| Classic Elite Provence |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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The Look Is it silk? Rayon? You may find yourself double checking the label to confirm that Classic Elite Provence really is 100% cotton. The deep luster, soft sheen and sparkling colors imitate the finish on the finest 600 thread count hotel linens.
The Feel Provence is silky smooth and crisp. Like all cottons, it lacks resiliency, so don’t expect it to stretch or have that cushiony feeling of wool. In the process of creating a strong smooth ply, the spinning process tightens the fibers and takes away the cotton ball feeling. By softly spinning the plies, a measure of softness and flexibility is added back to the yarn. Provence rates a 6 on the softness scale.
The Patterns You’ll find many, many patterns for Provence. Check out the numerous patterns available from Classic Elite or substitute Provence for any medium weight cotton. You can even substitute Provence for wool or wool blends if you choose the project carefully. Provence, like all cottons, will lack resiliency, so avoid garments that feature heavy ribbing or form fitting. Cotton yarns don’t have enough elasticity to draw in and hold shape. They are better suited for garments with more relaxed shapes that drape for shape. Capitalize on these qualities by using picot, lace, hemmed or garter stitch edges instead of deep ribs. Keep cables, intarsia and Fair Isle to a minimum or worked at a relaxed gauge to prevent sagging caused by too much weight in the pattern. Look instead for patterns with knit and purl textures. Provence has excellent stitch definition that displays well in damask patterns, knit purl combinations, or travelling stitches. As always, knit a large test swatch if you are thinking of substituting Provence in a pattern not specifically designed for cotton yarn. Color Range Provence is available in an incredible range of 57 colors. Cotton takes to dye like few other fibers and the dyers are at their best here. Whatever your mood or purpose, Provence is available in a companion color. From pastel to deeply saturated tones, there are multiple hues and even a few marled tones available.
Working It Knitting this 6 softly spun 6-ply yarn was relaxing and enjoyable. Like many knitters, my hands tend to tire when pulling against inflexible cotton yarn. Provence is silky smooth, sliding easily from the ball onto the needle and off. It maintains good stitch definition. Knit purl combinations standout against the smooth surface. Knit to recommended gauge, the fabric drapes well. It does not sag or droop.
Our community emphasizes recycling plastic bags, but collecting them without creating a mess can be challenging. Knitting to the rescue. A decade or two ago, my creative mother-in-law sewed a plastic bag collector for everyone in the family. It was a clever little thing, with elastic at each end and a hanger for dangling from the back of the pantry door, along with the apron. I’m sure it was accompanied by a cute poem describing how it should be used, but the bag and the poem are lost now. I re-created using a deeply ribbed cuff that expands to a horizontally stretchy lace pattern, ending with another cuff and an I-cord hanger. It’s useful in my pantry for storing extra bags. I plan to make one for all my dog walking friends; it’s a useful way to store those newspaper bags so handy for you know what. Provence performed wonderfully and I had enough yarn left in the skein for a small project. Two skeins would be enough to make a larger expandable shopping bag, and I could forego the plastic altogether.
Knitting Outside the Box Crocheters will be delighted with the color range available in Provence. For everything from traditional crochet toys to those cute Amigurumi animals, Provence will add sparkle and color.
Blocking It Dry flat to block.
Washing It Machine wash on gentle or hand wash.
Wearability Provence is highly spun and strong. Therefore, it is not likely to pill. Count on Provence to retain its deep luster, which is due to the tightly spun long strands of mercerized cotton. Overall Recommendation Provence is an excellent yarn, worthy of a try. I highly recommend this quality yarn give it an 8 rating. You can purchase Classic Elite Provence from Yarnmarket.com.
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