A New Twist on Yarn Thinking
I've Seen Fire and I've Seen Rain... Let me begin by cautioning you that this will be a rather subdued post. I am mourning the loss of the best friend I've ever had, to cancer. It is partly why I've been posting so little lately - I just haven't been able to focus on much else. It's so painful to see it coming, you suffer helplessly with the sufferer, and in the end, when peace is finally granted, you find yourself in a million little exhausted pieces. You awake the next morning wondering how you will ever get through a horrible day (we all have them) without that dear voice on the other end of the phone offering words of encouragement, counsel and comfort...
In the midst of all this, 2 boxes arrived from Thailand (no, it's not what you're thinking... although I suppose it would really take the edge off my mood - just kidding!). Now you all know I've been on a buying hiatus and with only a couple small exceptions I haven't purchased any new yarn this year - in fact almost no fiber either. So about a month ago I read a lengthy article on hemp and how it got squeezed out of North America by self-interested profiteers. Did you know that almost ALL paper was made from hemp until the last century and that hemp paper never yellows or degrades like wood pulp paper? That the sails and ropes on all the early explorer's ships were made from hemp? That in the early years of settling the New England colonies on the eastern US seaboard it was against the law NOT to spin a certain quantity of hemp thread & yarn? I will give you the link (rather reluctantly) on hemp, but only because the writer uses all the excellent research to try to argue for the legalization of smoking pot. I was really disappointed the direction the article took, but as I said, the research material is very well done.
So I got to thinking about hemp and how quickly cotton clothing wears through. So far the only hemp yarn I have is a 50/50 hemp wool blend you could knit pot scrubbers out of. It makes long-wearing sock heels and sturdy shopping totes but not much else. I should mention that I have this rather defective quirk in my nature that feels passion stirring over things from days gone by. (Can you say, "Jane Austin wore hemp muslin dresses?") So if textiles from hemp were so durable and functional I just HAD to try some. I realize I probably never mentioned I started sewing my own clothes when I was about 11 years old and sewed like mad when my first children were small. Time and circumstance eventually side lined sewing but I still have the skills I need to produce what I'd like when I want to. So I hunted around online and was pleased to find one of the better suppliers of hemp fabric is in Canada - Effort Industries in Ontario, in fact! (There is a place in B.C. too but they pretty much only sell hemp clothing - just Google "hemp fabric Canada" and you'll find them) I bought several yards of hemp muslin in 2 different weights and several yards of a 50/50 hemp-silk blend that is amazing! (fabrics are 54" wide). I dug out some really old fashioned shirt patterns, made some plans for embroidered cuffs and yokes and then got sidetracked by life... sooner or later I'll get back to this project and maybe I'll post some pictures too...
Anyways, back to boxes from Thailand... (did I digress or what???) I know I've mentioned before that I have linen yarn which is shiny and rather stiff. Apparently it softens with washing and wearing but it's not scratchy or unpleasant and eventually I may knit myself a top or two with it. Considering my limited experience with hemp I was still curious if such a thing as pleasant hemp yarn existed and how it compared to linen, since they are both plant stem fibers. To my amazement, I found a 50/50 hemp/cotton blend yarn on eBay.ca that was supposed to be fit to wear. The seller, from Thailand, offered it in lots of 19 skeins, all different colors. It occurred to me that a poor country like Thailand probably never stopped using hemp and probably knew best how to produce yarn that didn't resemble jute. How could I resist? Well, I couldn't! LOL! And it arrived in two tidy boxes on the same day I was feeling the most down-in-the-dumps.
The first thing to hit the eye is the amazing rainbow of colors! Very uplifting! The best part, however, is when you open a bag and grab a skien! It's soft! Not baby-merino soft, but pleasant, nicely-processed soft. Definitely wear-next-to-the-skin soft! In fact I would go so far as to say that it's softer than LOTS of 100% cotton yarns I've handled! Needless to say I'm pleased with my gamble! But I must confess it never really occurred to me I might end up with something fit only for door mat crochet. But by the same token, I just never expected it would be a soft and pliant as it is. So the next order of business is pattern planning. I really don't want this to just sit in the stash untried. I really want to give it a test run and I don't mean just knitting a swatch.... hmmm... which leads me to a whole 'nother topic - more on that for the Friday Freebie - OK? Cheers all - and hug the ones you love - you never know if it'll be the last time!
