Summer Yarn Guide: Soy Cotton

Along with summer, the desire to knit with light and fresh yarns that are ideal for this season is stronger. Among the various types of yarn suitable for summer, Soy Cotton certainly deserves special attention. This yarn, obtained from the combination of soybean fiber and cotton, offers a series of advantages and unique characteristics that make it perfect for creating fresh and comfortable garments and accessories.

In this guide, we will delve into the characteristics of Soy Cotton, its advantages, how to work it, and which projects are suitable for this material.

What is Soy Cotton?

Soy Cotton is a yarn made from a combination of soybean fiber and cotton.

Soybean fiber, obtained from the protein of the soybean plant, is a biodegradable and environmentally friendly material, compared to silk for its beauty and luster, to cashmere for its softness. Cotton is a natural vegetable fiber and it’s highly appreciated for its softness and resistance.

The union of these two fibers creates an extremely versatile, soft and summer-friendly yarn.

Benefits of Soy Cotton

Soy Cotton offers numerous advantages that make it an ideal yarn for the summer:

1. Softness and lightness: Soy Cotton is very soft and light, thanks to the combination of soy fiber and cotton. This makes it perfect for summer clothes and accessories that are cool and comfortable against the skin, also it is especially good for blankets and children’s clothing.
2. Breathability and thermoregulation: Soy Cotton is a breathable yarn, capable of rapidly absorbing and releasing humidity. This property makes it ideal for summer when heat and humidity make those garments made with less breathable yarns uncomfortable. The soy fiber, combined with the cotton, allows the air to circulate freely, keeping the body cool and dry even on the hottest days.
3. Strength and durability: Soy Cotton is strong and durable, thanks to the properties of the cotton and the breaking strength of the soy fiber, which is three times higher than wool. This means that garments made with Soy Cotton keep their shape and last a long time.
4. Antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties: Soy fiber has natural antibacterial properties, which help prevent the formation of bad smells and keep garments fresh and hygienic, even after prolonged use. Soy fiber is hypoallergenic, which means it is less likely to cause allergic reactions than other fibers.

Technical characteristics of Soy Cotton: composition, weight and length, recommended needles

Bettaknit’s Soy Cotton has several features that make it a unique yarn suitable for summer.

1. Composition: It is composed of 50% soybean fiber and 50% organic cotton, a balanced combination that offers the best of both fibers.

2. Weight and footage: Each skein weighs 50 grams per 145 meters of length (159 yds). This is adequate footage to create thin and fresh garments, perfect for the summer.

3. Recommended needles and hooks: When working with Soy Cotton, it’s essential to choose the right crochet hook and knitting needles. In general, for such a light,  thin yarn, we recommend crochet hooks and needles between 3 and 4 mm in size. However, it is always primary to make a tension swatch before starting your project to verify that the size of the tools chosen is correct to obtain the desired result.

How to work Soy Cotton

Soy Cotton is easy to work with, thanks to its softness and structure. Here are some tips on how to work this yarn:

1. Yarn Tension: A constant tension when knitting with Soy Cotton, it’s important to avoid the knit is uneven or too tight. If you want to obtain a uniform and well-defined result, try to maintain a constant thread tension. It means therefore avoid pulling too much so as not to compromise the softness of the finished garment. In this regard, remember that according to your personal tension, you can increase or decrease the gauge of the needles and crochet hooks.

2. Swatch: Before starting a project with Soy Cotton, it is essential to make a swatch to verify that the needle (or hook) size is correct and to ensure that you get the desired result. You can make a swatch by working a square of fabric, using the stitch and the size of the tools indicated in the diagram you are following. Generally, we refer to the number of stitches and rows (or rounds) per 10 cm. However, we recommend making a fabric measuring at least 15×15 cm, as both the first and last stitches on the needle are always crooked, narrower, or looser than necessary, and the cast-on and cast-off rows also have different tension. The same can be true when crocheting. In this way, it will be possible to measure the stitches in the center without getting close to the edges.

3. It works well with: Soy Cotton lends itself to a wide range of stitches. For summer season, airy, light, and openwork stitches are recommended, such as the Irish Mesh Stitch, the Tiny Square Eylet Stitch, or the Rosebud Stitch.

What project to make with Soy Cotton

Soy Cotton is ideal for making a wide range of summer garments and accessories, thanks to its light, breathable and comfortable properties.

It is perfect for creating sweaters, tops, light cardigans, both knitted and crocheted, ideal for summer days.

With Soy Cotton it is possible to make summer accessories such as scarves and foulards. Furthermore, thanks to its breathable and antibacterial properties, it is also suitable for making children’s clothing.

Soy Cotton Care Tips

To keep Soy Cotton garments and accessories in excellent condition, it is important to follow a few simple care tips:

1. Washing: Although Soy Cotton can be machine washed at low temperatures, using a delicate program and a mild soap, we remind you that to keep handmade garments in good condition, an even more delicate wash, such as hand washing, is preferable. Also, remember not to use bleach or fabric softeners, which could damage the fibers of the yarn.
2. Drying: It is advisable to lay Soy Cotton garments and accessories on a flat surface in the open air, away from direct sunlight, not to damage the colours. Tumble drying is not recommended, as it may shrink or deform the garments.
3. Ironing: You can iron your Soy Cotton projects on a low setting, using an iron with the steam function. Iron the garments and accessories with a damp cloth to protect the fibers and obtain an optimal result.

Alternative Yarn for Summer

Even though Soy Cotton is a good choice for summer projects, other yarns are suitable for this season as well:

Pima Cotton

Pima Cotton is a kind of high-quality cotton characterized by a long fiber and high softness. It is ideal for making light and comfortable summer garments and accessories

Raffia

Raffia is a natural yarn obtained from wood cellulose. It is vegan and biodegradable, suitable for summer accessories such as bags and hats.

Thanks to all these properties, Soy Cotton is a versatile yarn suitable for summer. Choosing this yarn for your summer projects also means opting for an ecological choice.

Soy Cotton is biodegradable, which means it decomposes naturally over time. It reduces the accumulation of waste and helps reduce the environmental impact of products made with these fibers.