By Claudia Ostrop
A flat, 50 g ball, delicate shiny and silky: that's Cumbria! Where does its delicate shimmer come from? It cannot be from silk since it is a vegan yarn after all. A look at the label reveals its secret: Cumbria is made of high-quality pima cotton and bamboo viscose. The 60 percent cotton comes from Peru and the 40 percent viscose from China. The yarn is spun and dyed in Peru. Cumbria is incredibly delicate and soft, with a very fine fluff - if you didn't know better, you would take it for a merino-silk blend.
The 50 g ball has a length of 164 yds with a recommended needle size of 3 US / 10 UK. As always, this is only a guideline, since we all knit differently and the gauge can sometimes even be influenced by the material of the needles themselves. So please always take the time to knit a swatch - this saves disappointments and, in the worst case, poorly fitting items of clothing!
Because Cumbria is so soft and smooth, casting stitches and knitting the first row is simple. The thread glides "like butter" (maybe not quite an appropriate description for a vegan yarn!). So knitting is quick and pretty soon you are able to enjoy a piece in stockinette stitch, for example. The knitted fabric has a great drape with a silky and fluffy feel. But Cumbria has more to offer than just that: It also looks very beautiful, noble and soft while remaining natural when knitting knobs, lace patterns or braids.
Like many yarns, Cumbria also blooms when washed and blocked. Please do not be alarmed: the wet or damp knit looks a bit crumbly and hard at first. Let it dry flat on a terry towel, and when it is dry it will be even more beautiful than before!
The fibre properties of cotton and viscose make Cumbria a great all-season yarn. Thanks to its fine fleece, it has warming properties while keeping you cool in the summer months. So, what are you going to knit? Perhaps a nice cardigan or a light summer sweater? The delicate sheen and beautiful drape of the knitted fabric make Cumbria a great choice for scarves and shawls. This cotton-viscose blend can also be worn by sensitive people directly on the skin - and can even be washed in the washing machine at 86 °F (30°C)!
Cumbria is available in 30 vibrant colours – step this way to our shop!