In the midst of all this, 2 boxes arrived from Thailand (no, it's not what you're thinking... although I suppose it would really take the edge off my mood - just kidding!). Now you all know I've been on a buying hiatus and with only a couple small exceptions I haven't purchased any new yarn this year - in fact almost no fiber either. So about a month ago I read a lengthy article on hemp and how it got squeezed out of North America by self-interested profiteers. Did you know that almost ALL paper was made from hemp until the last century and that hemp paper never yellows or degrades like wood pulp paper? That the sails and ropes on all the early explorer's ships were made from hemp? That in the early years of settling the New England colonies on the eastern US seaboard it was against the law NOT to spin a certain quantity of hemp thread & yarn? I will give you the link (rather reluctantly) on hemp, but only because the writer uses all the excellent research to try to argue for the legalization of smoking pot. I was really disappointed the direction the article took, but as I said, the research material is very well done.
So I got to thinking about hemp and how quickly cotton clothing wears through. So far the only hemp yarn I have is a 50/50 hemp wool blend you could knit pot scrubbers out of. It makes long-wearing sock heels and sturdy shopping totes but not much else. I should mention that I have this rather defective quirk in my nature that feels passion stirring over things from days gone by. (Can you say, "Jane Austin wore hemp muslin dresses?") So if textiles from hemp were so durable and functional I just HAD to try some. I realize I probably never mentioned I started sewing my own clothes when I was about 11 years old and sewed like mad when my first children were small. Time and circumstance eventually side lined sewing but I still have the skills I need to produce what I'd like when I want to. So I hunted around online and was pleased to find one of the better suppliers of hemp fabric is in Canada - Effort Industries in Ontario, in fact! (There is a place in B.C. too but they pretty much only sell hemp clothing - just Google "hemp fabric Canada" and you'll find them) I bought several yards of hemp muslin in 2 different weights and several yards of a 50/50 hemp-silk blend that is amazing! (fabrics are 54" wide). I dug out some really old fashioned shirt patterns, made some plans for embroidered cuffs and yokes and then got sidetracked by life... sooner or later I'll get back to this project and maybe I'll post some pictures too...
Anyways, back to boxes from Thailand... (did I digress or what???) I know I've mentioned before that I have linen yarn which is shiny and rather stiff. Apparently it softens with washing and wearing but it's not scratchy or unpleasant and eventually I may knit myself a top or two with it. Considering my limited experience with hemp I was still curious if such a thing as pleasant hemp yarn existed and how it compared to linen, since they are both plant stem fibers. To my amazement, I found a 50/50 hemp/cotton blend yarn on eBay.ca that was supposed to be fit to wear. The seller, from Thailand, offered it in lots of 19 skeins, all different colors. It occurred to me that a poor country like Thailand probably never stopped using hemp and probably knew best how to produce yarn that didn't resemble jute. How could I resist? Well, I couldn't! LOL! And it arrived in two tidy boxes on the same day I was feeling the most down-in-the-dumps.
The first thing to hit the eye is the amazing rainbow of colors! Very uplifting! The best part, however, is when you open a bag and grab a skien! It's soft! Not baby-merino soft, but pleasant, nicely-processed soft. Definitely wear-next-to-the-skin soft! In fact I would go so far as to say that it's softer than LOTS of 100% cotton yarns I've handled! Needless to say I'm pleased with my gamble! But I must confess it never really occurred to me I might end up with something fit only for door mat crochet. But by the same token, I just never expected it would be a soft and pliant as it is. So the next order of business is pattern planning. I really don't want this to just sit in the stash untried. I really want to give it a test run and I don't mean just knitting a swatch.... hmmm... which leads me to a whole 'nother topic - more on that for the Friday Freebie - OK? Cheers all - and hug the ones you love - you never know if it'll be the last time!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 9/16/2009 6:08 PM 
Categories: Yarn, Musings
Tags: hemp yarn Thailand hemp cotton yarn
Categories: Yarn, Musings
Tags: hemp yarn Thailand hemp cotton yarn
What beautiful fiber. I hope that you enjoy it.
