Sustainability Series : Introduction

Hi and welcome to the sustainability series! This started after reading a creator talk about why they use only vegan yarn which led me to realise that a) I didn’t know if their reasoning was correct and b) how little I know about how different yarns are produced and whether there is a ‘best’ choice fibre. Sustainability is such a buzz word and there is so much information out there but it’s hard to navigate as there are a lot of invested interests (an example are fast fashion brands selling ‘conscious’ lines) and subsequently, a lot of misinformation. It’s also a highly charged subject to talk about which people feel passionately about and at times, arguments can become political. I’m going to attempt to find answers for all the questions we have surrounding sustainability and our craft (knitting and crocheting) using only reputable sources and explaining the science in an accessible way. Please remember that this is my educating myself as well as sharing what I learn so if there is anything you disagree with or think is incorrect, I invite you to start a conversation in the comments.

What to expect

To get an idea of what the big questions are, I asked our crafting community for all their questions and throughout the series, these are what I will be attempting to answer.

@the_knit_purl_girl : What is deemed sustainable in the first place?
@yarn_doctor : Plant fibres: cotton bamboo, raffia - are they sustainable and how are they produced?
@craftea_lass: What should we look for when trying to make sustainable choices? What are conditions like for workers?
@yellyswonders : Are there any yarns made from 100% recycled plastic?
@seacoastyarnworks : What are the most sustainable ways to order yarn? Which companies are the most sustainable?
@Alizaknits : Does acrylic yarn really shed microplastics?
@hippie.needles: How do we find out how the sheep and alpacas we get our yarn from are treated?
@homesteadknits: Where do the big yarn companies yarn come from?
@layleej : Is acrylic or wool better for the environment?
@ssshh_im_counting: Are there any sustainable acrylic options?
@blogbykobrak: Is it better to buy new yarn or unravel old projects/clothes?
@heartsbyhopeuk: Sustainability comparison between wool/alpaca/cotton/acrylic
@lestricotsdelene: Price over sustainability? Are there any affordable sustainable yarns?
@yarn.noodles: Does acrylic yarn shed microplastics? Most sustainable companies? How sustainable is cotton?
@berryknit: Which part of the production process has the biggest environmental impact? What kind of dyes do companies use and what are their impact on the environment?
@becciboo4: The truth of superwash wool. Is it coated in plastic?
@knottedinyarn: Cotton Vs wool as a natural fibre?
@eyeof_thetigers: What about cotton/bamboo/silk/mohair compared to wool in terms of sustainability?

Most of the questions were about ‘how bad is acrylic yarn?’ and ‘is super-wash yarn harmful for the environment?’ and lots of questions were asked more than once. Rather than one huge article, I’m going to take each material and investigate how it is made, where it comes from and any associated risks to the environment. Where I’ve used sources, I will cite them and you’ll find a bibliography at the end of every article and where possible, I will use open source articles so you won’t need to pay or have access to a university account to read them if you choose to.

A quick note on sustainability: Sustainability is such a buzz word, it’s almost lost it’s meaning. Ultimately, it refers to meeting the needs of today without impairing our ability to meet the needs of tomorrow and is concerned with not only the environment, but also social equity and economic development. In the context of knitting and crocheting, we can consider 1) the raw material - how it is produced and once waste, how it is processed 2) treatment which the raw material undergoes - for example dyeing 3) How the yarn is transported both from manufacture to point of sale and then from point of sale to the consumer 4) Any waste produced during washing and 5) it’s durability. It’s a huge question to consider and isn’t one which is easy to answer so this is a big journey and one which I hope you’ll enjoy.

Just a short bio about me for transparency - I’m currently an Environmental Scientist at the University of York. I’m doing a PhD looking into peatland management and how this affects peat soil chemistry and how this chemistry impacts drinking water treatment and quality. My undergraduate and masters degrees focussed on water and soil pollution so this is the kind of thing I think about on a daily basis. More than that, I’m obsessed with knitting and I care about protecting our natural resources so I hope through this, I can help by myself and others to make good choices moving forward. At the time of writing (before I’ve done any in depth research), I prefer natural fibre and will also opt for wool or plant based fibre over acrylic. I’m not vegan or vegetarian and I believe it isn’t what we eat that is the problem - it’s how much of what we eat and the way it is produced that is causing harm.

I hope that this series will be educational and interesting, and by learning more about the materials of our craft will make us more connected with both what we’re creating and also the communities along the production chain. Please leave any questions or comments below and let’s start conversations to help us move forward.

Abbie xo

Magnus the Kitty Cat amigurumi pattern

This little kitty cat was a gift for my crazy cat lady sister. He’s a quick simple project with minimal sewing and needs little yarn so can be made from any of your scraps!

Pattern info
Magnus can be made with any weight yarn and appropriate hook. His body is made as a single piece and his arms, legs and ears are sewn on after. The number of stitches you should have at the end of each round is indicated by () after the round instructions. In the images, I used DK weight yarn and a 3 mm hook.

