What's cool, colorful and soft?

Simply Cotton Sport Yarn available at KnitPicks.com

Well, you have to think cotton of course!  This time of year, many of us start thinking more about cotton fibers for our new projects.  The new colors for Spring will propel us into the season of warm breezes, sunny days, and gentle raindrops.

Here are some of my standby cottons and cotton blends for Spring and Summer 2012...

Shine Sport and Shine Worsted are so colorful and fun to work with.  You have to love that 60% Pima cotton blended with Modal.

Simply Cotton Organic Sport or Simply Cotton Organic Worsted are also wonderful because they ae 100% cotton and still easy to knit or crochet with.  You might also enjoy the colorful Simply Cotton Sport selection.  

Lion Brand's Cotton Ease is a sure pick for softness and durablity. It's wearable, yet great for home decor projects.   It also comes in beautiful colors that will mix and match well.  It's definitely a "go to" yarn.

I hope this lineup of cotton yarn gives you a few ideas for upcoming projects and many hours of knitting and crochet happiness.

Margaret (also liking cotton candy, but that's another story...)

Begin your Spring  Knitting with a signed copy of Knit Knitavian Style.  Visit MargKnittinAround on Etsy.  Year round knitting fun, inspiration and interviews ahead! 
Also available on Amazon and AuthorHouse Bookstore.


 ©Margaret Nock, Knit Knitavian Style: Allow your knitting adventures to begin.
Author House Publishing, 2012. Intellectual property of Margaret Nock, knit1fortheroad.com™
Unauthorized reproduction in whole or in part, or distribution is not allowed. All rights reserved.

 

Let Your Eco-Friendly Flag Fly

Our eco-friendly house cleaning kit with handknit and crochet washcloths, recycled t-shirts, baking soda, vinegar, hemp, old toothbrush, and a little eco-flag from CosaVerde for decoration!

We're all becoming increasingly aware of the damage of pollutants in our environment.  As Dave and I travel around, we discover more and more places bombarded with trash as well as pollutants in our food and water.  Over the years, we've been making a conscious effort to recycle as much as possible and try to become responsible about what we're pouring down a drain or products we use to  clean our home.  It's an ongoing project around here.  I also realized how allergic I was to certain cleaning products so I returned to the baking soda and vinegar method I was taught as a child.  That alone saved us money, relieved my allergies, and fit into our plan of being responsible Earthlings. 

I hope you'll try making a kit for your home with recycled items and more Earth friendly products.  Creating a kit is a great way to teach your children and encourage yourself to reach for those friendly products on a daily basis.  It's difficult sometimes with all the advertising that is directed toward us. Some products aren't freindly to the environment despite their claims.  So, that being said, we are trying to do our homework, reuse, recycle, and discover new ways, (some forgotten) to stay on track.  

Here are some places to start if you need help or ideas: Natural Solutions,  Eco Mall, Ecos.com

You might also enjoy:
http://knit1fortheroad.blogspot.com/2010/03/blooming-books.html

http://knit1fortheroad.blogspot.com/2010/03/starch-those-stitches.html

Get creative. Make this project fun and enjoy being an Earthling!

Marg (happy to be on the blue planet)

H is for ecoHome: An A-Z Guide to a Healthy, Planet-Friendly Household (Eco A-Z Series)

Rethink, Reuse and Rejuvenate

South Beach Washcloth Set Free Crochet Pattern from LionBrand.com

Recently, there has been a trend for going back to basics, and handcrafted washcloths and kitchen mats are back big time.  I have to admit, I considered them beginner projects until I participated in a craft swap and a nice woman from TN made some beautiful and colorful kitchen cloths for me. You can create colorful and creative household items with cotton. Wrap a set in a beautiful ribbon that can be reused or recycled and you have an eco-friendly, functional and fun gift.  Cotton is cool - just sayin'.

Lily Dish Mats (Crochet)

Free Dishcloth Patterns: Knitting from Tipnut.com has a wonderful array of dishcloth patterns for you to knit.

Let's rethink, reuse and rejuvenate our surroundings this week and soak up the good vibes.

Marg (thinking way to much for a Monday)

Bright & Cheery Knit Dishcloths

Dishcloths In The Round - Crochet Patterns

Yarn Pick!

There are many exhilerating challenges with the beginning of a new year, but one of my favorites has to be the yarn sales at local yarn stores and online.  It's a great chance to stock up on the staples of knitting and crochet. 

This week's yarn pick is TLC Cotton Plus worsted from Coats & Clark.  I'm happy to say that Coats & Clark is in Greenville, SC.  Love that!  I orignially purchased this yarn for chemo caps, but soon realized it's a perfect cotton that you can use throughout the year. I like the color choices, as well, which in my knitty world, is always a plus.

Shop around!  When you're searching through the sale bins, be sure to consider the flexibility of the yarn - will you be able to use it on more than just one type of project?  Is it really a deal?  It helps to have a yarn list with you when you shop as well as price jotted down.  Consider the colors you're choosing and if they will be compatible.  Lay them next to each other as you gather your skeins in the store. I think yarn shopping reminds me of buying the right outfit.  Is it versatile, does it go with any other piece of clothing, how about texture? These questions might help you make better decisions, eliminate the impulse to buy a bunch of skeins that aren't compatible to your yarn needs and cause you to spend way too much. 

Sail through January sales with your list, budget and can do attitude and 2010 will be the best knit and crochet year for you.

Marg (sooo not over budget this month)



















You might also enjoy reading...

Nanotechnology + cotton yarn = smart yarn
Crochet for a rainy day....

SUMMER KNITTING FUN!

Summer is the time for fun, light weight yarn and patterns. Consider using 100% eco-friendly yarn for your projects. It's not just in pastel colors anymore, folks, there's a whole array of color in the cotton yarn spectrum.
I like using Peaches & Creme, any of the KnitPicks cotton yarns, as well as the Southwest Trading Company cotton yarns. You can also visit your local yarn shop and discover the joys of cotton in person!
Cotton is a wonderful fiber if you are knitting or crocheting chemo caps as well as purses, scarves and backpacks.
You will also need to be portable. Consider Knit 1 for the Road your portable knitting guide this summer! (heehee- I just had to put that self-promo in there) The patterns are adaptable to cotton yarn, fun, fast and then there's those amazing Marg tips and Awesome resources sections. ;)
I'm keeping it a bit short - work looms ahead!
Isn't it always that way after a hoopin' hollerin' holiday?
Knit-Share-Go!
Marg :)

Knit 1 for the Road your portable guide to knitting this summer!