Yes, I love weaving with bamboo! I first started working with it this past summer almost by accident. I was working with my sales rep from one of my suppliers discussing a couple of items that were on long-term backorder and on a whim I switched my yarn selections from the backordered 3/2 mercerized cotton to the in-stock bamboo. A cone of natural and black 5/2 bamboo showed up at my door later in the week and I had to figure out what to do with the yarn. I decided to start with the basics, plain weave, so that I could learn how the yarn and resulting fabric behaved. I drafted a scarf pattern that ended up being a best-seller at the League of NH Craftsmen Summer Fair in August:
This item was the first design to sell out at my booth this year, which was a delightful surprise. The silky-smooth feel of the bamboo is what really appealed to my customers. It is lightweight and has a subtle sheen. I don’t know about you, but I really dislike having a heavy garment around my neck. I guess that is why I generally prefer lightweight yarns for my wearables (fine alpaca/silk, 8/2 lyocell, and bamboo being my favorites).
I started weaving a few more of these this log cabin bamboo scarves this week in ecru and black and also have a warp ready to go in lavender and black bamboo. To see these works in progress, please check out my Instagram page.
New in the shop this week are some diamond twill towels in a colorway that I’m calling “Flower Garden”:
I’m reserving six of these for my online shop and six will be heading to the Sarah Orne Jewett Museum Shop for their seasonal holiday sale, South Berwick, Maine, which beings in November.
Signing off for now. The bamboo is calling for me.
Be well,
kate k.
Kate Kilgus 