You will need……
1) Approximately 80 m of the yarn colour of your choice
2) Crochet hook
3) Needle to sew parts together
4) Toy stuffing
5) Contrast yarn for eyes and nose.
6) Stitch marker
Techniques used
1) Single crochet (SC) (US term)
2) Magic ring (MR)
3) Increases (INC)
4) Decreases (DEC)
6) Weave in ends and finish
7) Chain

On y va!

Head/Body
Round 1: MR (6)
Round 2: Inc x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SC 1, inc) x 6 (18)
Round 4: (SC x 2, inc) x 6 (24)
Round 5: (SC 3, inc) x 6 (30)
Round 6: (SC 4, inc) x 6 (36)
Round 7 - Round 13 (7 rounds): SC all (36)
Round 14: (SC 5, inc) x 6 (42)
Round 15: (SC 6, inc) x 6 (48)
Round 16- Round 25 (10 rounds): SC all (48)
Round 26: (SC 6, dec) x 6 (42)
Round 27: (SC 5, dec) x 6 (36)
Round 26: (SC 4, dec) x 6 (30)
Round 27: (SC 3, dec) x 6 (24)
Round 28: (SC 2, dec) x 6 (18)
Round 29: (SC 1, dec) x 6 (12)
Round 30: Dec x 6 (12)
Sew to close.

Ears (make two)
Round 1: MR 6 (6)
Round 2: (Inc, SC 2) x 2 (8)
Round 3: SC all (8)
Round 4: (Inc, SC3) x 2 (10)
Round 5-Round 7 (3 rounds): SC all (10)
Sew to close.

Arms (make two)
Round 1: MR 6 (6)
Round 2: (Inc, SC 2) x 2 (8)
Round 3 - Round 5 (3 rounds): SC all (8)
Sew to close

Feet (make two)
Round 1: MR 6 (6)
Round 2: Inc x 6 (12)
Round 3 - Round 7 (5 rounds): SC all (12)
Sew to close.

Sew together as shown above. You might find it easier to sew on the facial features before sewing the body together. For the tail, tie three strands of yarn together and chain stitches until you reach the desired length. Tie to close. You can personalise your kitty cat further if you like! Felting wool is really good for adding little features and is also good for colour work. Why not give him a little hat?

Hope you enjoyed the pattern! If you post any pictures of your makes, please tag me - I’d love to see your Magnus’!

Abbie xo

Baby penguin crochet amigurumi pattern

Before bunnies, my favourite animal were penguins. I love how chubby they are, their fluffy cute babies and March of the Penguins is 👌. This little friend was a gift for a friend but he’s perfect to get you through a few evenings in lockdown, as a festive ornament or as a Christmas gift for someone special, little or big.

Recommended yarn:

I enjoy using Stylecraft DK acrylic (here) or ricorumi cotton (here) but you can use any yarn you like. For this project I used a 3.25 mm hook with the Stylecraft DK.

Required materials:

1) Approx 50 g grey yarn (if using DK weight)
2) Black yarn of same weight
3) White felting wool and felting needle
5) Yarn for hat and scarf (use same yarn weight as the penguin)
6) Toy stuffing
7) Tapestry needle for sewing together
8) 10 mm toy safety eyes

Techniques used:
Note: This pattern uses US crochet terms (single crochet refers to double crochet in UK terms).

1) Single crochet (SC)
2) Magic ring (if you prefer you can chain 6 and slip stitch the first and last stitch)
3) Increase (Inc)
4) Decrease (Dec)
5) Chain
6) Double crochet
7) Weave in ends and finish

Reading the pattern:

The baby penguin is made of 6 separate parts which are then sewn together. The body and head are crocheted as a single piece and the wings, feet, hat and scarf are The pattern has been split into body parts with the number of each component required specified before the instructions. The number of stitches you should have at the end of each round is indicated by () after the round instructions.

Let’s go!

Body & head

Round 1: MR 6 (6)
Round 2: Inc x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SC 1, inc) x 6 (18)
Round 4: (SC 2, inc) x 6 (24)
Round 5: (SC 3, inc) x 6 (30)
Round 6: (SC 4, inc) x 6 (36)
Round 7: (SC 5, inc) x 6 (42)
Round 8: (SC 6, inc) x 6 (48)
Round 9: (SC 7, inc) x 6 (54)
Round 10 - Round 19 (10 rounds) : SC all (54)
Round 20: (SC 7, dec) x 6 (48)
Round 21: SC all (48)
Round 22: (SC 6, dec) x 6 (42)
Round 23: SC all (42)
Round 24: (SC 5, dec) x 6 (36)
Round 25: (SC 4, dec) x 6 (30)
Round 26: SC all (30)
Round 27: (SC 3, dec) x 6 (24)
Round 28: (SC 2, dec) x 6 (18)
Switch to black yarn
Round 29: SC all (18)
Round 30: (SC 2, inc) x 6 (24)
Round 31: (SC 3, inc) x 6 (30)
Round 32: (SC 4, inc) x 6 (36)
Round 33: (SC 5, inc) x 6 (42)
Round 34 - Round 38 (5 rounds): SC all (42)
Round 39: (SC 5, dec) x 6 (36)
Round 40: (SC 4, dec) x 6 (30)
Place safety eyes between rows 35 and 36, 8 stitches stitches apart.
Round 41: (SC 3, dec) x 6 (24)
Round 42: (SC 2, dec) x 6 (18)
Round 43: (SC 1, dec) x 6 (12)
Round 44: Dec x 6 (6)
Sew to close

