This yarn is a huge sigh of relief for fans of HiKoo® Simplicity who like larger projects! One 200 gram cake contains the equivalent of 4 hanks of Simplicity! That means many accessory-sized items can be made with one cake, while larger projects may only need 2-5 cakes.
Featured as Michelle Hunter’s final KAL before her hiatus, the Audition shawl (pictured above) takes one hank of Simplicity Spray, and 2 hanks of your favorite Simplicity solid 50 gram hanks!
Featured in a fun array of ‘spray-dyed’ colors, this mix of spray-tonal and spray-multi colors all match well together, making for fun multi-color and fade projects.
Tell us what you’d make with this yarn!
55% Merino Superwash, 28% Acrylic, 17% Nylon
456 yards per 200 gram cake
Approximately 5 stitches per inch on US 4 - 6 (3.50 - 4.00 mm) needles
Concentric Cotton was created after the success of it’s worsted weight, baby alpaca counterpart: Concentric.
This 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton, fingering weight alternative is truly a bundle of joy. With a generous 929 yards in each 200 gram cake, just one or two is enough to create nearly any project!
Best of all, this yarn is alluring for multiple crafts as crocheters, weavers and machine knitters will also appreciate the reasonable price point, lack of ends to weave in, and cake put-up for easily usability.
100% Pima Cotton
929 yards per 200 gram cake
Approximately 5.5-6 stitches per inch on US 4-6 (3.50 - 4.00 mm) needles
If you’re in the market for the look of a hand-dyed yarn, look no further than Boots from Schoppel-Wolle! Made from a blend of wool, cotton and nylon, this yarn is the perfect blend for socks, garments, shawls and more!
The shawl House Down Boots is a great example of this yarn’s versatility as it combines both knitting and crochet techniques, and blocks like a dream with just steam!
Pro Tip:To protect the hand-dyed beauty of this yarn, we suggest testing your preferred blocking method on a swatch which uses all colors to assess colorfastness before doing so on your final piece.
44% Superwash Wool, 42% Cotton, 14% Nylon
437 yards per 100 gram hank
Approximately 7 stitches per inch on US 0 - 1 (2.00 - 2.25 mm) needles
Want to dye your own? Shiloh is the exact same yarn base as Boots, which means you can dye your own colors, and then combine your handiwork with the colors already available! You can find this wonderful undyed yarn HERE just waiting for your colorful inspiration.
The perfect wool-free yarn, CoBaSi DK by HiKoo® features the same blend as it’s popular fingering weight counterpart. This washable yarn is a super-soft option that wont sag overtime, thanks to the inclusion of elastic nylon.
Wether you’re making a large project like a throw or cardigan, or something smaller like slipper socks, the versatility of this yarn is truly endless. Available in both solid and tonal colorways in 50 gram hanks, they’re great for colorwork that won’t break the bank!
This yarn also comes in a sock worsted weight. Check out CoBaSi and CoBaSi Plus!
Talk about summer comfort! Long-staple organic cotton is harvested in Greece and brought to Schoppel's factory, where it is spun and dyed in shadow colors. The processes used are environmentally friendly and use less water than traditional dyeing methods.
Whether crocheted or knitted, Cotton Ball has an amazing drape. The finer stitches create a wonderfully simple, polished fabric. We love the Easky top designed in this yarn by Anna Maria Busch! Its simple construction provides a playground for the subtle color variations to dance across each row of stitches.
What will you make with this wonderful yarn? We can't wait to see your creations. Remember to tag us in social media @makersmercantile when you share your finished objects!
An ideal yarn for between-season garments, Kimono by Zitron is made of 3 plies of Mulberry silk wrapped around a core of Merino wool. It is available in a number of wonderful colors, and works up to reveal gorgeous textures in both knitted and crocheted projects.
More than just a pretty yarn, Kimono is also manufactured in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1. That means it tests free of harmful substances, and is ideal for next-to-skin projects for anyone (including babies!)
All Zitron yarns are:
Manufactured in Germany
Guaranteed mulesing-free (that is, no wool-bearing skin is removed)
Yarns and dyes are certified in accordance with Oko-Tex Standard 100 Product Class 1
Baby saliva resistant
Absolute top quality in their segment
Manufactured in accordance with the most stringent environmental and social standards
These statements are confirmed and vouched for by: Marita & Klemens Zitron, Atelier Zitron Michael Thierling, Textilfarberei Hischhorn
In 2007, skacel collection, inc. , the wholesale distributor of addi, Schoppel Wolle, and Zitron Yarns in the USA, found that despite representing over 150 yarns, there were still products that customers wanted that were not available on the market. With this in mind, they decided to create their own line – and the Hikoo® brand was born.
