Comments for Yarnberry http://yarnberry.wordpress.com Fruit of the twine Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Yarn tourism: Nova Scotia and New Brunswick by Amanda http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/yarn-tourism-nova-scotia-and-new-brunswick/#comment-512 Amanda Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:07:07 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/yarn-tourism-nova-scotia-and-new-brunswick/#comment-512 Thanks for this post! I'm going to Nova Scotia in a couple weeks and can't wait to hit up some of these places! Thanks for this post! I’m going to Nova Scotia in a couple weeks and can’t wait to hit up some of these places!

]]> Comment on First Principles: The Humble Crochet Square by Silver Ilix http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/first-principles-the-humble-crochet-square/#comment-507 Silver Ilix Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:31:50 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/first-principles-the-humble-crochet-square/#comment-507 What a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing! I especially love the blanket images that you linked to in flicker! It reminds me of the artwork of Gustav Klimt! Lovely. What a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing! I especially love the blanket images that you linked to in flicker! It reminds me of the artwork of Gustav Klimt! Lovely.

]]> Comment on Yarn tourism: Nova Scotia and New Brunswick by celpjefscycle http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/yarn-tourism-nova-scotia-and-new-brunswick/#comment-503 celpjefscycle Sat, 12 Jan 2008 09:16:36 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/yarn-tourism-nova-scotia-and-new-brunswick/#comment-503 Thanks for information. many interesting things Celpjefscylc Thanks for information.
many interesting things
Celpjefscylc

]]> Comment on My patterns by Mum http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/my-patterns/#comment-16 Mum Tue, 29 May 2007 00:49:31 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/my-patterns/#comment-16 I like your blog site. The photo link for Lacy Ruffle Scarf is broken though. Love you! Mum I like your blog site. The photo link for Lacy Ruffle Scarf is broken though. Love you! Mum

]]> Comment on Tutorial: Using ratios to calculate yardage by yarnberry http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/tutorial-using-ratios-to-calculate-yardage/#comment-15 yarnberry Tue, 22 May 2007 17:50:17 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/tutorial-using-ratios-to-calculate-yardage/#comment-15 We will get you crocheting any day now! Bwahahahaha. We will get you crocheting any day now! Bwahahahaha.

]]> Comment on Tutorial: Using ratios to calculate yardage by WTL http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/tutorial-using-ratios-to-calculate-yardage/#comment-14 WTL Tue, 22 May 2007 16:53:34 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/tutorial-using-ratios-to-calculate-yardage/#comment-14 It is like you are speaking another language, but adding in a touch of math to tempt me. Evil. It is like you are speaking another language, but adding in a touch of math to tempt me.

Evil.

]]> Comment on Free Pattern: Work Your Way Up String Bag by Alette http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-13 Alette Mon, 21 May 2007 23:19:47 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-13 There's so many different yarns being toted as environmentally-friendly these days it's hard not to be a bit suspicious of greenwashing. And yes, hard to find out about processing of these fibres. Hemp and bamboo do not require pesticides or chemical fertilizers, putting them ahead of commercial cotton in these respects, but I too have been unable to find out how these fibres are processed. There is certainly no reason to believe that they are dyed with friendlier dyes, unless the companies specifically say so. Adria Vassil in her book the Ecoholic reports that harsh chemicals may still be employed in the processing of hemp fibre especially in China. I would assume that the same would be the case for bamboo. There's also Tencel, made from trees (so still contributes deforestation), which Adria Vasil reports is processed with non-toxic dissolving agents, whatever that means. Soy and corn are both being used in yarns as well. However, large portions of both crops are being grown as GMOs, especially in the U.S., so that's a problem. However, the <a href="http://knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/product/031009_a.asp" rel="nofollow">knitter's review </a>reports that SWTC Soysilk is made out of a byproduct of tofu production. So they have to be given brownie points for making yarn out of a waste product. The <a href="http://nutmeg.gen.nz/fakesheep/vegan-yarns/" rel="nofollow">Fake Sheep</a> blog has a really comprehensive list of alternative yarns with some discussion of environmental issues. The Summer 2007 issue of Vogue Knitting's <a href="http://www.knit1mag.com/" rel="nofollow">Knit.1</a> is a green issue and profiles a number of soy, organic, recycled, corn etc. yarns though there isn't much depth to their reviews. So, the long and the short of it is that I too am struggling to figure out how to crochet/knit with minimal ecological impact. There’s so many different yarns being toted as environmentally-friendly these days it’s hard not to be a bit suspicious of greenwashing. And yes, hard to find out about processing of these fibres.