Thank you for expressing the feelings that happen with a death from cancer. My husband died of cancer last summer and I understood clearly what you meant. I wish that I had the clarity to write it so well. You have my deepest sympathy. Cancer is a horrid disease for all who are caught in it.
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OMG Kim! My most sincere condolences! It really IS something you never get over! Hope you're doing OK! Take care!
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I'm sorry for your loss. Know that your friend is at peace.
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Thanks for your kind thoughts Doris!
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I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I don't think there are too many people who haven't had cancer affect their lives in some way. Both my mother and father-in-law died of it. Cancer is a b****.
Lovely hemp yarn!
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You're So right! Thanks Susan!
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I'm so so very sorry for your loss, and for your friends family. hugs for your heart.
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I'm sorry about your friend! What is the hardest for me, when losing someone it the "never again".
You really intrigued me with your hemp yarn. Looking forward what you have to say about it after you worked with it.
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Thanks Monika!
FROM BARB:
Tried to leave a comment and it wouldn't let me.
First, you have all my sympathy on the loss of your friend. I know how hard it is, and the worst I think is that so much of our grief is for ourselves and how much we miss them.
Hemp...if you have any scratchy stuff, wet it down, then take the skein out and beat the living heck out of it! Whack it against trees, and take out all your frustrations. The more the better.
AND....now you need to SPIN hemp.
(Is there a link to the place you bought that?....says the woman really does not need more stash, but oh well)
Barb
Hi Barb! Thanks so much! I think you're right about the grieving. Our need for them never goes away and that's the part that's hardest to cope with.
The 50/50 hemp/cotton is great but it's the 50/50 hemp/wool that's not very nice. To be perfectly honest I'd almost say it's the wool, not the hemp that's the nasty stuff in the blend. My daughter crocheted a shopping bag with it and it's been washed a couple times. It's more flexible than it was but it's still scratchy as all get out. Frustrating when some one cheaps out on a blend like that. Cutting corners with low grade wool isn't doing themselves any favors because no one will be back to buy more. It's totally unfit for a sweater, a scarf or anything else that might come close to your skin. I'd make an exception for sock heels but only because it's such a tough yarn. I bought it on eBay and that was a couple years ago so I don't know if the seller is still there (it was a US seller). I'd be happy to send you a skein if you're feeling brave! LOL! It's nice heathered colors too. Such a shame!
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Thanks Monika!
FROM BARB:
Tried to leave a comment and it wouldn't let me.
First, you have all my sympathy on the loss of your friend. I know how hard it is, and the worst I think is that so much of our grief is for ourselves and how much we miss them.
Hemp...if you have any scratchy stuff, wet it down, then take the skein out and beat the living heck out of it! Whack it against trees, and take out all your frustrations. The more the better.
AND....now you need to SPIN hemp.
(Is there a link to the place you bought that?....says the woman really does not need more stash, but oh well)
Barb
Hi Barb! Thanks so much! I think you're right about the grieving. Our need for them never goes away and that's the part that's hardest to cope with.
The 50/50 hemp/cotton is great but it's the 50/50 hemp/wool that's not very nice. To be perfectly honest I'd almost say it's the wool, not the hemp that's the nasty stuff in the blend. My daughter crocheted a shopping bag with it and it's been washed a couple times. It's more flexible than it was but it's still scratchy as all get out. Frustrating when some one cheaps out on a blend like that. Cutting corners with low grade wool isn't doing themselves any favors because no one will be back to buy more. It's totally unfit for a sweater, a scarf or anything else that might come close to your skin. I'd make an exception for sock heels but only because it's such a tough yarn. I bought it on eBay and that was a couple years ago so I don't know if the seller is still there (it was a US seller). I'd be happy to send you a skein if you're feeling brave! LOL! It's nice heathered colors too. Such a shame!
Reply to this