As the weather slowly warms, many of us find ourselves shedding our layers, working in the garden, and searching for that perfect Summer project to kick back and relax with once the yard work is all done. (Is it ever really done though?) Gone are the days of big woolly projects, and now is the time to embrace the fleeting warm weather, with a cool Summer knitting or crochet project.
Lace weight yarns are perfect for the warmer days ahead. They aren’t only gorgeous once they have been knit up, but they are also incredibly great ‘bang for your buck’! Given that yarn is sold by weight, the yardage in a single ball of lace weight yarn is almost enough to take you right through the season!
Rico Yarns has recently introduced a new yarn to their line up called Creative Melange Lace. This 95% cotton and 5% polyester lace weight yarn is perfect for delicate shawls, lightweight sweaters, or even used double (or triple!) to create a thicker fabric.
And given that cotton is not commonly used in lace yarns, anyone will an aversion to wool will surely appreciate working with (and wearing!) this new yarn.
The uniqueness in this yarn lies not just in the cotton rich fibre content however, but also in the way that it has been dyed. Not only does it appear quite graphic and printed on the ball, giving the appearance of being speckled, but it also knits up into softly shifting stripes. Subtle enough for some gorgeous lace work, but interesting enough to be used in plain stocking stitch, this yarn perfect for both knitting and wearing in the warmer months!
Should you be looking for a few pattern suggestions for this yarn, look no further! Rico has published a stunning lace wrap, that would be gorgeous in any of the available colourways. Sold as leaflet and available at your favourite local yarn store, this wrap has softly undulating waves, that compliment the self striping nature of the yarn beautifully.
Should you be interested in taking on the task of knitting a cardigan using this gorgeous lace weight cotton yarn, then you may want to consider knitting Hannah Fettig’s wildly popular Featherweight Cardigan. Knit in one piece, from the top down, this pattern will play with the striping of the yarn in a most beautiful way, creating stripes of difference widths, depending on where in the sweater you are/how many stitches are on the needle.
Creative Melange Lace is available in local yarn shops across the country, so be sure to stop by and have a look!
Thinking you might make something with this yarn? Let us know! Nothing inspires us more than all of you.
Happy knitting and crocheting everyone!