Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Filatura Di Crosa Lovely Jeans
Review Date: December, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Spring 2010

The Look

Lovely Jeans from Filatura di Crosa is a yarn that mimics soft denim so closely that it will be as beloved by American knitters as a pair of their well-worn jeans. Spun in Italy of 100% Egyptian cotton, this yarn is available in heathered and chiné denim shades. You will find Lovely Jeans the perfect yarn to create timeless classics for year-round casual comfort and style.

The Feel

Egyptian cotton is acclaimed for its smoothness and softness. Lovely Jeans is a buttery blend of long staple Egyptian cotton that feels to smooth and soft to have come from a plant. It rates #8 on the softness scale.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

Filatura di Crosa has put their designers to work creating inspiring patterns for Lovely Jeans. You will find cute kids sweaters and hats rugged and comfy enough for active playground wear. The women’s fashions are as casually elegant toppers for any pair of designer jeans. The Lovely Jeans patterns are a perfect complement for American’s fondness for denim.

Color Range

With 18 color choices, nearly every knitter will find the right tone to go with their favorite pair of jeans. The palette includes all the shades of denim from white to indigo plus several khaki and brown tones highlighted by a beautiful plum and poppy red.

Working It

This soft cotton yarn is easier to knit than many of its stiffer cousins. Lovely Jeans is very smooth and easy to handle, but it is still cotton and it is not highly resilient. Cotton is best worked in garter or stockinette stitch. Don’t think of that as limiting, however; there are patterns for garments, accessories and household items that will keep you knitting in cotton for a long time. Many who live in southerly climates prefer cotton to wool and use it interchangeably. I am a big fan of bar cloths and face cloths knit in absorbent cotton. I use them daily and enjoy knitting colorful cotton versions of these handy household items. Family and friends see me coming to visit and they automatically hold out their hand to accept the knitted face cloth and bar of handmade soap. Lovely Jeans works up well in these items, and the urbane color range not found in any other yarn is another tick in the plus column.

What I’d Like to Make with It

A softly styled pullover knit in Lovely Jeans yarn will be the ultimate garment to complement to your favorite pair of jeans. Choose Filatura di Crosa’s Fancy Rib Pullover, or knit a plain stockinette version with rolled cuff and sleeves. The soft Egyptian cotton fiber won’t need pre-washing to match the easy comfort of your well-worn jeans.

Knitting Outside the Box

Fans of the Mason-Dixon knitting duo know of their creative applications for cotton yarn. If you aren’t familiar with these humorous and witty writers, get a few balls of Lovely Jeans and try out some of their ideas. Start with the easy as pie baby bib knit in denim yarn. In any other yarn the garter stitch bib could look unimaginative and a little dull, but in sparkly dark denim with a classic button, this bib is sharply smart. Don’t look at the log cabin quilt; you may get bewitched and the Gee’s Bend-inspired Courthouse Steps blanket will really set your mind spinning.

Blocking It

Dry flat.

Washing It

Machine wash using cool water.

Wearability

Cotton continues to soften as it is worn and washed. However, cotton will widen and shorten over time, especially if dried using high heat. Follow the recommendation to lay flat to dry to prevent shrinkage.

Overall Recommendation:

Lovely Jeans is a premium yarn beautifully crafted of fine Egyptian Yarn. It rates #9.