Merryweather Knitting Podcast Episode 40 | Experimenting with Plant Based Yarn | March 2022

[@mynorthknitcorner]

So good to see you again, Gabriella😊 I have 10 skeins of Drops Bomull-lin I bought on sale a long time ago and you really inspired me to try to find a summer garment to knit with it🌼 Love the top you are working on and I can't wait to see it when it's done😃 I love your calville shawl and will definitely knit it at some point🥰 Wish you a beautiful spring full of knitting and crafting☕🧶🌼 Love from Anne

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Oh you are so kind dear Anne!! Thank you so very much 🥰 Wishing you a wonderful springtime with lots of joyful knitting and making as well!

[@pollogmoody5746]

I love your Caville Shawl! It hangs really nice on your shoulders.

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Thank you so much!! 🥰💗

[@tv-sf4zh]

Hello. I'm glad to see you beautiful after a long time. I saw the video well.

[@jeremykategreenwood]

Hello Gabriella! Lovely episode! I’ve never returned yarn but it seems like you should do it this time. It’s so hard when colors are a disappointment in person! I agree that there’s little point investing so much of your time with yarn you don’t love! Good luck finding the right yarn for the ballet wrap. Cheers, Kate

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Thank you so much, Kate! I think you're right~ we have to enjoy what we are making! 🥰

[@papercraneyarns]

Your top design is absolutely gorgeous! No surprise there-- but I am so in love! How sweet that Esmerelda is coming to understand the concept of your pregnancy. That must be so fun to experience. And I love the sound of your job! When I'm not running my yarn store, I work for a captioning company and I love the industry. I am sure there are some crossovers, although we work with Spanish speaking clients primarily for our translation services.

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

No way!! I am continually amazed by all that you do- your yarn store, your gorgeous garden and home (which I looove seeing in insta, not to mention your knitting. 🥰 And captioning too!!I bet there is a lot of crossover- and it really is such a fun industry.

[@wegrowild]

My goodness Gabriella I'm blushing 🥰I loved all your projects and thank you so very much for sharing with us all your beautiful wips 🤩I LOVE that you're designing your own garment with that new yarn! It's super brave and beautiful! If in the future you plan to sell your top pattern, I'll be the first to buy it! I think you're an amazing (architect:))designer and you'll be very successful! Thank you for mentioning my podcast and I hope you'll keep enjoying knitting on plant based fibers😍

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

You are the very sweetest, Martina!! Thank you so much, and for the wonderful inspiration to delve into the world of plant based fibers. It is such an adventure! ❤️🥰❤️

[@auri_tersi]

Hello Gabriella!! 🥰 First of all, since I forgot to comment the last videos, congrats for the shawl!! 🎉really greeeeat job, it looks so elegant and cozy at the same time...which is by the way the same feeling I have when I see your videos hahah That's also the beauty of doing craftsmanship and art, it's like the artists give the project that "something" that resemble them, even without realizing it, I saw it a lot of times in knit designers and in artists in general ^^ For the plant fiber, well...since I have some allergy problem and also I'm from Sicily, I use a loooot of cotton!! I think it's a really underestimated fiber in the knitting world (maybe because, for the cotton for example, there are a lot of cotton yarns and I found out that not all are great for garments, in fact I searched a lot before finding the best cotton yarns for me ^^), in general I know it's not super easy to work with plant fibers for a lot of reasons (stretchability for example, as you said) but it worths to give it a try! Also don't feel bad about returning yarns! It can happen buying stuff online, it's perfectly fine 😊 I could tell you something like "do a blanket or something like that" but honeslty...there's nothing worse than spending time knitting with a yarn you don't like at all 😂

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

That is such a huge compliment, thank you so very much!! I think you're exactly right- it is one thing I love about finding designers I enjoy, and knitting a piece with their flair and adding my own. It feels like such a collaboration! I agree with you that cotton is hugely underestimated and it can make the most beautiful things! I'm so intrigued by your wealth of experience in knitting with plant based yarns. What are some of your favourite non-wool yarns? If you'd like to share I'd love to hear!! 🥰💗

[@auri_tersi]

@@MerryweatherKnitting ahh I'm not that expert haha tbh it's just 2 years I knit 😄 but of course, I can tell you there are a lot of yarns like cotton and linen, for example bamboo, hemp or also I found a fiber made from sugarcane!

[@Kpup]

I got that exact same kid silk in that same color way and I totally agree! It’s more lilac in person. I planned to hold it together with some white yarn and it worked out well, but I totally get what you’re saying.

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

It makes me so glad to know I'm not alone! I can imagine holding it together with a white yarn would be gorgeous though 🥰

[@nancywillick5737]

Hi Gabriella, your linen sweater is looking so beautiful. I wanted to let you know about Kate from 'this orange couch', she only knits from plant based fibres. She knits mostly garments and you might like to have a look.

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Thank you so much Nancy!! That is such a lovely suggestion, and I always enjoy new podcasts. I can't wait to check Kate out!! 🥰💗

[@beateervin1772]

Hi Gabriella! Lovely podcast! I found the We Grow Wild podcast recently as well. I’m intrigued by the plant based yarn. The stitch definition on your sweater is amazing. Although I love linen I’m a bit hesitant to knit with it.

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Hi Beate!! The We Grow Wild podcast has been such an inspiration, I'm so glad you've been enjoying Martina's videos too!! I completely understand your hesitation- it is certainly a different experience but truly wonderful! The linen, cotton mix from drops was quite affordable though, which made the investment low risk and it really is a lovely feeling! I can imagine knitting with it in the summer months would be even more wonderful.

[@TheKnittingHobbit]

I have had it before as well that drops yarn doesnt look like the picture! For me it still worked out cause i was marling a mohair with another yarn too, but I totally get that it might not, and it's such a dissapointment! I'd totally return the yarn if you dont think you'd use it with something else either

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

I'm so glad that it worked out for you in the end!! I am still trying to find a way that it might work- but I think in the end I'm just going to try and return it. It's such a shame when things like that happen!

[@wegrowild]

I'm loving this episode so far and I'm only at the Vanilla socks section

[@alexandrah535]

What an incredible bummer about the Drops yarn!! That’s happened to me with online ordering before and I wish I had tried to return it to get what I actually wanted. If the balls are pristine, they should be able to stock it again. ❤️

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

What a shame that it's happened to you too!! I think you're right~ it definitely isn't worth holding onto something that won't bring you joy in the making process ❤️🥰

[@amberquillmusic1511]

Oh noo, I feel you on the colour faux pas 🙈 it is noch shame to send back yarn, that happens.. But I get it.. If you don't want too, you could just sell them private? Via insta or eBay.. The mohair would look beautiful with like a lavender yarn though.. Or maybe with white? Anyway, there will bei the perfect yarn for your wrap top :)

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

Ooh the idea of a lavender or white also sounds brilliant... 🥰 I am sending it back! You're so right, it happens but is such a shame!

[@Bookupied]

Return the yarn!! Drops is a sh*t company anyways haha

[@MerryweatherKnitting]

I think I will!! It is such a waste!! 😅😅