Knitting with Plant-Based Yarns: Benefits and Tips

Knitting with plant-based yarns is a delightful way to blend creativity with the natural beauty of working with yarns derived from nature. Made from fibres like cotton, bamboo, and hemp, these yarns offer an often eco-friendly alternative to synthetic or animal-based options. By choosing plant-based yarns, you can create stunning, breathable garments that offer comfort and style.

In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of plant-based yarns, share essential knitting tips, and inspire you to incorporate these natural fibres into your craft.

What Are Plant-Based Yarns?

Plant-based yarns are derived from plant fibres, offering a versatile, vegan and hypoallergenic option for knitting and other fibre crafts. Popular choices include cotton, bamboo, and hemp. These yarns are known for being versatile, plus they are available in a wide range of weights and textures, catering to different crafting needs.

Examples of Plant-Based Yarns:

• Australian Cotton Sock Yarn: Perfect for durable, lightweight socks.
• DK Australian Cotton: Ideal for everyday garments and accessories.
• Ashford Caterpillar Yarn: A variegated yarn with a unique texture, perfect for eye-catching projects.
• Australian Cotton Lace Yarn: Great for intricate lace projects.
• Maurice Brassard Cotton Chenille: Adds plush texture to home décor.
• ITO Gima: A lightweight yarn with a crisp feel.
• Hemp Weaving Yarn: Sturdy and perfect for bags and accessories.

Benefits of Plant-Based Yarns

Plant-based yarns bring a unique blend of durability, versatility, and comfort to your knitting projects. Whether you're often drawn to their eco-friendly appeal or their soft, breathable qualities, these natural fibres offer a wealth of advantages. Here’s a closer look at why plant-based yarns are a fantastic choice for conscious crafters.

• Eco-Friendly and Sustainable: Plant-based yarns can be a sustainable knitting yarn choice, often produced with minimal environmental impact. Many options, such as Australian cotton, are ethically sourced and support sustainable farming practices.
• Biodegradable Options: Unlike synthetic fibres, plant fibre yarns are biodegradable, which makes them an excellent option for eco-conscious crafters who aim to reduce waste.
• Comfort and Breathability: Plant-based yarns are incredibly breathable, keeping garments light and comfortable. This makes them ideal for summer knits and layering pieces.
• Moisture-Wicking Properties: Certain plant fibres, like bamboo, wick moisture away from the skin. This helpful feature keeps you cool and dry even in warmer climates.
• Hypoallergenic for Sensitive Skin: Natural fibre knitting with plant yarns is perfect for those with sensitive skin. Plant-based yarns are gentle and non-irritating, making them ideal for baby clothes and accessories.
• Diverse Textures and Colours: From the smooth sheen of bamboo blends to the rustic charm of hemp weaving yarn, plant-based yarns come in an array of textures and colours to suit every project.
• Long-Term Cost Savings: Plant-based yarns are durable, resulting in garments and accessories that, with proper care, last for years and offer excellent value for money.
• Supports Ethical Farming: Choosing plant-based yarns often means supporting ethical farming practices and fostering a connection between your craft and the environment.

Tips and Techniques for Knitting with Plant-Based Yarns

Knitting with plant-based yarns can be a delightful and rewarding experience, but these natural fibres have unique characteristics that may require a slightly different approach to knitting with, often less slippery, protein fibres. From choosing the right yarn to perfecting your techniques, these tips will help you get the best results and fully enjoy the process of working with eco-friendly materials.

1. Choose the Right Yarn Base

Select a yarn that complements your project. This relates both to the fibre content and the weight of the yarn. For example, Australian Cotton Sock Yarn is perfect for durable, lightweight socks, while Cotton Chenille adds a plush texture to blankets and cushions. More textured yarns like Maurice Brassard Hemp work well for textured and structured projects such as bags or even washcloths, while lighter options like Australian Cotton Lace Yarn and Maurice Brassard Bamboo are ideal for delicate lacework patterns such as shawls.

2. Adjust Tension

Plant fibres can have less natural elasticity than wool, so adjusting your tension is crucial. Plant fibres are more rigid and less forgiving, meaning that your stitches can appear uneven or the fabric might lose shape without careful tension management. To ensure your project turns out well, always knit a swatch and measure your gauge. If you find your stitches are too tight, try loosening your grip or using larger needles; if they’re too loose, tighten your tension or switch to smaller needles. Keep in mind that plant fibres may shrink and will often soften and relax after washing, so blocking your swatch is essential to understanding how the yarn will behave once finished.

