My Favorite Thing of the Week - Bamboo Yarn

Let me say this, bamboo yarn is amazingly soft. Incredibly soft. Microfiber soft. It is perfect for babies, or for my son, for whom I'm knitting a bamboo yarn scarf, or for that matter for me. I adore the way it feels, and the nubbly texture it has when knitted up. It has a soft drape that can't be matched in a lot of other yarns either.

From knitting.about.com:

• Bamboo is a renewable resource.
  
• Bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant, and it only takes a few months before the plant is ready to be harvested again. That makes it an environmentally friendly choice.
• Bamboo yarn, when not mixed with unnatural fibers, is biodegradable.
• Bamboo yarn is often dyed with more natural dyes that are safer for the environment.
• Bamboo fabric is naturally antibacterial.
• Bamboo also has ultra-violet protective properties.
• Fabric knitted with bamboo is quite breathable and cool and has great drape.
• Bamboo has a good luster, similar to mercerized cotton.
• Bamboo is strong, flexible, and can be softer than silk when spun into yarn.

Potential Bamboo Negatives

• Bamboo yarn loses strength when it is wet and swells considerably in water.
• The yarn may not be very cohesive. Some brands split much more than others.
• Bamboo needs to be hand-washed, so it isn't a great choice for things that need to be washed frequently.

Here are some places you can find bamboo yarn:
Classic Elite Bam-Boo
Rowan Bamboo
Plymouth Yarn - Royal Bamboo
Bernat Bamboo

Now to get back to the needles!