One of the first goals for this new brand was to create a wool-free sock yarn. The design team got together (they are all avid knitters and crocheters) and began to build a prototype on paper on what would be the perfect sock yarn – without any animal fibers. Of course the biggest concern was what is referred to in the industry as "memory". Sheep’s wool, as well as most other animal fibers, have good memory, meaning after being stretched out the fibers will return to their original shape. Other natural fibers, such as plant based fibers, do not do this. Making a pair of socks out of plant based fibers usually leaves one disappointed, as the socks continuously fall down the leg and stretch out.
UNLESS, of course, you add in elastic.
So there was a start – a plant based fiber mixed with elastic. Hemp, Flax and Linen were all considered, and although these fibers are strong, none of them are really soft on the skin. The team wanted durable and comfortable. That left cotton, as a synthetic was out of the question. So, cotton was specified, and a sample of a 90% cotton and 10% elastic yarn was requested. One would think this would be perfect, as most socks purchased at the store are a cotton and elastic mix, usually around 95% cotton and 5% elastic, but it was not. Socks were knit from the sample, and unfortunately, the blend ended up not only being a bit rough on the foot, but the 10% elastic did not keep the sock up on the calf for very long!
Back to the drawing board.
The next go around, the elastic percentage was raised to 15%, and bamboo was added for softness. Once more, when the sample arrived, socks were knitted – and they were better – but not good enough. They still pooled around the ankle after a few hours. So it was back to the drawing board.
Again.
The next sample had 20% elastic in it, 60% cotton, and 20% bamboo. When it was delivered, socks were knit. And, they actually stayed up on the leg! They were not stretching out! But, the socks lacked luster, and seemed rather dull. Shine was needed. Where do you find shine? The team already felt they had too much synthetic in the blend with the 20% elastic, so it had to be a natural fiber.
Enter Silk!
Silk is strong and has a glossy sheen, so the cotton content was reduced to 50%, the bamboo and elastic remained at 20%, and 10% silk was added.
When the yarn got to Skacel, the team got to knitting socks. And this time they felt great on the foot, they didn’t slouch at the ankle, and they had just enough sheen to reflect a little light. The team thought they had it.
But no. The silk was making the yarn too expensive. So they lowered the silk content to 8%, lowered the bamboo to 16%, and raised the percentages of the cotton and elastic, to 55% and 21% respectively.
The samples arrived, socks were knit, and they were perfect! A new yarn had been developed.
Now – came the tough part – what to name it. After a few weeks of deliberation, it was decided to that since the yarn has so many different components in it, to shorten them all, sort of like abbreviations used on a chemistry chart – and call it Cobasi – Cotton (co), Bamboo (ba) and Silk (si). The elastic part was not mentioned in the name, but no one seemed to miss it... although if it wasn't there, we'd be back to square one.
55% Cotton, 16% Viscose from Bamboo, 8% Silk, 21% Elastic
220 yards (201 meters) per 50 gram hank
Available in Sock, DK and Plus weights
Made in Taiwan
So there you have it. The story of CoBaSi and how it came to be. Who knew that developing yarns took that much effort and research! And now that it has been a while since CoBaSi first came out, there are DK and Plus weights as well.
The weather here is cold and snowy, so we decided to share this fun photo from the Socks Appeal Boxers pattern. Want to make some amazingly comfy boxers? We know the perfect yarn.
For an introduction to what goes on in this column, click here.
I grew up in a family of Jewelry Guys. Guys like my grandfather. He wore dark, conservative suits to work; but at leisure, he treated each finger to a fat, gold ring and fastened thick ropes and chains of gold around his neck and wrists. The term “bling daddy” was not then in common usage, so my grandfather was described by Marv, his favorite jeweler, as being “a connoisseur of the finer men’s accessories.”
I inherited one of my grandfather’s signet rings. It’s a lump of solid gold with his initials engraved in a script so florid that it’s totally illegible. I never wear it. First, because my grandfather’s hands were so plump that this (a pinky ring) is too large to wear on my thumb. Second, it’s so heavy that if I hung it around my neck (as a friend suggested) I would be unable to stand upright.
I did not care for my grandfather’s aesthetic. He was, in my hotheaded teenaged opinion, far too shiny far too much of the time. What with the gold decorations, the rayon camp shirts, and the Brilliantine that glued his remaining hair to his skull, he sparkled like the top of the Chrysler Building at dawn. A bit much, I thought, for a quiet, middle-class life in the Detroit suburbs.
