Woo-hoo! We’re back with a very special yarn for you. I am very excited about this one because I’ve been a fan for ages but have just gotten into really working with this yarn. The yarn I’m reviewing is Be So Sporty by Kristin Omdahl. Kristin Omdahl is a celebrated crochet and knitwear designer. She is also an independent businesswoman and a single mom. After selling crochet and knit patterns, authoring many books, and partnering with Eucalan to create her own scent of wool wash, Kristin launched her yarn line, Bamboo So Fine. I’ve watched the line expand from one yarn weight to two, and from six colors to the current seventeen.

Yarn Facts: Kristin’s descriptions really say it all! “Be So Sporty Yarn by Kristin Omdahl Yarns is a beautiful, 100% bamboo, sport weight yarn. Spun, milled and hand dyed in the United States of America; this lustrous and silky soft yarn gets even drapier and silkier after hand-washing in your favorite delicate wash. The colors are bright, saturated and inspired by tropical flowers and the sea.” Are you interested? The yarn comes in hanks of 325 yards and Kristin has tons of pattern support in both crochet and knit. Be So Sporty Yarn comes in 17 colors that are great to wear.

What’s this yarn like? It’s so interesting! The bamboo yarn is really compelling and I like what I can do with it. I usually work with more pliable yarns but since I am in a warmer climate, working with fibers like bamboo and linen makes a lot of sense for me. The yarn is easy to work with and the colors are absolutely beautiful. I recently purchased the Be So Sporty Sampler Kit which includes samples of each of the seventeen colors, totaling about 400 yards of yarn. It also comes with three patterns. It was a treat working with the yarn and seeing how the colors work together. I am making Kristin’s Slouchy Hat, which features a knit headband. I will have to figure out how to modify that to crochet!

Kristin listed some surprising properties of bamboo in her newsletter. I thought I would share them here because it’s such great information. She writes,

“I just love how much my Kristin Omdahl Yarns feel like silk! Slinky and sensuous, it drapes and moves like a far more expensive yarn, and also has exciting extra benefits.

Why Bamboo?
– Bamboo is softer than cotton, with a texture similar to a blend of cashmere and silk.
– Bamboo has twice the moisture absorbency of cotton along with extraordinary soil release.
– Natural antibacterial elements in bamboo fibre keep bacteria away from bamboo fabrics.
– Bamboo is eco-friendly and biodegradable.
– 100% bamboo yarns show great elasticity.
– A garment of bamboo fibre can absorb and evaporate human sweat in a split second. Garments made of bamboo keep you cool and comfortable and never stick to the skin, even during the hot summer.
– The anti-ultraviolet nature of bamboo fibre makes it especially suitable for summer clothing.”

I had purchased a hank last year but wondered what I would make with it. To me this is a very special yarn, so I wanted to make something perfect. Well, the hank was passed around the yarn store a few times (to lots of “Ooo’s” and “Aaahs”) and I just finally got it back. I now have two gorgeous options, both patterns written by Kristin herself. My skein will become either this cowl or this scarf.

The texture of this yarn is smooth to the touch. It is plied with many smaller strands that are spun into the sport weight. While working on my slouchy beanie, I did get some splitting with this yarn, but I think it was due to the hook/yarn combo. I was not working with my favorite hook! Ripping back work made from this yarn is really easy as there’s definitely no halo to tangle. The yarn is very strong and appears to be durable as well. Because the yarn is hand-dyed, there is some slight variation in the hank’s saturated colors. In my sampler kit, I noticed the purple had the most variation but it was perfect for my project. I am looking forward to using this options for garments, accessories, and bags. To keep up with Kristin, subscribe to her newsletter. You can find back issues here.

Should I go shopping for this, and if so, where? YES! I recommend this yarn 100% with enthusiasm. The price is good for what you get, considering the high-end look of the yarn, the feeling, the versatility of the yarn and the incredible pattern support. Shop Kristin on Amazon or on her Etsy shop.

Had you ever heard of Kristin Omdahl before this? Have you tried her yarn yet? Which projects do you think would look great with this yarn? What other information would you like to know about the yarn? Which yarns would you like to see reviewed on Crochet Spot? Please leave your thoughts, ideas, and points of view in the comments below!

