Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Rowan Purelife Renew
Review Date: February 21, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Fall 2010

Renew Senna Cardigan Renew Snowdrop Wrap Renew Charlotte Sweater

The Look

Rowan recently introduced Renew, another in its line of ecologically conscious yarns. It is spun from recycled wool. Called by Rowan a “character” yarn, Renew is a chunky weight yarn with an uneven surface that looks rough and scratchy, but is smooth and soft. We might call it “rustic.” One plump and colorful roving type strand is plied with a tightly twisted and therefore thinner neutral strand. Renew has a crimped texture of rough and smooth surfaces. Sprinkled throughout are flecks of contrasting color, adding the zest of pepper flakes to a “Rustica” sauce.

The Feel

Conditioned as we are to equate roughly textured wool with coarse scratchiness, Renew is surprisingly soft. There are no coarse guard hairs to abrade sensitive skin. Enjoy texture without fear of irritation. Renew rates #8 on the softness scale.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

The Rowan design team publishes over 300 designs every year, giving Rowan yarns unprecedented pattern support. Rowan yarns attract the attention of some of the most admired knitwear designers. These talented designers include Kaffe Fassett, Erika Knitgh, Martin Storey and Jean Moss whose fashion forward designs are published in the biannual Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine. Rowan also regularly publishes yarn and pattern booklets dedicated to new yarns and old standards. Rowan Studio, a report of the latest in fashion trends, is published quarterly. Rowan introduces Purelife Renew in the pattern booklet Purelife Autumn. It includes 16 designs for cabled jackets, capes and wraps, shrugs and cropped cardigans. The always in demand Rowan yarns are regularly featured in knitting magazines like Verena, Vogue and others. Finally, Renew can be substituted for other Aran or bulky weight yarns that work up at a similar gauge.

Color Range

Renew is available in 8 vibrant tweedy shades: 4 neutrals in beige, brown, silver and black along with complementing shades of purple, red, turquoise, and loden. Even tractor, the most neutral in the lineup, is rich in contrast with subtle flecks and color variation that makes the knitting sing.

Working It

Renew is an appealing yarn to knit for lots of reasons. First, it is soft with a nubby texture that makes it pleasurable to handle. Resilient and elastic, Renew keeps its shape. Because it is also bulky, textured stitches like ribbing, cables, garter bumps and seed stitch show up as deeply etched detail. Renew doesn’t split or fray when knit. It was evenly spun with no slubs and there were no knots.

What I’d Like to Make with It

To test the texture and resilience of Renew, I knit a simple cowl in ribbing. I was greatly pleased with the deeply ridged texture and springiness of the sample. Renew shows great promise for hats, scarves, mittens, and sweaters. My 50-gram test ball was about 82 yards. Since I couldn’t get much length with this yardage, I used a buttonhole for closure. I suppose I could have used a shawl pin, but why risk an unnecessary stab in the neck. To finish, I sewed on a precious handmade button gifted to me by my beloved son whose discerning eye spotted it at a farmers’ market he visited while on vacation. We invest a lot of energy, skill and emotion in our knitting. When we fully invest by using treasured artifacts, the knitting becomes personally distinctive. This handmade button perfectly highlights the texture and natural qualities of the wool.

Knitting Outside the Box

Renew is an ideal yarn for cabled coats, jackets and sweaters. It is lightweight yet chunky, revealing beautiful stitch patterns without weight. Try it in a poncho, Ruana or open cardigan. Add lots of texture stitches for a rustic garment that looks as if carved by the Druids.

Blocking It

Lay flat to dry.

Washing It

Hand wash in cool water using a mild soap.

Wearability

At $10.95 for 82 yards, Renew is practically "investment quality," and knitters will expect durability and good results from this yarn.  The test swatch I knit satisfied me that this is another fine yarn that will stand up to repeated wear. Chances are, you will like whatever you knit from this yarn and will want to wear your Renew garment at every opportunity.

Overall Recommendation:

Get the rustic country look in a fine yarn that is soft, yet light and tensile. Rowan Renew earns a #9 rating.