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

How to substitute yarn

So you’ve picked your pattern and you’re stuck choosing your yarn. Maybe the pattern suggests Crazy Sexy Wool from WATG or The Wool from WAK but you want to use a more affordable alternative; perhaps the project uses a DK weight yarn but you fancy using worsted or maybe the pattern asks for a wool based fibre but you’d prefer to use a vegan alternative. The tension (number of stitches and rows per 10 cm x 10 cm) varies between yarns and opting for a different yarn than asked for in the pattern can significantly affect how your project will turn out. Here, I’m going to show you how you can alter a pattern if you have a different tension than stated on the pattern and changing needle size can’t seem to sort it out or if you want to use a different yarn.

Please note: I’ve only done this for simple patterns - i.e. stitches which use only variations of knit and purl and projects which are knitted flat and seamed together.

I’ll be using the Seaside Cardigan size large as an example - you can find the pattern for free here.
This pattern uses the John Lewis Super Chunky Yarn (available here) and 12 mm needles. I’m going to adjust the pattern to use Paintbox Yarns Simply Super Chunky (available here)

Step 1 : Make you tension square with your chosen yarn. If you’re using chunky yarn, cast on around 10 stitches; if you’re using a DK weight yarn, cast on 25 stitches. For everything else do something in between. Knit 10 - 20 rows depending on yarn weight and cast off. Measure your square. For the sake of the example, I will use the tension stated on LoveCrafts - 10 cm x 10 cm = 7 stitches x 9 rows.

Step 2: You need to work out how many cm (or inches if your pattern is written in imperial) each stitch and row is.
length / stitch count = stitch cm
10 cm / 7 stitches = 1.4 cm per stitch
length / row count = row cm
10 cm / 9 rows = 1.1 cm per row

Step 3: Adjust the stitch counts in the pattern.
Seaside Cardigan size large - Length - 54 cm, width - 82 cm.
Length of cardigan / height of 1 row
54 / 1.1 = 49 rows
Width of cardigan / width of 1 stitch
82/1.4 = 58.5 stitches - Cast on 59 stitches, knit 49 rows.

Repeat this for all parts of project.

What to do for parts of the pattern where measurements aren’t given
Here, I’m thinking specifically about sleeves.
Calculate the cuff circumference - original yarn tension = 10 cm = 8 stitches
10 cm / 8 stitches = 1.25 cm per stitch
Number of stitches at the cuff - 24
24 stitches * 1.25 cm = 30 cm
30 cm of substituted yarn = 30 cm / 1.4 cm per stitch = 21 stitches
Width of the top of the arm - 45 cm
Number of stitches needed with substituted yarn - 45 cm / 1.4 cm per stitch = 32 stitches
Length of arm - 30 cm
Number of rows required in substituted yarn - 30 cm / 1.1 cm per row = 27 rows
Therefore you need to decrease 11 stitches evenly over 27 rows for the sleeve to be the same as stated in the pattern.

Hope this is at least coherent but if anything is confusing, just get in touch! As I previously said, I’ve never subbed yarn in a complicated pattern nor for a very different weight (i.e DK for super chunky) but this is useful when subbing like for like with a simple pattern.

Abbie xo

Yarn review: Lauren Aston Designs Chunky Merino

Lauren Aston Designs (LAD) merino chunky yarn is my all-time favourite chunky yarn. It’s colourful and soft and Lauren is a knitting queen. I get a fair amount of questions about it so here is my in-depth review which will hopefully answer any questions you have and maybe convince you to give it a go.

The ‘Wool You Be Mine’ Sweater made with chunky merino in Natural White and Poppy (limited edition colour).

Need to know
Price : £13.00 for 200 g (130 m). 4 hanks for £46 (12% off).
Fibre : 100 % merino wool
Needles: 10 -15 mm (I like to use 12 mm).
Colours available : 25
Suitable for felting: Yes

This yarn isn’t plied but is spun and is light and fluffy despite being a chunky yarn. It’s very easy to knit with, even with unhappy hands from all the hand washing. Click here to browse.

Chunky merino in Sage, Bubble, Lilac, Bubblegum and Emerald.

Colours
The super chunky merino is available in 25 colours and they’re all available pretty much most of the time (which can’t be said for We Are Knitters and Wool And The Gang). The photos of the yarn on her website are true to life and the range is excellent. If you sign up to one of the subscription boxes there are secret limited edition colours which you can order anytime so really, the crafting possibilities are endless.
My favourite colours: Mink Blush, Lilac, Sky and Soft Peach.

Texture
The LAD chunky merino is chunky but it is much lighter than other chunky yarns. It’s nice to wear under a coat without feeling like a toddler in a one-piece ski onesie and it’s very soft against your skin. Every person is different but I have very sensitive skin and chronic, persistent eczema and it doesn’t irritate me at all and I can wear it with nothing underneath. It will need de-bobbling with wear but this is the same for any chunky wool based yarn but if you look after it well, it will stay looking lovely for a long time.

The company
In addition to having excellent products and patterns, LAD have really good customer service. They reply to emails pretty quickly (especially current circumstances considering - we’re currently in the third UK lockdown because Covid. If you reading this from far away in the future, be proud of yourself that you made it ❤) and if there are any issues with your order, they keep you updated and are very considerate of you as a customer. The yarn is packaged all with recyclable packaging and it looks beautiful and is very much a gift for yourself.

Recommended projects
If you’re looking for a knit kit using this yarn, I’d recommend the Button (Kn)it Up Cardigan. It’s a really good project for beginners but also a great TV knit for more experienced knitters. An alternative if you just want to purchase the yarn, is the Seaside cardigan which is available for free on this site. It uses simple techniques and 12 mm needles so it’s a great beginners project.

