June 2024

Newly-published books

Well Worn is a guide to extending the life of worn-out clothes using visible mending. The book demonstrates mending techniques for both woven and knitted fabrics, with step-by-step pictures and instructions. No particular experience is needed to get started—author Skye Pennant has covered the basics, even including advice on how to thread a needle.

Some of the mending techniques can give really pretty results. One of these is sashiko, a traditional Japanese embroidery technique that Skye describes as "beautiful in its simplicity: a basic running stitch with the freedom to create dozens of patterns and styles".

I love the look of sashiko, but I decided to start with shaped darning. As the name suggests, this involves making a darn in a particular shape. It can be any shape you like, but since I have a hole in a blanket that's made with intarsia triangles, I decided to make a triangular darn.

Other techniques in the book are more functional. In one step-by-step example, Skye shows how to mend a sweater cuff using a traditional darn. Here, the focus is on covering the area of damage, rather than on making a particular shape. Another example demonstrates mending a hole in a sock. Skye uses a technique called honeycomb darning, which she says is a "strong" darn that lies very flat, making it great for socks.

I've always tried to make my mending invisible, but having read this book, I'm seeing the appeal of visible mending too. While I liked the idea that visible mending lets you see something about an item's history, often I wasn't keen on the finished look. Well Worn has introduced me to a new option: make the mend obvious and pretty!

So while I'm not giving up on invisible mending, I am looking forward to getting creative with my mending sometimes. If our hand-made items have a story, then visible mending seems like the perfect way to add an extra chapter.

New and discontinued yarns

New

Adriafil
Desiderio – DK – 55% Mohair, 23% Wool, 22% Silk – Brushed bouclé – Self-striping (gradient transition)
Rigadritto – Heavy Worsted – 54% Wool, 46% Acrylic – Plied with a soft haze – Self-striping
Zigozago – Aran – 37% Superfine Alpaca, 36% Merino Superwash Wool, 27% Nylon – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors

Berroco
Bestie – Super Bulky – 35% Nylon, 35% Wool, 30% Viscose – Chained – Marled
Gimlet – Bulky – 42% Cotton, 38% Alpaca, 10% Wool, 5% Nylon, 5% Polyester – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors
Hearthside – Bulky – 40% Superfine Alpaca, 33% Cotton, 27% Wool – Chained – Undyed colors
Merino 401 – Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors
Millstone Tweed – Heavy Worsted – 60% Wool, 20% Nylon, 20% Viscose – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Big Twist Yarns
Prism – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – 2 ply – Self-striping (gradient marl)
Rave – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)
T-Shirt – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Tape – Solid colors

Borgo de'Pazzi
Vanda – Worsted – 45% Superfine Alpaca, 45% Wool, 10% Silk – 2 ply – Tweed colors

Bumbo
Bear – Bulky – 61% Acrylic, 26% Wool, 13% Nylon – Bouclé – Solid colors

Dream in Color
Smooshy Yak – Fingering – 80% Merino Superwash Wool, 10% Nylon, 10% Yak – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored

Elements
Elegance – Aran – 75% Acrylic, 25% Wool – 2 ply – Multicolored

Fiddlesticks
Harlequin Sock – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Self-striping (fair-isle effect)

Gepard Garn
Hør Silke – DK – 70% Linen, 30% Tussah Silk – Chained – Semi-solid colors

Hobbii
Blanket Yarn – Jumbo – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors
Daily Stitch Recycled Cotton – Fingering – 70% Cotton, 30% Polyester – Plied – Solid colors
Friends Cotton Linen – Fingering – 50% Cotton, 35% Viscose, 15% Linen – Plied – Marled colors
Friends Sock Wool – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors
Toucan Fine – Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors

Imperial Yarn
Broken Top – Bulky – 100% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors

K+C
Hand-Dyed Wool Worsted – Worsted – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Multicolored

Lamana
Como Cashmere – Sport – 70% Merino Wool, 30% Cashmere – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Heathered colors

Lana Gatto
Basket – Super Bulky – 70% Cotton, 25% Polyester, 5% Other (Unknown) Recycled Fibers – Plied – Solid colors, Heathered colors
Cotlin – DK – 80% Cotton, 20% Linen Viscose – S on S plied – Solid colors
Deco – Carry-along – 55% Nylon, 45% Polyester – Sequinned – Multicolored with sequins

