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Cotton bamboo yarn review from Lion Brand
A great option for summer crochet and knit garments
I picked up some LB collection cotton bamboo yarn and it’s a delight for warm weather knitting and crochet projects!
It’s 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 soft with a great drape as I work it up into this top.
I designed knit and crochet project trackers! Keep track of your cardigan pattern with this tracker.
This is the large print version for tired eyes. So much easier than using apps, scraps of paper or a plain notebook.
Three project sizes, a handy ruler and hook guide inside the cover and plenty of room for notes in each pattern.
Buy the Large print project tracker.
Buy the regular size print project tracker.
I have had bad eyesight since age 18 so large print is a godsend when you can’t see apps and dark yarn, let alone going from one to the other on a crochet-a-thon during a Netflix binge.
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 waistcoast 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.
Check out this post on linked stitches to see how alternating them works to create an interesting texture while preventing the dreaded project droop.
The best crochet hooks to use
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 so set yourself up for success by using the right hook to minimize frustration.
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.
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 the truboo or nuboo yarns. 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.
Check out my post on the best yarns for warm weather here.
