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Continuing in this blog series of new yarns from BettaKnit we move onto Soy Cotton and Love My Jeans. Two interesting yarns with a range of great colours. Perfect for home accessories and summer knits.

With an ethos in sustainable fashion BettaKnit produce fibres from recycled material and by-products from the fashion and food processing industries. They design their yarns with an eco-friendly mentality. This is done in a variety of ways; Through a recycling process which pollutes very little and consumes little energy. Spinning with the lowest amount of toxic or polluting chemical substances and focusing on fibres that are easy to recycle. 

We have introduced four new yarns. Prato Cotton a chunky weight 100% recycled cotton. Pima Cotton a DK weight 100% Cotton. Soy Cotton a sport weight cotton and soybean fibre blend, and Love My Jeans a sport weight recycled denim cotton. In my last post I introduced Prato Cotton and Pima Cotton so now its the turn of  Soy Cotton and Love My Jeans.

Starting off we have Soy Cotton. This interesting 50/50 blend of organic cotton and soybean fibres has a a wonderful lustre and softness. These little 50g sport weight balls are great for those with sensitive skin and are also completely biodegradable. Soy fibre is interesting because it is created from the by-product of soybean processing for the food industry. The beans themselves are used mainly in the making of flour, milk and oil but the peelings and pods and other residues from this production become a waste product. The proteins from this waste product can be extracted and spun into fibre. Soy is also renewable plant. For its cultivation, it requires few pesticides and at the same time, it helps to fix nitrogen in the soil. Which creates a valid type of crop rotation. Breathable, absorbent, comfortable, and antibacterial and owing to its softness and sheen its has been called by some: ‘Vegetable Cashmere’.

Great for knitting or crocheting anything, but ideal for garments to be worn against the skin. Let’s take a look at some possible projects.

Delphinium by Laura Chau. This yarn is made for summer tops and this elegant flared tank is perfect. Worked in the round with garter stitch side details. Its flared shape is made for a drapey yarn and the Soy Cotton will just flow beautifully.

Mentzelia Shawlette by Tian Connaughton. For the yarn they call Vegetable Cashmere there is nothing better than a shawl. Worn against the neck and face it will feel like luxury. Plus offers a wonderful alternative to animal fibres. This lovely shawl is worked sideways and is edged in a pretty lace repeat.

Warrior Choker by Creations By Courtney. I came across this pattern and thought it would be ideal for the Soy Cotton. The yarns glossy finish will catch the light, which is just what you want from a piece of jewellery. This design is worked in crochet and was inspired by Dora Milaje from Black Panther.

Sophia Cardi by Toni Lipsey. This simple but modern crocheted cardigan would be a cool edition to your wardrobe. Described as ‘the perfect layering piece to transition from the winter through the warmer months’. Soy Cotton would make this a great piece for when those summer evenings get a little chilly.

Love My Jeans is a beautiful sport weight heathered yarn made from recycled denim, in a range of lovely washed out denim colours. Like the Prato Cotton, Love My Jeans it is made from recycled fibre. This time the fibre comes from jeans, which are recycled and processed the same way as the Prato Cotton in Prato, Italy. Old and worn jeans are cut into pieces, removing the buttons and zippers. The pieces are then torn up and reduced to fibres. Bringing the fibres back into the production cycle means they can again be transformed into yarn. The recycling process gives the yarn its unique quality and depth, as the yarn is not dyed twice and the fibres keep the shades they originally had.

This yarn is sturdy but also soft, ideal for homewares as well as garments. Lets take a look at some possible projects

Capel Cross by Jimenez Joseph. This top down seamless yoke cardigan is a simple shape and style. This simplicity is offset by a fun criss-cross feature that runs around the yoke. I love it and it adds a really contemporary twist.

5th Element Top by Nomad Stitches. This super fun crocheted top was inspired by the four elements in nature, with the edition of a fifth for yourself. A light summer top in a simple shape which gives you a great colour play opportunity.

Calamity by Winter’s Weather Knits. Another summer top, but I just had to include it. This time knitted, its the epitome of cool. This tee shaped top is full of texture which I think will lend well to the texture of Love My Jeans.

Sweet Clementine by Francoise Danoy. I included this shawl because I think Love My Jeans would hold up to the lace section really well. It has a reassuring structural feel that I think would block out excellently. Plus this shawls elegant simplicity is just perfect .