FAQ

How does this yarn wash?
This yarn needs to be hand washed and with a wool friendly detergent. It will take a long time to dry - several days and possibly longer if it’s chilly. I recommend spot washing where possible and if it smells worn to air it out before putting into storage.

How does this yarn wear?
Very well. It behaves like wool does and needs a little extra looking after. This little extra care will ensure your garment will last and this is what slow fashion is really about.

How accurate are the images online?
Very. The colours are exactly how they look online.

What about crocheting?
I’ve tried crocheting a kind of granny square jumper with it and it didn’t work out so well. But I would like to try again. I think perhaps a chunky crochet cardigan so watch this space.

Summary
I love this yarn. The only downside is that the price isn’t that accessible but considering it’s 100 % merino, you couldn’t shop-buy a knit for £46 (4 hanks are needed for a cardigan) made of the same fibre. I have no criticisms of it and in my opinion, it’s the best chunky yarn out there.

Other makers’ projects

Left - right - @maisieknitsx in the dreamy cardigan @knit.one.purl.one in her own design in and @_abbycreates in her brioche scarf and rainbow cardigan.

Note: All opinions my own, I’m in no way affiliated with Lauren Aston Designs - I’m just a huge fan girl.

The best chunky yarns

Chunky knits are my favourite - they’re cosy, comfy and you can walk around basically wearing a hug. Currently all my garment patterns are made with chunky yarn and they knit up quickly and are great if you’re looking for a TV knit. Chunky yarn is generally more expensive and yarn choice is generally more limited than other yarn weights and because your project is generally more of an investment, picking which yarn you want can be tricky.

Below are my favourite chunky yarns (plus a few I would love to try) with pictures of projects where I’ve used them. Hope this helps ❤

Wool and the Gang Crazy Sexy Wool - £16.99 per 200 g (80 m) available here

WATG Crazy Sexy Wool in Pink Lemonade

This yarn is the ultimate luxury yarn - it’s suuuuper chunky, soft and the colour range is amazing. It’s easy to knit with, good for beginners as you can really easily see your stitches and you can knit a beanie with it in about an hour. The only downside? The price. It’s expensive and definitely an investment if you want to knit something bigger than a beanie with it. Below I’m wearing the Hero Cardigan in pink lemonade which is the perfect shade of pink and one which I haven’t found anywhere else. I thought about getting this kit for a long time and get excited to wear it which is how we should feel about our clothes. I love it but its not budget friendly.

Lauren Aston Designs - Super Chunky Merino £13 for 200 g (130 m) available here

Hands down my favourite yarn. Ever. It’s so so soft (I have very sensitive skin and this doesn’t cause me irritation at all), the colours are amazing and it’s very reasonably priced for a luxury chunky yarn. You can get four hanks for £46 which is only a little more than a wool sweater from Zara and yours can be perfectly made for you and it’s much better for the environment. Not only do they have an excellent range, their customer service is on point. I’m a total fan girl and her Button (Kn)it Up cardigan is how my knitted cardigan obsession began and it’s my go to yarn. Can’t fault it.

Lauren Aston Designs yarn

Lauren Aston Designs yarn

Stitch and Story The Chunky Wool £9.99 for 100g (65 m) - available here

Stitch and Story chunky yarn

I really enjoy Stitch and Story. Everything is so cute and soft and I think they’re more beginner friendly than other yarn companies. The colours available are mostly soft pastels and the yarn is easy to work with and generally they are well stocked of all their colours. I’ve used it alongside The Wool and Crazy Sexy Wool in chunky cardi projects and it’s worked out fine so if you need a little more chunky yarn to finish a project, this is a good shout. PS. Their amigurumi is really cute too.

Stitch and Story chunky yarn and Lucy and Yak dungarees

We Are Knitters The Wool - £15 for 200g (80m) - available here

This is basically Crazy Sexy Wool’s sister. Same yarnage, same texture just in different colours. WAK have a slighter better deal on price but if you’re in the UK this is shipped from overseas so there is that to consider. Everything I said about WATG applies to this too - pricey but lovely.

We Are Knitters The Wool

Chunky yarns I own but are in my pile of WIPs

Sidar Adventure - £8.79 for 100 g (106 m) - available here

This is the first yarn I’ll knit something with once I’m done with Christmas projects. It’s much more affordable that other options due to it’s yarnage and it’s really soft. It isn’t 100% natural fibre but this does make it easier to care for and by the feel of it you wouldn’t really know. The colours available are more more limited than other options but this is a good choice if you love a neutral palette (I went for the red obviously!!) and it’s lighter than other chunky yarns.

Knitcraft Cosy On Up - £8 for 200g (80 m) - available here

Available exclusively from Hobbycraft, this yarn is 70% acrylic, 30% wool. It’s soft, fluffy and heavier weight - a perfect alternative to WATG and WAK. The fibre does pull apart easier than other chunky yarns and colours are again limited but it’s a nice option if you don’t want to invest in pricier options.

Drops Polaris - £4.50 for 100g (36 m) - available here

This yarn works out at roughly the same price as the Sidar Adventure but is 100 % wool. It has a limited colour range (again a very neutral palette) but is ideal for details such as duplicate stitch or cuffs. It’s similar to WATG and WAK but without the colour range but there are a lot of free patterns available on the Drops Design webpage so if you wanted chunky pattern inspiration to use with this yarn, it’s the perfect place to start.

As I’m based in the UK, these are all yarns I’ve either used or have in my WIP pile but there’ll be plenty more available in different parts of the world (I wish Lion Brand was easier to get over here!) If you have any other suggestions, please message me and I’ll include a list below for other options.

Hope this helps!

Abbie xoxo

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