This blog post is for members of the Mirrix Looms x New Weaver on The Block Summer Weaving Challenge. Haven't joined? Click here!
During the week of July 15th, our summer weaving challenge will be about using unique materials. We've teamed up with GIST: Yarn & Fiber to choose some fun yarns you may be interested in using for that challenge.
If you do use one of these yarns in that challenge or in any other challenge, we'll send you a coupon code for $10 off of your next Mirrix Looms order of $80 or more. We'll give you more details on this when the challenge launches.
Here are the unique yarns we think you might like to try:
Japanese Silk Stainless Steel Weaving Yarn
This silk stainless steel weaving yarn is created by ITO Yarns in Japan ~ this line of yarn is called Tetsu. Tetsu is a wonderful marriage of silk and metal. A stainless steel filament twisted with mulberry silk adds "memory" to the fabric and allows it to be formed or shaped sculpturally after it comes off the loom. It's a very fine yarn most suitable as weft - you can pair it with another strand of a different material, or weave with a single strand.
We have tried using this as weft in a bead/fiber combination piece. It is thin and strong enough to string beads onto and pretty enough to weave without the beads. It is a fun yarn to add to your collection whether you're a bead or fiber weaver.
This glittering weaving yarn is created by Ito Yarns in Japan ~ this line of yarn is called Kin Gin. Kin Gin adds a little bling and glamour to your weaving. Use alone as a weft, or pair with another strand of a different material.
If you want to add sparkle and some texture to your weaving (bead or fiber) this is a great choice. We used this in this bracelet.
Ever tried weaving with paper? Try it out with this bold indigo blue paper yarn.
PaperPhine's paper yarn is durable, handwashable, and has a wonderful, warm feeling with a bit of papery shine
We used a few colors of the thick paper yarn in this fun wool and paper piece earlier this year. You can get basic instructions for that project here. It would be a perfect project for the upcoming challenge if you've never tried weaving with paper yarn before.
Looking for a new source of hemp weaving yarn? Look no further! This high quality hemp comes in a range of sizes and is created by a mill in Romania that specializes in spinning hemp.
We are super excited to try out the Italian Hemp Weaving Yarn. This might just be what I use for my unique materials challenge!
