Rowan Denim

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1 Rowan Denim
2 Manufacturer's Info
3 Reviews
4 Free Patterns
5 Other Articles of Interest
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[edit] Rowan Denim

[edit] Manufacturer's Info

Gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rows to 10cm/4in on size US #6 needles

Weight: DK

Wraps per inch:

Fibre Content: 100% cotton

Care Instructions: Machine wash and dry

Yardage: 101 yards or 93 m/50 g

[edit] Reviews

Rowan Denim is a unique cotton yarn because of its wearing and shrinking qualities. The first time denim yarn is washed, the knitting shrinks 10% - 20% in the vertical direction (making a standard sweater shorter, for example). Over time, with washing and wearing, the colour fades like denim jeans, because the yarn is dyed with indigo after being spun. Of course the Ecru colourway (nearly white) does not fade.

Since Rowan denim is so cool but it can be expensive, there's some discussion of what substitutions would be good. Elann.com discontinued their almost identical "den-m-nit" yarn, and I've never seen "Indigo Jeansgarn" by Marks and Kattens. Twilleys Freedom Cotton does behave the same way, and it can be ordered online -- the cheapest UK source I saw was Texere, and cheapest American source was Ericas. Mercerized cotton yarn at the same gauge doesn't shrink in the same way, so to substitute a mercerized cotton yarn, the knitter would have to be happy with a shorter garment or add more rows.

--Lisa 12:23, 11 April 2007 (PDT)