Wool for warm weather

"Wool can easily absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp or clammy. It wicks moisture away from the body, keeping the person "warm without wet". Wool functions as a "temperature regulator" so it can protect the body in both cold and warm conditions. That is why wool clothing is worn throughout the desert regions of the world where it's hot during the day and cool at night. "Tropical weight wool" is often used for high-end summer suits for men. Wool is truly a versatile all-season fabric."
  Both the text above and this adorable photo are from www.mylittlesheep.com.  You should check out their site - especially if you've got a little bit of land and have been thinking about raising sheep.  These little buggers would be my first choice.

Wool is quite a versatile fiber.  It's my favorite.  Today's temperature is somewhere in the 80's.  Who knows what it will be tomorrow...but today, I wore my wool pants to the shop.  I've already been out for a walk and worked up a sweat and am back to sitting at my counter in a chilly shop, and just like it mentions above, my legs stay comfortable.  And that's part of the reason I wore them today.  They will be great pants to wear in my shop all summer long.  (DYNT stays chilly, with out air conditioning   Which is a blessing in July and August, but a bit confusing in April and May.)

As for knitting or crocheting with it in the summer - simply choose a "lighter" project.  Those heavy woolly sweaters will be heavy and woolly when you work on them in June and July.  But a cute little wrap, finger-less mitts or gloves, socks, hats, scarves don't take up much space and won't make you hot while working on them.  If you are a wool lover, summer is a great opportunity to stockpile little gifts, try a new technique on a small project, or work on something just for you and still use wool!

T-shirt Yarn

Today's theme is taking an eco-friendly slant.  With summer just around the corner my closet and dressers are being switched over to warmer weather wear.  That means that all of the previous years' event T-shrits are being reviewed and assessed.  I'll be getting more event T's as the year progresses, and I can't wear them out fast enough!  How about you, do you also have a huge pile of T-shirts that you can't bear to part with?

A few years ago, I used up a number of memorable T-shirts by braiding this rug.  I'm working on a second one currently - don't hold your breath waiting to see a picture though, these little buggers take me a long, long, time.

Image from www.domesticduck.wordpress.com - Thanks!

For some reason, my T-shirt yarn never looks quite as nice as others.  That's ok if you're just making something that's going to be trod on, but there are so many other clever things one can do with T-shirt yarn.  So I thought I'd include a short tutorial, as I'm not the best person to ask about the subject.

Have you ever made your own T-shirt yarn?  What was the end result, and did you have a project in mind when you started, or like me, just didn't really want to part with the shirt?  I think I need to be more methodical about the process.  

Cotton for warmer weather

My Gmom B grew up as a sharecropper in Texas.  I often wonder if she understood "Cotton is King" a little differently than most of us.  I don't know that much about the history of cotton, aside from it being a really old commodity,  the use of slavery to harvest it, and the story of Eli Whitney and his cotton gin from history class.  (I did just learn that "gin" in cotton gin is short for engine!  Duh.  That makes sense.)  Even so, just looking at the puff ball of a plant, I can imagine the amount of work that must be needed to turn it into an article of clothing.  What amazes me is that something so labor intensive can still be so inexpensive?!  But I'll leave that query for another day.

With it being May Day, and the sun shinning, it's hard not to think of Summer being just around the corner.
That means that many of you will be putting away your woolly projects for something else (unless you're a sock knitter...those little buggers can travel everywhere).  That also means many of you will be looking for some alternatives to wool yarns!   Below is a list of some of the option available for you at DYNT as the weather warms up.

Belfast - 42% Cotton/22% Linen/20% Viscose/11% Acrylic/5% Silk, US Made
Canyon - 85% pima cotton/15% alpaca, both undyed.
Chiqui - 100% cotton, US made
Cotton Fleece - 80% Cotton/20% Merino, US made
Florafil Bulky - US Made Cotton (3% Nylon)
Frog Tree Pima Cotton - Sport Weight, Fair Trade
Luxury Linen - 100% Euroflax Linen
O-Wool Balance - 50% Organic Merino/50% Organic Cotton, US made
Pebbles - 100 % cotton, US made

Riveting - DK Weight yarn made in the US from recycled denim
Saucon Sock - Cotton sock yarn (44% Cotton/43% Acrylic/ 13% Nylon)

Seedling - Worsted Weight 100 % Organic Cotton
Serendipity Tweed - 80% Cotton/20% Merino, US made
Sprout - Bulky Weight 100 % Organic Cotton
Tatamy - DK weight, non tweedy US made cotton (40% cotton/60% Acrylic)
Tatamy Tweed - Worsted Weight, US made cotton (40% cotton/60% Acrylic)

Also, did you know that DYNT carries starter kits for spinning cotton?  They contain a tahkli spindle, different cottons and instructions.  I just might have to give that a go later in the season.