Bernat Bamboo Yarn-Turning Wood in to Silk Review (Miragi)

Pros

-Soft, silky, cuddly feel
-Available in stores and online
-Versatility (works great with both crochet and knitting)
-Durability (strands do not separate or snag easily when worked with)

Cons

-Pricing (amount of yarn for retail price makes for costly larger projects)
-Washability (can only be hand washed and laid out to dry)
-Limited color palette

Full Review

Yarn addicts worldwide adore natural fibers, and yarn manufacturers are doing their best to provide a variety of natural fiber yarns to meet the growing demand.  Canada-based yarn company, Bernat has created the Natural Blends line, which includes bamboo, corn, cotton, wool and soy.  For now, however, we'll focus on Bernat's Natural Blends Bamboo yarn.

The Bamboo blend (86% bamboo 12% acrylic 2% polyester) comes in 60 g/2.1 oz balls which amounts to 63 yards.  The recommended crochet hook  and knitting needle size varies from website to label.  Website recommends 6mm (J) hook and 6mm (10) needles, while the label suggests using an 8mm (L) hook and size 11 needles.  The yarn is classified as a #5 Bulky weight yarn; however, this yarn can easily be worked with smaller hook sizes, depending on user preference and type of project.

The current, very limited, color palette includes a selection of 8 pastel shades:  Linen, Wicker, Corn, Ginger, Dill, Water, Lotus and Rosehip. The content blend and the dyes used to color the yarn create a silky, near shiny luster that picks up different tones from the light.  While the yarn is a bit fuzzy in appearance, it is unbelievably soft and not the least bit scratchy or irritating.

Although Bernat Bamboo yarn would be ideal for baby items such as hats, blankets and sweaters, its delicate nature would probably not hold up to repeated washings.  This yarn would be perfect for creating elegant wraps, delicate shell sweaters, scarves, hats and even home decor items such as throw pillow covers.

In Closing

Bernat Bamboo yarn is the perfect fiber choice for creating pieces of couture quality.  The yarn's lustrous sheen and comforting texture, whether straight stitched or used in finely detailed patterns, will be treasured by anyone who comes in contact with it.