Knitting sustainably

Hi lovelies! As you might know, we are slowly, surely expanding the portfolio of the shop – I am always on the lookout for wonderful sustainable yarns that might fill gaps we still have, and one that was on the list since last summer was an additional spring / summer yarn.

When I learned about Natissea, a French yarn company dedicated to organic plant yarns, from Audrey Borrego last year, I immediately contacted them to order some samples. As soon as I had Pernelle, their 100% European hemp yarn, on the needles, it was love – grippy, but not ropey, with a lovely drape that only got stronger after a good washing and blocking session.

The shade cards had me swooning too – a really comprehensive, well-composed range of colors with something for everyone in it, from neutrals to spring-inspired pastels to deep jewel tones.

So I was so pleased when Natissea accepted us as a stockist – and I am extra excited to introduce Pernelle to you. Our first 100% hemp yarn, perfect for summer tops, T-Shirts, and lightweight sweaters!

I reached out to Mathilde over at Natissea and she graciously agreed to answer a few questions about Pernelle. I loved reading her answers!

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.

Hi lovelies!

One of our most popular blog posts before we migrated our website two years ago was our non-superwash indie dyer roundup - a list of indie dyers who work with non-superwash yarns. During the move, it ended up in the void of the internet, but it's back now!

Due to the visual constraints on our blog, I decided to put the entire list onto a separate page. You can access it by clicking on the picture below, or head over to the non-superwash indie dyer list here!

Hanna Lisa x

Hi lovelies,

Let's take another look at one of those small batch yarns that makes me feel giddy with excitement - Woolly Mammoth Fibre Co's latest limited edition yarn, Zwartbles x Blue Texel 4ply.

I've known Emma from Woolly Mammoth Fibre Co. for as long as I can remember being an active member of the knitting world. Her natural dyeing is unparalleled, and when she ventured out to create locally sourced, small batch yarns a few years ago, it became clear that she also excels at curating unique blends.

Hi lovelies,

I'm back today with one of my favorite things: The story behind yarn! There's a reason we're called "Making Stories" - I love telling how and why the amazing yarns, notions and patterns we're lucky enough to carry are created. The makers behind them are all, without exception, dedicated, wonderful, thoughtful people, and so talking with them about their products is such a joy.

Today, we're taking a closer look at Close, the all-natural sock yarn by Ovis et cetera we just started carrying. The minute I spotted it on Saskia's Instagram, I knew that I wanted it for the shop. It's custom-spun by the folx at John Arbon Textiles who really, really know their stuff when it comes to creating yarn.