The Skinny and the Fat

The Skinny and the Fat

We have a couple new arrivals at Wool & Grace that have me tickled beyond belief.  Blue Sky Fibers’ Skinny Cotton and Loopy Mango are two yarns that have been on my radar since I first started knitting.  When I was a newbie, these brands and yarns were on my radar, but I didn’t have access via my local yarn shops.  I’d flip through the glossy pages of Vogue Knitting, see ads or projects and think “I want to do that.”  I never did… but now that they are both at Wool & Grace I ABSOLUTELY WILL!!!

Ok, I’m going to get my excitement under control and tell you why I love this stuff so much.

Loopy Mango is the brand that brought super fat yarns to the market.  This trend is everywhere now, but they were the innovators, and they still happen to make the best quality version of the product.  I personally love their basic super-bulky yarn, Merino No. 5, because one can’t help but make something that is chic and fun.  I also think super bulky yarn is great for beginner knitters, just because you can quickly turn out a finished object – it’s great for keeping your momentum and spirits up.  I am a big believer in making a lot of quick projects with a super bulky yarn to practice your stitches and build your knitting confidence.

Loopy Mango has great DIY kits which are perfect for beginner knitters, making up everything from beanies to huge scarfs and blankets.  Their gorgeous yarns are an entire US-made product and incredibly soft.  They also come in the most gorgeous hues – everything from cool neutrals to the brightest of brights (and I am 100% sure their bright pink is the same color as my soul).  I’m eager to host some Quick-Learn-To-Knit nights with this beautiful yarn, making up a simple/chic garter cowl or their classic (and huge) Her Scarf.  We also have adorable Pompom Beanie Kits for kids, and we all most definitely want to plop one of these fun and soft hats on the heads of our favorite kiddos.

Skinny Cotton is a very straight forward cotton yarn.  That happens to be a huge understatement.  It’s also incredibly soft, made of 100% certified organic cotton, and it comes in a gorgeous color palette.  This DK/light-worsted yarn is incredibly versatile, and will become a new go-to yarn for kids projects (blankets, sweaters, hats for newborns, the list goes on).  The Harriet Dress (an heirloom pattern from Blue Sky) is always adorably chic.  It’s also a perfect choice for the Norwegian Fir Cardigan, an adorable cardi for babies and kids.

It’s also a fantastic yarn for sweaters, shawls, cowls and more.  Earlier this year I made Kiyomi Burgin’s Windlass pattern, from an older issue of Pompom quarterly, which calls for Skinny Cotton.  With the wide range of colors available, this yarn is a great choice for summery scarves and shawls (how about a Sequences in this soft cotton).  There is a pattern from the new Wool People collection from Brooklyn Tweed.  When I initially saw Harlowe, I thought it would be beautiful as a cotton sweater, and that it would be a versatile piece to wear any time of year.  My first priority, though, is to make the Medano Beach bag, a pattern by Heidi Kirrmaier.  Cotton and Linen are fantastic choices for knitting bags, just because they won’t stretch over time.

Stay tuned for more ideas with both of these yarns, but don’t hesitate to come in, check them out and pick some up for yourself!