I'm knitting a version of Jared Flood's 'Tweed Baby Blanket' in Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 ply in a soft greyish-white colour called 'ghost'. I've also bought some 'iris mist' for the feather-and-fan edging. The pattern is written for a thicker yarn (double knitting) so I'm having to adapt the number of stitches and rows for the finer fabric. Jen said she's used algebra to work out the variations for her version of the shawl, but I think that's a bit challenging, so I'm using a combination of arithmetic and fudging to calculate mine.
I've been trying to think what it is I like so much about Bendigo yarns. I've decided they're very honest yarns. They don't pretend to be anything other than what they are - a mass-produced 100% merino yarn. Very everyday. Very practical. It helps that they're relatively inexpensive, come in a wide range of colours, and are wound into satisfyingly hefty 200 gram balls. And Bendigo Woollen Mills' great customer service (sending shade cards, swift response, free postage over a very minimal amount of yarn) is another significant advantage.
I knitted on the baby blanket over the Easter weekend. I seemed to knit for ages and I'm still not even mid-way through the central section of the blanket. But it is grey, and it is garter stitch, and it is Bendigo yarn, so I'm happy to keep plodding along.
6 comments:
I think you've chosen great colours for this blanket. I'm in the fudging camp too, I reckon you'll have no troubles!
that is such a lovely colour combination. i like BWM's honesty as well, and i think Luxury is really one of the nicest softest yarns ive ever used. i will use it again, but will probably use a smaller needle, because it grew so much upon washing. its so lovely and soft though. and those balls are just so satisfying!
you've summed up perfectly what I think works about Bendigo. I have nothing to add except perfect colour choices there!
I agree - Bendigo Luxury is the yarn that sold the whole Bendigo thing to me. I've never liked BWM, but since Luxury I'm a complete convert.
But I have noticed it does not say merino anywhere on the site or the ballband. It says fine micron wool, which we all assume to be merino but I suspect it might be wool stretched and heated to fine micron, like the optim process.
Not that I care, because it really is a lovely soft yarn.
Blanket is going to be lovely - such a great knit.
I agree too about Bendigo being an honest wool, which is a really lovely way of putting it. The blanket looks like it's going to be very beautiful and cozy.
I agree with everything you said about Bendigo yarns. I've knitted with them for well over twenty years and have always been happy with the product and the service.
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