Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton DK Naturally Dyed is an epic title for a ball of wool, but it is a 100% organic cotton yarn, and it has been made to ensure that everyone in the line of growing, spinning and creating the yarn gets the best money and make the best living for their families. Now normally a ball of this costs you £5.50 for 120m of DK yarn. I think this is quite a lot of money in comparison to other cotton yarns, but you are getting organic and naturally dyed. The tension of this yarn is 22sts over 30 rows over 10cm, so within the basic DK tension requirements.
My yarn cost me £1. Yep, £1 a ball, from John Lewis in Bluewater, in the odd ball bin. Mine is also faded. I have the indigo shade, and it has faded on the outside, so I am guessing if you leave your garments out or in the back of the car, then they are going to fade. However, I have 2 balls of it, and I actually don't mind the fading. The yarns are pretty much all varigated anyway so the fading doesn't really matter to me.
I like this yarn. It is soft, and surprisingly for a cotton yarn it is not too splitty when you knit it on wooden needles. On metal, it does a bit, but still it is not as bad as others so I actually love it. The colour is delicate and pretty, and I like it. Its expensive I think for what it is, but I am not an organic kinda girl. I am not going to justify my position, because each to their own. The tension is good, and I love the finished fabric. It knits well on 4mm needles, and I wouldn't go any bigger on the needles, with some cottons you can, not with this one.
Would I buy this cotton again? Actually, if I was looking for a cotton, then yes I would. I know its discontinued, but it is a lovely non-split cotton yarn, easily blocked but the colour runs. The natural dye does run a bit, not majorly, and because of the variegated it doesn't really notice. It is hand wash only and non-tumble driable so the care of the finished work is problematic. I've knit a bib from it to get a good swatch, and its cotton, so it has to be a bit absorbent.
So colours? Now the one above is a slightly faded Indigo (994) a pretty shade of blue. Others include Madder (980) a light rose pink, Brazilwood (982) a brighter rose pink, Quebracho and Cuba (983) a pale green, Lipstick Tree (985) a very bright orange, Natural (986) which looks like natural cotton, Quebracho Bark (987) which is a milk chocolate colour, Myrobolan (988) a light tan colour, Cherry Plum (989) a reddy brown, Oak Apple (990) a charcoal grey, Chrysanthamum (991) a very dusky pink, Chlorophyll (992) a light green, Oak Bark (995) a light grey, Rhubarb (996) a light yellow/ cream and finally Light Brazilwood (997) a lighter version of 982.
Now I'm off because I've already burnt one of my cakes for my Dad's birthday cake getting too involved with wool!!!! Happy 50th Birthday Daddy!!!
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