Quince & Co. Sparrow – Linen Delights

Sparrow by Quince & Co. Sans, Blue Spruce, Eleuthera, Banyon. Loop, London www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Sans, Blue Spruce, Eleuthera, Bayon

Crisp, smooth and light  – linen is a fibre that was made for summer. Organically grown and dyed in the most tempting fresh shades, Sparrow by Quince & Co. is next on our needles for drapey, airy garments.

Sparrow by Quince & Co. Stitch pattern in Viburnum. Loop, London www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Viburnum 208

If you are unfamiliar with working with linen, you would be forgiven for thinking it could be stiff and unwieldy. Sparrow is supple and smooth from the skein, however the real beauty of this yarn is revealed after blocking.

Not only does it hold its shape to showcase the delicate detail of lace, the knitted fabric becomes handkerchief soft. Repeated washing and enjoyment of a piece will of course soften linen even more – why not try using one of the no-rinse liquid soaps from Eucalan or Navia?

Sparrow by Quince & Co. Banyon 215. Loop, London www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Banyon 215.

We currently have our cupboards bursting with all eighteen colours – including the new shades for 2014. The original Sparrow shade ‘Sans’ is untreated, meaning a pure unbleached yarn. When this yarn is dyed, there is a subtle natural tone in each skein, from softer pastels below…

Quince & Co. Sparrow. Truffle and Viberbnum . Loop, London. www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Viberbnum and Truffle

…to richer plum tones.

Quince & Co. Sparrow. Port and Nannyberry. Loop, London. www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Port and Nannyberry

The versatility of untreated yarn lends itself to complimenting all the shades of Sparrow.  Whether in fruity summer colours…

Sparrow by Quince & Co. Sans, Pink Grapefruit, Hibiscus. Loop, London www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Sans, Pink Grapefruit, Hibiscus.

…or fresh greens.

Quince & Co. Sparrow. Greens and Sans. Loop, London. www.loopknitlounge.com
Sparrow in Sans, Citron, Little Fern, Fen

So, what delights can you create with your  new lovely linen? Once you have found your favourite shade (remember you can see all the colours via our online shop) just three skeins would make the Lida Shawl.  The clean lines of lace are just the thing to throw over your shoulders when the sun goes down – we think it could be perfect for a summer wedding accessory.

Lida Shawl -by Bristol Ivy. © Carrie Bostick Hoge
Lida Shawl -by Bristol Ivy. © Carrie Bostick Hoge

Hannah Fettig, better known for her designs under the name Knitbot, has a whole collection inspired by Sparrow. You can see how linen suits the unstructured flow of these loose cardigans and vests.

Knitbot Linen. Loop, London. www.loopknitlounge.com
CW from Left – Aproned Tank, Lineal Cardigan, Point of View Vest , all by Knitbot

Understated and classic in ‘Sans’, the Emma Shrug is another of our favourites, using only three to four skeins.

Emma Shrug - Quince & Co. Sparrow. Loop, London www.loopknitlounge
Emma Shrug

As Sparrow is a 4lpy, why not experiment with substituting this yarn and update your shawl collection for the summer months? Those of you reading this blog in warmer climes, please send the sun our way – we’re waiting for the British summer to catch up with our newly planned linen knits!

Finally, congratulations to our winners of last weeks giveaway – Shannon, Jane and Claudiapetra! We will be in touch to let you know how you can receive your patterns. Thank you to everyone who entered, make sure you keep your eye out for more giveaways in the future.

Happy Knitting!

4 Comments on “Quince & Co. Sparrow – Linen Delights

  1. Can you please add me to your emailing list for your beautiful newsletters? I recently received a parcel from a friend who included one of your gorgeous muslin shopping bags.
    Thank you so much.

    Robyn Hume
    Gibson’s, B.C.,
    Canada

    • Hi Robyn!
      We have added your email to the mailing list – you just need to confirm your subscription with the email that we have sent.
      Happy Knitting!
      xx

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