Using your white felting wool, make the white patch on the penguins face in the shape as shown in the pictures. Be generous with the amount of felting wool you use - it’ll look much better if you are!

Wings (make 2)
In grey
Round 1: MR (6)
Round 2: Inc x 6 (12)
Round 3: (SC 2, inc) x 4 (16)
Round 4 - Round 6 (3 rounds): SC all (16)
Round 7: Inc x 2, SC 6, inc x 2, SC 6 (20)
Round 8 - round 14 (7 rounds): SC all (20)
Sew or slip stitch to close.

Feet (make 2)
In black
Round 1: MR (6)
Round 2: (Inc x 3 in the same stitch, SC 1) x 3 (12)
Round 3: SC 1, inc, SC x 3, inc, SC x 3, inc, SC x 2 (15)
Round 4: (SC 4, inc) x 3
Tie off.

Hat
In the colour of your choice
Round 1: MR 8 (8)
Round 2: Inc x 8 (16)
Round 3: (SC 1, inc) x 8 (24)
Round 4: (SC 2, inc) x 8 (32)
Round 5 - Round 6 (2 rounds): SC all (32)
Round 7: (SC 6, dec) x 4 (28)
Round 8 - Round 9: DC all (28)
Slip stitch to tie off.

To make the bobble, tie small strands of yarn into the MR you made in round one. Once you have a good amount, cut them all the same length.

Scarf
In the colour of your choice
Round 1: Chain 50. Turn
Round 2: DC in every stitch (49)
Tie off.

Nose
Round 1: MR 8
Slip stitch to join

Assembly
Sew together as shown below.
For a finishing touch, use a little blusher on your penguini’s cheeks to make them rosy or using a q-tip brush red ink (from a felt-tip) onto it’s cheeks.

You’re finished ❤

Hope you enjoyed this amigurumi pattern! If you post any of your makes on Instagram, please tag me in your posts- I’d love to see.

Please don’t copy or republish this pattern. Feel free to sell your makes but please credit me as the pattern author.

Abbie xo

Why yarn is so great

Why yarn is so great

Since Covid came along and changed the world forever, crafting has become cool. It was already great and now even Tom Daley is doing it. I’m very grateful to have been able to learn this skill and the joy it brings into my life.

1) Crafting brings people together

The crafting community is kind, colourful and a wonderful thing to be part of. Seeing other projects gives you inspiration, you find great new yarns (I discovered Lauren Aston Designs on Instagram during lockdown and now my life is full of chunky merino) and you meet lovely people who become internet friends who otherwise, you would have never found. It’s corny yes, but I’m all here for it.

2) Makes you appreciate your clothing more

Fast fashion is destroying the planet. I don’t care what Inside Missguided (check out the documentary on 4od) has to say - fast fashion has a bad rep and it deserves it. We’ve become very disconnected with where our clothes come from, and as fashion is so readily available there is little consideration for what happens to it once we get rid of it. Creating your own clothes -whether its by crochet, knitting or sewing-allows you to make something exactly how you want it, with the materials you like and the time spent to create something really gives value to it. I might have knitted more cardis then I’ll ever need over lockdown but I’ll never get rid of any of them and if the end of the world ever comes (planning ahead in case of a zombie invasion anyone?) I know I can be snug and cosy hiding away with the bunnies.

3) Benefits to mental wellbeing

Life is hard sometimes (especially now) and knitting for me is meditation. Now I’ve practiced a lot, I don’t have to think about it my favourite evening activity is to sit down either in quiet or with the TV and knit. Call me a granny, but it makes me happy and after spending a day feeling frazzled by my PhD, its the perfect way to reset.

4) It’s something which is accessible to most

Some yarn is really expensive but there are so many more accessible brands out there doing great things. Drops yarn is amazing- they have a huge range with a lot of colours with more free patterns on their website than you could ever make - and you can make a 100% alpaca yarn jumper for around £30 (depending on size). Stylecraft is a great acrylic option (readily available in a lot of craft shops and Paintbox yarns have some lovely cotton options. Wool and the Gang’s Crazy Sexy Wool is lovely but ideally I’d like my projects to cost less than two weeks food shopping.

I could go on, but I’d love to know why you love crafting! Comment below or feel free to message me on Instagram for more crafty chat!

xoxo