I’m really excited about this book because it explores a concept I have been thinking about for a long time. It also encourages creativity in the crocheter. That is a great combination, but we can’t expect anything less from legendary crochet designer Margaret Hubert. Today we learn a little more about the new book 10 Granny Squares 30 Blankets by Margaret Hubert and you’ll see how you can win a copy!

Okay, I have a confession to make. For many, many years I have been having a love affair. Yes, it’s true. I have been in love with cotton yarn, and not the high-end organic cotton sold in little yarn shops in the trendy section of town. I have been having a love affair with Sugar-n-cream and Peaches-n-cream yarn, the cotton used by crocheters to make dish cloths, bath scrubbies and other household items. Alright, maybe “love affair” is a bit melodramatic. Just a bit. Cotton yarn has a huge place in my home, not to make dishcloths and other small items, but to make afghans. “You make afghans out of ‘kitchen cotton’?!” you say. Yes, I absolutely do. And my afghans are the warmest, coziest afghans this side of the Mississippi. Well, maybe not this entire side of the Mississippi, but this part of Arizona.

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Yes! I said free yarn! Remember when I reviewed Aesir yarn by indie dyer A Hundred Ravens? Well, I am delighted to announce that the company has generously offered to sponsor our Finish in ’15 contest with a prize! While figuring out what to offer, Kate Bachus, the owner of A Hundred Ravens asked if I thought we would like a mini-set! I said yes because crocheters love colorwork. Am I right?

It is interesting to learn about the ways that different people crochet. Back in March, Rachel shared a video with adaptive crochet methods for the legally blind. This got me thinking about what the term “legally blind” means and the fact that any of us could possibly become legally blind. Will we still crochet? If it ever happens to me, I would like to! This led to a web search about blind crochet. What I found was fascinating.

Are you participating in the Finish in ’15 Year Long WIP/UFO Challenge? All are welcomed to join at anytime! Due to the overwhelming number of photos submitted so far during this final fourth quarter, a second page of photos was crated to show off all the awesome crocheting!

Join the contest by emailing your recent photos to [email protected]
Your photos can be any WIP (work in progress) you have on your hook at the moment, any item you just finished, any UFO (unfinished object) that’s been sitting around your house, any item that you “frogged” (ripped out to reuse the yarn for something else). Submit as many photos are you like, each crochet item you submit counts as another entry!
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Brrr. Do you feel the frost in the air? I don’t. (That’s because Florida is not a very frosty state.) However, I know that a great deal of Crochet Spotters live in climates where the temperatures are dropping and the seasons are changing. As a native New Englander, I know that this time of year is a good one for weekend hikes. It’s your last chance to get in some fresh mountain air before the snow settles in. However, the proper hiking gear is essential and crochet can be a part of it! Today I share 8 patterns that can keep you prepared on your winter hikes.

Free? Did someone say free? We have a crochet hook set from Haven for Hands to giveaway for free! A few weeks ago I did a review on the Haven for Hands Crochet Hook Set, so go check that out if you are interested in learning more about the crochet hooks, case, and notions that come with it. Sarah at Haven for Hands was kind enough to give us an extra set to giveaway to one lucky Crochet Spot reader.

How do you enter to win??
To enter, submit a photo of your crochet WIP (work in progress) or a finished crocheted item you just made into the Finish in ’15 Year Long Challenge. If you are already participating in the challenge, then you are already entered! The hook set will be given away for free as one of the many prizes during our fourth quarter.

In my first post on Crochet Spot, I asked why you decided to crochet. It was really interesting to hear stories from all over the globe about why people crochet. Since the Craft Yarn Council’s I Love Yarn Day was focused upon stitching it forward this year, and teaching someone to crochet, I began to wonder how Crochet Spot readers had learned to crochet.

Image via flickr modified photo by Kim Piper Werker
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Are you participating in the Finish in ’15 Year Long WIP/UFO Challenge? All are welcomed to join at anytime! This contest is a fun event to help get your projects completed. In this post are all the photos submitted by readers so far for the fourth quarter of the challenge. Remember there will be a winner every 3 months and each photo you submit counts as an entry!

Join the contest by emailing your recent photos to [email protected]
Your photos can be any WIP (work in progress) you have on your hook at the moment, any item you just finished, any UFO (unfinished object) that’s been sitting around your house, any item that you “frogged” (ripped out to reuse the yarn for something else). Submit as many photos are you like, each crochet item you submit counts as another entry!
read more »