Lana Grossa
Alpaca Air – Aran – 62% Baby Alpaca, 27% Nylon, 11% Merino Wool – Fiber-filled net – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors
Gomitolo Arte – Worsted – 60% Superwash Wool, 40% Nylon – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Moda Vera
Macleod – DK – 80% Acrylic, 20% Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers
Serenity – Heavy Worsted – 60% Acrylic, 40% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Semi-solid colors

Noro
Natsumeki – DK – 60% Cotton, 25% Silk, 15% Nylon – Single ply – Self-striping, Self-striping (gradient transition)
Silk Garden Sock Tweed – Sport – 40% Wool, 25% Nylon, 25% Silk, 10% Mohair – Single ply – Tweed colors

Queensland Collection
Rainbow Cake – Sport – 100% Organic Cotton – Plied – Self-striping

Schoppel-Wolle
Woll-Schwestern – Worsted – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Slightly felted – Multicolored

Viking of Norway
Linus – DK – 50% Cotton, 50% Linen – Plied – Semi-solid colors

Discontinued

Adriafil
Cupido – Sport – 40% Cotton, 35% Acrylic, 17% Nylon, 4% Metallic, 4% Synthetic – Fiber core wrapped – Solid colors with metallic thread

BC Garn
Semilla Cablé GOTS – Aran – 100% Eco-Wash Wool – Chained – Solid colors

Dale of Norway / Dalegarn
Alpakka Magic – Aran – 65% Alpaca, 35% Nylon – Fuzzy chain – Solid colors

Du Store Alpakka
Mini Sterk – Fingering – 40% Alpaca, 40% Merino Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors

Fleece Artist
BFL Sport – Sport – 100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored

GGH
Aspen – Super Bulky – 50% Microfiber, 50% Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors
Baby Alpaka Fino – Lace – 100% Baby Alpaca – 2 ply – Solid colors
Limba – Aran – 100% Superwash Wool – Bouclé – Solid colors
Malibu – Worsted – 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors
Norvika – Super Bulky – 30% Acrylic, 30% Wool, 20% Alpaca, 20% Nylon – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Ortensia – Aran – 52% Cotton, 41% Viscose, 7% Nylon – Bouclé – Multicolored
Reva – Worsted – 100% Cotton – Tweedy – Semi-solid colors
Suri Alpaka – Sport – 100% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors

Hjertegarn
Stretch Strømpegarn – Fingering – 69% Superwash Wool, 23% Nylon, 8% Elastic – Plied – Solid colors, Multicolored

Järbo Garn
Curly – Bulky – 77% Superwash Wool, 13% Mohair, 10% Acrylic – Bouclé – Solid colors

Knitting Fever
Painted Desert – Fingering – 100% Superwash Wool – Plied – Self-striping (long gradient)

Laines du Nord
Fashion Mohair – Super Bulky – 77% Mohair, 13% Nylon, 10% Alpaca – Brushed bouclé – Self-striping
Poema Glitter – Sport – 95% Wool, 5% Metallic – Single ply – Gradient with metallic
Poema Tweed – Sport – 94% Merino Wool, 6% Viscose – Tweedy – Gradient plus tweed colors
Watercolor Sock – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Gradient

Mondial
Velour – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Solid colors

Morris & Sons
Quartet 8-ply – DK – 70% Wool, 30% Soy Viscose – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient transition)

Navia
Silkiull – DK – 75% Wool, 25% Silk – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Noro
Kashirukuru – Aran – 40% Mulberry Silk, 30% Merino Wool, 20% Cashmere, 10% Nylon – Single ply – Tonal colors

Phildar
Phil Flower – Jumbo – 70% Merino Wool, 30% Alpaca – Single ply – Dotted colors

Premier Yarns
Ever Soft – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Solid colors, Multicolored
Wool Select Jacquard Sock – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied – Self-striping (fair-isle effect)

Stacy Charles Fine Yarns
Amelia – Worsted – 40% Silk, 30% Cotton, 30% Linen – Plied – Tonal colors, Multicolored

Tahki Yarns
Idaho – Super Bulky – 80% Wool, 20% Acrylic – 2 ply – Dotted colors

If you'd like to get in touch, please send a mail to hello@yarnsub.com (you can simply reply to this mail) or find me on Instagram.

See you in July!

Wendy

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