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Lion Brand cotton bamboo yarn review
I picked up some LB collection cotton bamboo yarn and it’s a delight for warm weather knitting and crochet projects! I live in a warm climate and cotton, bamboo and other natural summer yarns are my area of expertise!
LB collection cotton bamboo yarn is whisper light and has a slight paper fiber feel which I liken to comparing an oak cutting board to a bamboo cutting board. The bamboo is so much lighter. It’s a soft, category 3 yarn which allows for a great drape as I work it up into this top.
Cotton on its own can get heavy but blended with a light fiber like bamboo really transforms it into a more elegant fiber.
It’s been a long time since I had crepe paper streamers in hand but that is the type of drape I am getting from this yarn the further along I get into the pattern. Don’t let this deter you from using it, you just have to take care to work it in stitches that won’t get over drapey.
How to work with yarns that droop
Drape often can mean (with regard to yarn) is that it will grow and/or sag more than other types of yarns and this yarn is guilty of that. You won’t have an issue if you work with more reinforced type of stitches . Lacy openwork stitches will grow and expand as you wear it.
Using wrapped crochet stitches, linked crochet stitches and the waistcoat stitch will help keep your project from being too droopy. It is tempting to use open airy stitches for summer weight summer fiber yarns but they will droop if you don’t incorporate these supportive style stitches. It doesn’t have to be every row but alternating support stitch rows with open stitch rows makes a big difference.
See this post on the 5 best non stretchy crochet stitches
You may like my review of truboo yarn
Check out this post on linked stitches to see how alternating them works to create an interesting texture while preventing the dreaded project droop.
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- How to tie off a crochet project
- One skein crochet projects
- How to soften acrylic yarn
- How to read a crochet pattern
- How to pick yarn for a project
- What is your crochet skill level
- Which are the best crochet hooks
- 5 tips for mastering crochet as a beginner
- How to read a yarn label
- 5 essential tools every beginner needs
The best crochet hooks to use with cotton bamboo yarn
I would recommend only using metal or plastic hooks and needles with this yarn due to the fiber. Wood and bamboo hooks will grab too much and that isn’t a good crochet project experience. All of the alternative natural warm weather (non cotton) yarns I have used tend to be split prone due to their nature. Set yourself up for success by using the right hook to minimize frustration.
My favorite hook is ultra smooth metal that works up split prone yarn like a breeze. Etimo red.
LB collection cotton bamboo yarn colors
The colors available in Lion Brand cotton bamboo yarn remind me of the slightly muted shades of straw hats and bags I see when visiting the Caribbean. Vibrant but slightly muted. It makes them good for transitional season styles as well as full on steamy hot summer looks.
Loud bright colors turn some people off and don’t flatter every skin tone so it’s a nice color assortment for these reasons.
There is a gentle sheen to the yarn, not as pronounced as in truboo yarn. I have been finding the more I work the non-cotton summery yarns like lyocel, tencil and bamboo it seems the nature of the beast for them to be more prone to splitting so you need a bit of extra care when working your stitches.
In summary this is a wonderful yarn for summer garments but not for a newbie. Once you get your tension right, your stitching rhythm flowing nicely and care each time you work into a stitch and draw up loops you can progress to this yarn.
Check out my post on the best yarns for warm weather here.