Knitting Sirdar Summer Stripes Double Knitting Wool

Summer Stripes by Sirdar is a practical blend of 60% cotton and 40% acrylic.  As many of you may have experienced with cotton, it tends to stretch out of shape.  By adding the acrylic to the cotton, you get a fibre that is easier to care for and keeps it shape much better.

Pattern from Sirdar Summer Safari Book

Summer Stripes is a pretty variegated yarn from Sirdar that is good for adults and children alike.  It is machine washable (yeah!) and says to dry flat.  If you are careful, you can put the finished garment in the dryer at a lower setting for a few minutes to take some of the dampness out.  This will also cause the acrylic to come back into shape.  Be careful though as it will shrink if it gets too hot.

Summer Stripes double knitting wool is typically 22 stitches and 28 rows to 4" (approximately 10cm).  It is very important to knit your tension square before knitting your project.  I am a tight knitter and many times I have had to increase a needle size to get the correct tension. When I want to start a project I just want to go!  Well by taking the half hour (much less if you are a faster knitter then me), you will save yourself a lot of heartache and time by doing this quick step first.

Little Girls Sweater from Sirdar Summer Safari Book

With cotton or a cotton/blend, I would also recommend blocking your tension square to ensure that there isn't shrinkage.  To block, put your iron on a blend or wool setting where you will get steam.  Place the iron about 1" (2.5cm) over the tension square and steam it.  Then leave it to dry and recheck the tension.  If it is comes up to the tension you need, then you are good to go.  If it has shrank either width wise or length wise then you may need to adjust your pattern.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at enotions@enotions.ca.

Happy knitting!
Julia