Then I grew to manhood. And though my own gold chains and charms (all childhood gifts from grandpa’s side of the family) sit untouched next to that enormous ring, I have discovered that I, the little bauble, have not fallen far from the gewgaw tree.
The only difference is where I put the decorations.
My weakness? Cuff links.
Oh, sweet sainted Harry Winston how I do love cuff links. My collection is ridiculous.
No, that’s not all of them. Not even close.
I wear them, yes. I but I don’t wear them absolutely every day; and even if I did, no person needs this many cuff links. It’s not as though they wear out frequently. And most cuffed shirts come with, you know, buttons. Buttons are far more convenient. Buttons are practical. Buttons make sense.
Yet I keep on buying cuff links.
The Perfect Motif
Not that I buy indiscriminately. Heavens, no. Aside from the potentially catastrophic drain on my bank balance, the most frustrating thing about the cuff link obsession is that modern jewelers assume men want links reflecting one of these lifestyles:
These do not appeal to me, but the cuff link world tips heavily to designs incorporating golf tees, horseshoes, mallards, anchors, propellers, aces and spades, and huge weird agglomerations of colored rhinestones stuck in large chunks of all that glitters but is not gold.
No, thank you.
When I do find a set that expresses Who I Am as a Cuff Link Wearer, I snatch it right up. For example, florals. I love flowers. These anonymous Art Nouveau snowdrops were in a jar in a Seattle antiques mall. I got ’em for less than twenty bucks.
And these beanies? A gift, from a friend whose husband wore them for years on the bench as a judge. I may ask to be buried in them.
Those are propellers I can dig. (And they spin!)
Do It Yourself
I am delighted to find that some of the paraphernalia of traditional American and European menswear is making a comeback. There are burgeoning cuff link collectors groups, and groups for men who like suits, and what-have-you.
Most manufacturers have yet to catch up with the modern diversity of tastes, though. So it’s a relief and a pleasure to learn that if you have access to a supplier like Makers’ Mercantile, which carries the full line of Skacel Buttons, you can quite easily make handsome, fun cuff links that speak to those outside the horsie-duckie-boaty set.
There are many ways to go about making cufflinks from buttons. I’m going to show two in this column. Both methods are accessible to people who are not otherwise deeply into making jewelry, and who haven’t got any special jewelry-making equipment at home.
First, though, let’s have a look at a few buttons.
Two-button links require, as the name suggests, two buttons for each cuff. They are double-sided, meaning the finished link is decorative on both sides. They are not only extra handsome, they’re also best for shank buttons whose shanks are difficult or impossible to remove.
Pliers (left) and Nippers (right)
To make them, you’ll need:
• four shank buttons, matching or coordinating
• two four-inch lengths of 18-gauge craft wire
• wire nippers
• needle nose pliers
The buttons I chose for this method are from Skacel’s line of European glass. I could have ground or filed off the shanks (more about that in the next section), but there’s a risk of breakage. Also, I am deeply enamored of this design and wanted to multiply it by four.
Step 1. Slide the wire through the shank of the first button and, using the pliers, bend back half an inch of the wire.The first button is now loosely secured in place.
Note: 18-gauge wire is sturdy enough not to snap from normal use, but flexible enough that you won’t need brute strength to work with it. Most folks can easily bend and twist it with fingers, but pliers will make it easier to be precise.
Step 2. Slide the other end of the wire through the shank of the second button, until the button rests against the cut end of the first bend.
Step 3. Bend back the free end of the wire to loosely secure the second button.
Step 4. With the pliers, gently coil the free end of the wire around and around the length of wire connecting the buttons, starting just past the shank of the second button. Continue to coil until you reach the shank of the first button.
Step 5. With the nippers, snip off the remainder of the wire.
Step 6. With the pliers, press the cut end of the wire into the coil to secure.
And there you have a double-sided cufflink.
IMPORTANT NOTE. In this case, I am using four of the same button. But here’s a caveat: some buttons may be the right diameter to serve as links, but may also be too thick to easily fit through a ready-made buttonhole. That is, in fact, the case with these glass buttons.
Does it mean I can’t use these? Not at all. My preferred shirt brand is extra-generous with the buttonholes, so these will squeak through. But what I will likely do for ease of dressing is replace the second button with a smaller, coordinating button like this one, BR0971G14, which is 14mm rather than 18mm:
Then only the smaller button need pass through the holes. Combining a smaller button and a larger button looks perfectly fine, and does allow you (if you so desire) to use quite large and flashy buttons for the outside of your two-button link. That’s an especially fun way to dress up a plain blouse, by the way.
