Yarn* Magazine #9

*an Australian knitting magazine at a reasonable price

I bought my copy at Borders today - this the first issue under the new ownership and I like it. Issue #9 is about silk - a fibre I've never knit with and possibly never will, but the articles are interesting.

I particularly enjoyed the article about buying yarn locally [silk, of course, isn't produced locally - the 'buy local' article was strategically placed before the articles about silk]. Did you know that it's possible to buy Australian wool from Canada which had first been processed in Italy!! Where's the logic in that?

I always read craft magazines from front to back [including all the advertising] so I haven't thumbed through the magazine to look for the patterns, I don't even know if there are any - just for you I'll take a sneak peak: yep, there they are - looking good, but I can't tell you what they are, you'll have to look for the magazine and decide for yourself! As for me, I buy for the articles not the patterns, and I'm finding it a top read!

review: Moda Vera Envy

composition: 50% new wool, 50% acrylic
weight: 50g
metreage: approx. 90m
needle size: 6mm
gauge: 16 stitches x 20 rows

I bought mine at Spotlight for $1 per ball in their clearance sale.

This thick yarn splits fairly easily, especially when using the sharp points of Knitpicks needles. It sticks to the needles [i.e. doesn't slide easily], even on the smooth-as-glass nickel plating of previously mentioned needles. [BTW: can you tell I'm captivated by my KP needles?] I don't spin but it seems to me that the yarn is very underspun - I imagine it's a bit like knitting with roving.

On the plus side, the yarn knits up very quickly and the resulting beanie was soft and warm. Great for homeless people which is the destination of this and subsequent beanies from this yarn [I bought eight balls] although I wonder what it will look like after washing! [The label recommends hand-washing.]

For me, on a knitting-time diet [see previous post], a quick knit is a good knit! And an adult's beanie for less than a dollar - bargain!!