Hemp and bamboo do not require pesticides or chemical fertilizers, putting them ahead of commercial cotton in these respects, but I too have been unable to find out how these fibres are processed. There is certainly no reason to believe that they are dyed with friendlier dyes, unless the companies specifically say so. Adria Vassil in her book the Ecoholic reports that harsh chemicals may still be employed in the processing of hemp fibre especially in China. I would assume that the same would be the case for bamboo.
There’s also Tencel, made from trees (so still contributes deforestation), which Adria Vasil reports is processed with non-toxic dissolving agents, whatever that means.

Soy and corn are both being used in yarns as well. However, large portions of both crops are being grown as GMOs, especially in the U.S., so that’s a problem. However, the knitter’s review reports that SWTC Soysilk is made out of a byproduct of tofu production. So they have to be given brownie points for making yarn out of a waste product.

The Fake Sheep blog has a really comprehensive list of alternative yarns with some discussion of environmental issues. The Summer 2007 issue of Vogue Knitting’s Knit.1 is a green issue and profiles a number of soy, organic, recycled, corn etc. yarns though there isn’t much depth to their reviews.

So, the long and the short of it is that I too am struggling to figure out how to crochet/knit with minimal ecological impact.

]]> Comment on Free Pattern: Work Your Way Up String Bag by yarnberry http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-11 yarnberry Mon, 21 May 2007 02:18:55 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-11 I'm glad you enjoyed the pattern, Alette. I have been thinking about the <a href="http://www.slowknitter.ca/Blog/859840E2-4BA9-46D1-8116-A927BA38D480.html" rel="nofollow">environmental issues with this cotton</a> too -- especially now I know what's involved in mercerizing cotton. It's difficult to find out what processes actually go into making most commercial yarns. What do you think of the new bamboo and soy yarns? I think Madil's Eden bamboo-fibre yarns would work also well with this pattern, but I'm not sure how they actually compare to cotton after processing. I’m glad you enjoyed the pattern, Alette. I have been thinking about the environmental issues with this cotton too — especially now I know what’s involved in mercerizing cotton. It’s difficult to find out what processes actually go into making most commercial yarns.
What do you think of the new bamboo and soy yarns? I think Madil’s Eden bamboo-fibre yarns would work also well with this pattern, but I’m not sure how they actually compare to cotton after processing.

]]> Comment on Free Pattern: Work Your Way Up String Bag by Alette http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-10 Alette Mon, 21 May 2007 00:51:08 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-10 I love the bag I crocheted from this pattern and I've posted a photo of it on my own blog: <a href="http://www.slowknitter.ca" rel="nofollow">www.slowknitter.ca</a>. P.S. Yarnberry, I've lost your email ; ( I love the bag I crocheted from this pattern and I’ve posted a photo of it on my own blog: http://www.slowknitter.ca.

P.S. Yarnberry, I’ve lost your email ; (

]]> Comment on Free Pattern: Work Your Way Up String Bag by Gailene http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-9 Gailene Thu, 17 May 2007 02:38:46 +0000 http://yarnberry.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/free-pattern-work-your-way-up-string-bag/#comment-9 I was in Yarn Forward last week to quickly check prices on sewing machines there. The owner was serving me and we somehow touched on the subject of needle crafts. I mentioned I new the new crochet teacher and she and another lady nearby both chimed up to say how wonderful you are. Thought you'd like to know that. I was in Yarn Forward last week to quickly check prices on sewing machines there. The owner was serving me and we somehow touched on the subject of needle crafts. I mentioned I new the new crochet teacher and she and another lady nearby both chimed up to say how wonderful you are.
Thought you’d like to know that.

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