Method Two: Lever-Back Links
This is even simpler than method one. ‘
cuff link blanks
You will need:
• two buttons, matching or coordinating
• two good-quality cuff link blanks, available from Makers’ Mercantile
• a metal file or a motorized grinding tool
• a hot glue gun
• safety glasses or goggles
• a small vise (if using motorized grinder)
First, we want to get rid of the button shanks.
Before we do that, keep in mind that we’re dealing with metal. Bits of it tend to fly off as we work. This isn’t difficult, and it’s nothing to be scared of. However, reasonable safety precautions are vital. First, eye protection: safety goggles or safety glasses.
Second, do this only in area where you will not endanger others–keep pets, kids, nosy partners, etcetera, well away. A workshop, garage, or outdoor space is a best bet; and always do a thorough sweep/vacuum afterwards to remove all metal debris you create.
On all the metal-back buttons I selected, I was able to easily snip off the shanks…
…using a pair of standard, inexpensive wire nippers–easily procured from a hardware dealer, and likely already sitting in your toolbox if you have one.
Post clipping, all the buttons still had vestigial nubbins on the back.
To make a really nice set of links, we want to remove the nubbins and create a completely flat surface.
There are two options. The first works perfectly well, but takes a little longer. Use a metal file…
…and file away by hand until the nubbins are gone. It takes less time than you think.
Or, if you have a little motorized helper like a Dremel, you can pop in a metal-grinding attachment (this is Dremel Head 8193)…
…and use it to grind off the nubs after you have placed the button securely in a vise…
…which I like to drape with a piece of scrap cloth or (better) a thin rubber pad to avoid scraping the finish on the public side of the button.
After grinding, give the button a minute to cool down completely before you take it out of the vise.
It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Do not ever attempt to grind the back of a button with a motorized tool while holding the button in your hand.
With the back of your buttons nice and smooth, fetch your cuff link blanks and your hot glue gun.
pew pew pew
Apply a nice blob of hot glue to the pad on the blank, spreading it out a bit but keeping away from the edges…
…and immediately press it against the center back of the button.
The glue will set quickly, but let the piece sit and harden for a good 30 minutes before you try to put it on. If you find any stray “hairs” of glue showing, they’re easy to pick off before you give the link a final buff with a clean cloth.
Should you mess up, by the way–say, you don’t put the two surfaces together quite quickly enough and they won’t stick–it’s possible to pick off the dry glue and try again. Ask me how I know.
Cuff Link Giving Guide
In less than an hour, I found myself with multiple new, cute sets of cuff links–all of them slick enough for me to wear in a dressy setting. I can’t keep them all, sadly, so I’ve been thinking about who else might like to have them.
Zap! Splat!
Suited To: Comic Book Fans, Gamers, Superheroes, Illustrators, Stylish Street Fighters
Skulls
Suited To: Undertakers, Horror Fans, Bikers, Anatomy Professors, Goth Bankers, The Undead
Kitties
Suited To: Cat People, People with Cats, Cat Fanciers, Most Knitters You Will Ever Know, Veterinarians
Oak Leaf and Acorns
Suited To: Academics, Botanists, Lumberjacks, Tree Surgeons, Squirrels, Piglet
Next Time…
I put away the glue gun, roll up my sleeves, and try to figure out what to do when Makers’ Mercantile sends me this.
He travels constantly to teach knitters at shops and guilds across the country and internationally; and has been a popular member of the faculties of such festivals as Vogue Knitting Live!, STITCHES Events, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, Squam Arts Workshops, the Taos Wool Festival, Sock Summit, and the Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat.
Franklin’s varied experience in the fiber world includes contributions of writing and design to Vogue Knitting, Yarn Market News, Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet, PieceWork, Twist Collective; and a regular columns and cartoons for Mason-Dixon Knitting, PLY Magazine, Lion Brand Yarns, and Skacel Collection/Makers’ Mercantile. Many of his independently published designs are available via Ravelry.com.
He is the longtime proprietor of The Panopticon, one of the most popular knitting blogs on the Internet (presently on hiatus).
Franklin lives in Chicago, Illinois, cohabiting shamelessly with 15,000 books, a Schacht spinning wheel, four looms, and a colony of yarn that multiplies whenever his back is turned.
For an introduction to what goes on in this column, 
