Weaving Face Cloths with Hemp or Nettle

Often we get asked what to make out of our handspun Hemp and Nettle. Knitted facecloths are the obvious answer, but what about woven facecloths? This site recently featured a project using hemp or nettle yarn to weave loop-pile cloths on a rigid heddle loom--although nearly any loom would work.

What if you don't weave? then what should you make? Often Hemp or Nettle can be substituted for linen in patterns where you can get the same gauge. Like linen, the yarns will soften with wash and wear. Another idea similar to a facecloth is a little drawstring scrub bags for your favorite soaps--add a loop to hang when wet so the soap dries out. Or crochet hats, little pouches and purses, embellishments--like flowers to embellish your knits with, market bags, and even simple placemats and other home decor items take on a whole new aesthetic when knit with hemp or nettle.

Check out our free pattern page for two patterns, Farm Market Purse and Hipster, that use nettle or hemp as a carry-along.

Four free patterns added for download...

Ring-around-the-peak Hat

Between the Lines Hat

Banana Beret (crochet)

Ballia Bag


Check our free patterns page to download.

New felt bags and a new yarn just listed on the website!

" Retro" Petals



"Dot-to-dot" Medium Needecases --more sizes and colors available

"Bloom" Medium Needlecases --more sizes and colors available

If you didn't see us at TNNA, then you probably haven't seen our newest series of felt needlecases and notions bags. Check out this page for all the details on colors and sizes available.

Hand Picked "Stripe"

This yarn has been spun one color at a time so that it randomly self-stripes as you knit. Brightly colored in fuchsia, lime, yellow, turquoise, red, and purple. Find it here.

Check back here, or email to get on the mailing list to find out when more new items are released.

A new free pattern has just been listed....

A new free pattern has just been listed: Okranana. With only one skein of Banana Silk yarn you can create the smaller size, 3 skeins makes the larger size. I used a skein of Sari Ribbon to finger crochet the strap on the larger size, however there is enough Banana Silk yarn leftover to do i-cord if you prefer.

I’ve always hated math—but somehow when knitting is involved, I find it can be really interesting! This bag experiments with the idea that geometric shapes can be knitted from the outside in by placing decreases in the right spots. No matter the number of stitches, decreasing at an average of 4 stitches per row will keep the work flat as you work toward the center. How you line up the decreases determines the shape and number of sides.

To create this bag you start at the outside edges and work inward, forming a pentagonal shape. Work the second side from a provisional cast-on, and this will make the bag seamless. When you knit handspun Banana Silk yarn at a tight gauge, it creates an ideal fabric for bags.

Okra-nana? Okra is pentagonal, banana is the yarn.

we're back...and blogging!

We're back from our first trip to TNNA! It was fabulous!

It was our first trip to Ohio, to TNNA, and our first time to exhibit. We met people we've known for years, but had never met in person...and made several new friends, too.

If you stopped by our booth, you couldn't miss the huge jar of our felted baubles--seen below. We had a contest going to see who was closest to guessing the total number of balls. No one guessed exactly, but many got very close. K. Miller was the very closest to guessing the mystery number of 1099. A box of goodies will be on their way to the lucky winner.

Watch our email newsletter for our next contest--email me to get on the list. Giving away free stuff is fun! (even if we don't arrive in a limo with a huge cardboard check)