Louisa Harding Yarn review

The super people at Laughing Hens asked me if I'd like to try some of the lovely yarn they sell.
 Of course, I said, I'd love to.
 And so they sent me a ball of this:

Louisa Harding Pitturissimo Aran in shade 206 'Vita'

Now, multicoloured yarns are not everybody's cup of tea, but I've always had a bit of a thing for them 'cos I am a lazy crocheter at heart - this won't surprise any of you who are regular readers - take a look at my Very Lazy Blanket, for starters....

This yarn does all the hard work for you- no faffing around with colour changes, or joining, or sewing in lots of ends. 

Here you can see the colour runs. They're fairly short, varying from 4 - 8 cms in length and cycle through bright oranges, reds, blues and browns, with green being the most prominent colour.

But how does it crochet up, you wonder?
 Here's a few different things to show you, using a 6mm hook:

 Linen stitch (1dc, 1ch repeat)

This stitch works particularly well with multicoloured yarns as the colours change so frequently. I'd be interested to see if anyone manages to colour pool with this yarn (I ran out of time to try) - although I'm not sure if the colour changes are too short?
Let me know if you do...

 A granny circle:

Me likey - the colours appear a little more random, but really pop.

 A traditional granny square

This is quite a busy design and probably a bit too fussy for such colourful yarn.

 Circles

I absolutely LOVE how these turned out - aren't they fun??
What should I do with them, though?!!

 Here's the yarn details:
 Aran weight Superwash Fine Merino with Bamboo 75% Viscose 25% 
Suggested needles/hook 5-6mm
 100g / 150 m
 Suggested tension 18-16 sts x 24-22 rows
 Available from Laughing Hens here

 Overall, this yarn is really lovely- it's beautifully soft, and super squishy and I don't think it's likely to be itchy, as some woolly yarns can often be. It will be perfect for those funky winter knits: hats, scarves, gloves - anything to keep you warm.

 So what will I be making with mine? Well, it's going to be a scarf, made with the Granny Circle motif and maybe a slightly bigger hook, to create more drape... Do let me know what you make with yours!

 Have a happy week,
 Sarah xx  

The one with a yarn review

When the lovely peeps at Black Sheep Wools asked me if I would like to review some yarn for them, I just couldn't say no, especially when this lovely lot was posted though my door:

From top left: Smokey Rose (39), Smoke Blue (42), Dusky Pink (40), Steel Grey (44)

Ooooooooooo 

(said like one of those aliens in Toy Story)

Isn't it lush?

Squishy and squeezy and soft. So soft. 

And those colours are dreamy. Pink grey and blue are timeless.

So....what is it? I hear you ask.

These are some of the new shades of Rico Baby Classic DK. 

But what to make with it?

It would be perfect for so many things- blankets, shrugs, gloves, hats, jumpers, cushions... but I decided on something just for me.

And it involves a bit of granny striping.

The perfect pick-up-and-put-down-kinda-project for when you're as busy as a bee.

I like crocheting with this yarn; I'm using a 4mm (US G/6) hook, which is working out perfectly. I reckon you could use a slightly smaller hook, too. The yarn is smooth and clean to work with and doesn't split (hooray!).

And being a mix of acrylic fibres, it will wear and wash well, too.

It's not finished yet, but as soon as it is, I'll show you.

And you'll get the pattern too.

If you'd like some of this gorgeous yarn for yourself, then pop along to Black Sheep Wools and say hi. They've got loads in stock, along with just about everything else you could ever need for your crochet and knitty projects.

Have a great weekend,
Sarah x