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We're here to help you stitch sustainability into every aspect of your making.
With our carefully curated selection of non-superwash, plastic-free yarns and notions, we have everything you need to get started on your next project - and the one after that.
Here's to a wardrobe of knits we love and want to wear for years to come!
We're here to help you stitch sustainability into every aspect of your making.
With our carefully curated selection of non-superwash, plastic-free yarns and notions, we have everything you need to get started on your next project - and the one after that.
Here's to a wardrobe of knits we love and want to wear for years to come!
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The Making Stories Collective
April 15, 2020 3 min read
Hello folks! It's Claire here, and I'm so excited to be coming to you today at the beginning of a brand new blog series. Here at Making Stories, knitting sustainably is something we are wildly passionate about, but putting that into practice can leave your head spinning. What does it really mean, and how do you know if that skein you are holding is sustainably made? Over the coming months, this is what we are going to tackle - We're going to demystify what it means to knit sustainably. Are you excited? I am!
Today, we are going to start at the very beginning by asking - What is in your yarn? That short question can open a whole can of (silk!) worms. We can read the ball band, sure, but what do we really know about the fibres listed? And then there is the question of if they are sustainable or not and what sustainable actually means in this context, which takes us down a whole other (angora!) rabbit hole. For today, though, let's start small and break down which fibres can be in a yarn together...
Natural fibres can be broken into two categories - animal and plant.
Since the dawn of knitting time, natural fibres have been used for creating fabric. Do you know that wool production can be traced as far back as the Stone Age?! Over the years, our sheepy friends have been joined by a flock of fellow fibre buddies. Being the creative bunch we are, it seems that spinners have tried their hand at creating yarn from just about every animal and plant fibre possible, but for the purpose of this blog post, we're going to look at the ones you are most likely to find at your LYS. Let's break them down:
Alpaca, Angora (angora rabbits), Cashmere (cashmere goats), Llama, Mohair, Angora (goats), Silk (silkworms & silk cocoons), Wool (sheep) & Yak.
Cotton, Hemp & Linen.
Here we get into a little bit of a grey area. The term 'Synthetic' can be a bit misleading here as the below fibres are 100% plant-derived, but they are often created as a by-product of another process, most likely in a different industry. This means the plant has been made into a pulp first and then goes through a lot of processing to get it to the point it can be spun into yarn. In short, the final product is a long way from its natural form. Does this mean the below fibres are unsustainable? Not necessarily! It all depends on how it has been processed.
Bamboo, Corn, Lyocell/ Tencel (derived from wood cellulose), Modal (derived from wood), Ramie (part of the nettle family), Rayon/ Viscose (cellulose extracted from wood, bamboo and cotton fibres) & Soy.
Acrylic, Nylon (also known as polyamide) & Polyester.
That would make life way more straightforward, wouldn't it?! Unfortunately, no - animal welfare, how the fibre is processed, where it is processed, is it treated with superwash processes, etc.; all contribute to how sustainable your yarn is. We want to help you to educate yourselves on what yarn sustainability actually means and which aspects of it matter to you, so you feel good and conscious about the yarn choices you make.
Does that sound a little bit like hard work? That's because it is, but don't worry, you're not alone! We have made it our mission to provide you with all the tools and knowledge you need to knit sustainably, and I promise if you stick with us, it will be worth it.
Look out for another post from us next week where we debunk some of those buzz words you hear when talking about sustainability - with 'sustainable yarn' taking centre stage. What is that actually?
See you next week!x
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September 07, 2023 4 min read
Hello lovelies,
One of my all-time favorite tasks when we get a new yarn in is to put together pattern and color combinations. And with Bérénice, De Rerum Natura's sustainably produced Mohair / Merino / Silk yarn (fluffy like a cloud!), the possibilities for patterns and colors are close to endless!
I narrowed it down to my five favorite patterns (well, of right now) in color combinations that showcase the full rainbow of Bérénice colors. I've put a ton more patterns over on our Pinterest Board for pattern inspo for fluffy yarns if you're looking for more!
Now, though, let's take a look at my top 5!
September 07, 2023 3 min read
Hi lovelies!
I'm thrilled to be back in this space, and with something really, really exciting at that! For the past year, I've been on the hunt for a sustainably-produced fluffy yarn - we used to carry Knitting for Olive's Soft Silk Mohair which is delightful, but also... everyone has it now? So I was looking for something that was a little out of the ordinary, but also responsibly sourced, and as it goes with anything that involves mohair and silk, that was really hard.
Cue De Rerum Natura, who secretly have been working behind the scenes at exactly that yarn I'd been looking for: An "as sustainably as it can get" fluff yarn that works perfectly for a broad range of projects, from whispers of lace shawls to holding it together with more substantial yarns.
August 23, 2023 12 min read 1 Comment
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