Fabulous ‘fancy’ yarns from Japan

Fabulous ‘fancy’ yarns from Japan

A few days ago, we received a very exciting delivery from Mondo Fil in Kyoto, Japan. We have added to the yarns we stock from Mondo Fil, and we are so excited to tell you about the newest editions. Mondo Fil yarns are always so interesting and unique, and are so inspiring when new deliveries arrive. The boxes are always filled with playful happy colours!

We have three new yarns from Mondo Fil; California, Ischia and Plastic People. We will also be receiving another new yarn, called Kyoto Sparkle for Loop, very soon! We have an exciting giveaway for the Kyoto Sparkle for Loop, which we’ll talk more about at the end of the post!

Kyoto Sequin at Loop London
Kyoto Sparkle for Loop‘ is coming soon! (shown with a Sophie Digard scarf from Loop from years ago)

The California yarn is a flat ribbon yarn, with nubs of woven colours and a wonderfully retro colour palette. This is a cotton, nylon and acrylic blend, and is great for experimental spring/summer knits, as well as crochet projects.

Mondo Fil California at Loop London
California in the colour ‘1971’ shown with our beautiful Kinki Amibari wooden hooks, also from Japan

It would be perfect as a playful edging on a garment, or for striping with another yarn, or holding double with a yarn of a different texture. We knit and crocheted the swatches shown here with a 5mm needle and hook. We love how the crocheted swatch has a look to it a bit like a vintage patch seed quilt.

Mondo Fil California at Loop London
Mondo Fil California in the colour ‘1963’

The new Ischia yarn is also a ribbon yarn, with lots of added texture. It is a gauze-like flat yarn with stitching running up the centre as well as Mohair flower bunches.  This is quite an unusual yarn, as bouclés are often very fine, but the Ischia is fairly chunky. We recommend you work this up with a hook or needle between a 6 and 7mm.

Again, this is a great yarn to add interest to simple garments, or to add an accent to a cuff or a collar. The colours are delicious.

Our next new yarn is Plastic People. These cones of yarn are amazing neon pops, and make us smile every time we see them in the shop. Plastic People has an interesting chainette structure, and would be perfect as a pocket on a garment, or a fun edging on a blanket! It is a cotton and acrylic blend, and like the Ischia, is it quite a thick yarn, it would knit or crochet up best on a 6.5mm needle.

Mondo Fil Plastic People at Loop London
The full palette of the Plastic People yarn – such lovely brights!

The Mondo Fil yarns are perfect for experimentation. You are really able to play with your gauge with these yarns, to create different textures and interesting structures. They are yarns that hover between high end fashion and pure quirkiness.

Loop also carries Papiyon, Oshare and Rugby from Mondo Fil. There are so many fun colours and fun textures to play with!

Rugby yarns at Loop London
The full palette of the ‘Rugby’ yarn

The Papiyon would be especially good held with a worsted weight yarn for a blanket, and we have seen the Oshare knitting into the body of a simple stocking stitch sweater, which created a great effect! We also stock a great pattern from Big Bad Wool, the Oshare the Love blanket, which uses the Oshare pom pom yarn held together with Big Bad Wool Weepaca.

We have also just restocked some great books by Japanese authors, and we want to tell you about them!

The ‘Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible‘ by Hitomi Shida is an incredibly good reference book – her detailed charted patterns are perfect for adding into simple sweaters, mittens or cowls. This book has been translated into English, and also features knitted on edges and trims, and some great textured yoke ideas.

Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible at Loop London
A little extract from ‘Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible’

We have ‘Darning, Repair, Make‘ by Hikaru Noguchi back in stock too! This book has been incredibly popular at Loop, and we are so happy to have it in stock again sent to us from Hikaru in Tokyo. A book that will help you learn how to use different kinds of darning techniques, and how to create unique and beautiful fabrics. We also have some of Hikaru’s darning mushrooms!

Darning Repair Make at Loop London
A project from ‘Darning, Repair, Make’, which shows ribbon yarn being used to darn holes! Why not try it with the California yarn?

Now for the exciting news about our newest giveaway!

We are going to be giving away four little spools of the Kyoto Sparkle for Loop, one each to four people. There will be two winners for the blog and two winners for Instagram.

All you will need to do is leave a comment here on the blog, or make your own post on Instagram with the hashtag ‘LoopLovesKyotoSparkle‘.

The giveaway will be open until Thursday 7th March, and we will announce the winners here on the blog, and on our Instagram, on Friday 8th March.

Good luck everyone!

Please join us at Edinburgh Yarn Festival, on stand H1. Come and say hello, look at stunning hand dyed yarns, and meet Emily Foden, Bristol Ivy and Helga Isager! We’ll have a small amount of these yarns from Mondo Fil as well as our handmade darning mushrooms from Hikaru Noguchi and her wonderful book.

EDIT: This giveaway is now closed.

Loop Knitting is exhibiting at EYF
We’re exhibiting at EYF!

38 Comments on “Fabulous ‘fancy’ yarns from Japan

  1. Oh what fun and gorgeous yarn! You have an amazing selection of yarn and I love coming into that little shop crammed with goodness!

  2. Loving all the new yarns, however I really need to knit faster to make room in the cupboards. Just got the tassels on my tiny tassels to do and that’s another projected ticked off.

  3. Such pretty little sparkly bobbles-and all the colors are equally beautiful. Would make such a delicate edging on worn jeans.

  4. I loved using the Oshare Pom Pom yarn to make beautiful stripes on a grey shawl. I am sure this yarn would be equally inspiring.

  5. Love the suggestion to darn holes using ribbon yarn! I’m always looking for innovative ways to make clothes last longer.

  6. Gorgeous yarn…love the “1963” colourway. It inspires all kinds of creativity and adds a one of a kind feeling to any project!

  7. I am sure the Kyoto Sparkle would cheer me up here in Adelaide. It was 41 degrees today! Hurry up winter.

  8. Really enjoy reading your emails and blogs – always inspirational and these little yarns of sparkle would add the necessary “bling” to any garment.

  9. Just discovered Mobdo Fil Oshare recently and now I am looking forward to trying these other interesting yarns!

  10. What wonderful yarns. It’s been ages since I visited your shop and this is making me so very excited to come on over soon!

  11. I have would love to try Kyoto Sparkle for Loop in a project with another yarn. I always feel inspired when I see projects using this technique but haven’t taken the step to try this myself. We don’t have shops to see anything like this and I won’t be attending EYF

  12. Beautiful and exquisite yarns and ribbons. They are a delightful discovery and I love how the ribbons and threads are used to repair and give a lovely continuation to a garment.

  13. What a challenge to decide how best to show this yarn off. It’s enough to inspire me to master crocheting!

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