3. Use Appropriate Tools

You may find that bamboo or wooden knitting needles provide better grip when working with, often, slippery plant-based yarns. This is because these materials offer more grip than metal needles, helping to prevent the yarn from slipping off the needle too easily, which can make your knitting smoother and more enjoyable. The friction created by bamboo or wood can also aid in maintaining consistent tension, making it easier to control the yarn and achieve even stitches throughout your project.

4. Cast On and Bind Off Effectively

When casting on and binding off with plant-based yarns, especially inelastic fibres like hemp, it can be difficult to avoid tight edges, which can lead to a reduction in the stretch and drape of your project. You can counteract this by using a larger needle size for these steps, allowing for a looser, more flexible edge. Alternatively, you can choose stretchy cast-on and bind-off techniques which will help maintain the fabric’s natural flow and prevent it from becoming too rigid at the edges.

5. Minimise Seams and Enhance Drape

To enhance the natural drape of plant-based yarns, it's best to minimize seams in your projects, as seams can add bulk and disrupt the smooth, fluid look these fibres often create. When seams are unavoidable, consider using a finer-weight yarn for seaming to maintain a more seamless, flexible finish. This helps the fabric retain its soft, natural drape while preventing the seams from becoming too rigid or noticeable, allowing the overall garment or accessory to flow gracefully.

6. Block and Finish Properly

Blocking helps plant-based yarns relax and set into their final shape. Your project, as well as fibre choice, will determine whether using steam or wet blocking may give the best results.

7. Handle Stretch and Recovery

Plant-based yarns, such as cotton and hemp, have less natural elasticity compared to animal fibres like wool, which can affect how your project stretches and recovers. If your design requires some stretch, like in cuffs, waistbands, or sock designs, consider incorporating ribbing or other elastic stitches into your project. These techniques create more structure and allow the fabric to stretch and recover better, giving your piece the flexibility and shape retention it might lack due to the inelastic nature of the yarn. This can help ensure your project fits comfortably and maintains its shape over time.

8. Knitting Colourwork

When knitting colourwork with plant-based yarns, opt for high-contrast colours to make your patterns stand out. Plant fibres, like cotton or linen, often have a matte finish, which can absorb and reflect light differently than the sheen of wool. Using contrasting hues ensures your colourwork is vibrant and clear.

9. Add Texture with Stitches

Plant-based yarns, with their smooth, often more rigid texture, can be perfect for showcasing interesting stitch patterns. Experimenting with textured stitches like seed stitch, moss stitch, or cables can enhance the unique qualities of these fibres, adding depth and dimension to your projects. The structure of these stitches contrasts beautifully with the inherent crispness of plant yarns, creating a visually appealing fabric that stands out.

10. Use Variegated Yarns

Yarns like Ashford Caterpillar Cotton offer stunning colour variations, perfect for creating eye-catching pieces. The subtle shifts in colour create beautiful, eye-catching patterns without the need for intricate colourwork techniques. These yarns can add depth and interest to even the simplest designs, making them perfect for projects where you want the texture and colours to shine, such as scarves, shawls, or lightweight tops.

11. Join New Yarns Seamlessly

When joining new yarns in plant-based fibre projects, it's important to create a seamless transition to maintain the smooth, consistent texture of the fabric. Techniques like the Russian join or invisible knot are perfect for this, as they securely connect the old and new yarns without creating bulky knots or visible joins.

12. Explore Crochet and Other Crafts

Plant-based yarns aren’t just for knitting. Try crochet, weaving, or macramé for diverse crafting opportunities.

13. Adapt Patterns

When using plant-based yarns for patterns originally designed for wool, it's important to adapt the instructions to account for the different properties of these fibres. Start by knitting swatches to test gauge, as plant-based yarns tend to have less elasticity and drape differently than wool. You may need to adjust needle sizes, tension, or stitch counts to ensure the fit and drape of your project remain consistent. By making these small modifications, you can successfully adapt many wool-based patterns to plant fibres while maintaining the intended look and feel of the design.

Final Thoughts on Plant-Based Yarns

Knitting with plant-based yarns is a rewarding experience that blends creativity with sustainability. By choosing eco-friendly knitting materials like Australian Cotton, you can craft beautiful, functional items while supporting ethical practices. Embrace the versatility and comfort of plant fibre yarns, and let your knitting journey reflect your commitment to mindful crafting.

Ready to start your next eco-conscious project? Explore the plant-based yarns at Thread Collective and find the perfect fibre for your knitting adventure!