| Araucania Nature Cotton |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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The Look Bold texture hand-dyed into subtle lustrous tone on tone define Nature Cotton, from Araucania Yarns. The beefy thick/thin surface comes from plying one softly spun strand with a tightly spun sister. The yarns absorb dye differently, reflecting variations of saturation and sheen. Like a piece of fine handmade paper, the pleasing mottled color enhances the bumpy texture of Nature Cotton. One glance and you know it will knit quickly into a softly textured cushiony fabric. Simple stockinette looks like a carefully plotted design.
The Feel Nature Cotton is thick and soft. It knits smoothly and very quickly. A little of this yarn goes a long way; a mere 13 stitches yields 4 inches of fabric. You won’t need 5 pounds of this yarn to knit a coat or cape in Nature Cotton, so garments will be light and comfortable to wear. Nature Cotton is surprisingly soft and crushable, too. Keep the knitting loose and it will be resilient and springy as well. Nature Cotton earns a #8 for softness.
The Patterns Use suggested patterns from Araucania Yarns to knit a dramatic coat or pullover. You won’t need much embellishment in this naturally textured yarn. Allow the color and texture to shine and avoid weight of heavy cables.
Color Range Araucania introduced 8 new tonal shades for spring 2010. Altogether, you can choose from 30 hand-dyed colors. The palette includes pure tones, pastels and bright springtime shades.
Working It You’ll be knitting Nature Cotton on larger needles at a relaxed pace. For minimal hand strain, try knitting Nature Cotton on your metal needles. The extra surface tension of bamboo and wooden needles may create some drag. Bulky yarns don’t readily slide off the needles so feel confident to knit Nature Cotton on smoother needles. Beginners will also find Nature Cotton easy to handle.
What I’d Like to Make with It Dare to go beyond the wash cloth and spa accessories. Bulky yarn is ideal for jackets, cardigans and hoodies, so consider Nature Cotton. It could replace your favorite grey athletic sweatshirt. For versatility, try a knitted coat or rauna shawl.
Knitting Outside the Box Knit a cushiony floor pillow of Nature Cotton. The color range is wide enough that you can find something to perk up your sofa, bed or kitchen chair. Use a double strand to knit a bath or shower rug. Go pure kitsch and knit a toilet seat cover and tank top to match. Any bathroom will benefit from a splash of these rich colors.
Blocking It Lay flat to dry. Don’t apply heat to dry cotton. A bulky cotton like this may take a while to dry unless you spin it in your washing machine (use a gently spin) to remove as much water as possible. If your project is small, use the Lucille Ball grape-stomp method: roll your project in one (or more) towels and step on it to squish out excess water. Change towels as needed. Don’t try this on carpet – find a hard surface floor, but something that’s not too slippery. You don’t want to break you neck blocking your knitting. Never wring cotton or any other knitting, unless you are thoroughly disgusted with the outcome –then you, like Henry VIII, are empowered to inflict a deserved punishment.
Washing It Dry cleaning is recommended because the dyes in hand-dyes are not stable. Cotton can be gently washed with cool water and mild soap. In case I did eventually decide to knit a washcloth, I plunged a swatch into a cool bath with mild soap and waited 5 minutes. Nothing bad happened. Can you imagine knitting a spa set as a gift for your mother-in-law, only to see the spa dyed purple or green once your “handcrafted with love” gift is plunged into the tub? Whether you’re in the “that’s just what I was going for” or the “oh, my God, no” camp, test a swatch for colorfastness and performance in washing. Otherwise, follow the recommendation to dry clean.
Wearability Employ Nature Cotton for fun, fast and fashionable knitting. It is soft and springy. The soft twisted plies may be subject to abrasion and pilling, something to consider when planning your knitting. Overall Recommendation Nature Cotton has lots of possibilities. Give it a try. I rate it #8.
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