, although growing and its natural colour is light yellow, but
soya beans in the fi rst place is not without soya fi bres take dye well and so come in a
controversy – chemical pesticides and vast range of shades. Soya yarn is usually
herbicides are still required and in Brazil, machine washable and dries quickly, with
parts of the Amazon rainforest have been natural anti-crease properties – perfect for
felled to grow soya beans. children’s clothes.
Sublime Soya Cotton DK SWTC Pure is 100%
50% soya and 50% cotton, 16 soysilk, 26 shades,
colours, machine washable, hand wash, 50g, 150m,
50g, 110m, 4mm hook, RRP 4mm hook, RRP £6.99,
£3.75, www.sublimeyarns.com. www.soysilk.com.
66 | INSIDE Crochet
IC3.feat.plant-based yarns.FINAL.indd 66 8/7/09 11:29:17
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