Organic Cotton Petite DK Yarn Review

NEW – you all know that sign when you see it hanging next to beautiful fiber; you drop everything just to dive into the lovely new yarn! Well I had that experience recently thanks to a squishy mail delivery from one of my favorite yarnies, The Unique Sheep.

Inside was a sample of their new yarn offering, Organic Cotton Petite DK! And I’m not at all ashamed to confess that after it went through the obligatory wash, I dropped all my WIPs in order to whip out swatches to see what yarn stories Organic Cotton Petite DK was dying to tell.

Review – through the fingers
Organic Cotton Petite DK has an airy lofty feel to it. In addition to being as soft as all get out, it has just enough sheen and slide to work easily. I tried several needles sizes using bamboo needles and the yarn never split. Running it through my fingers as I knit the swatches it did feel more akin to a sport. So I decided to measure it up next to a stashed Sport, Blue Sky Fibers Skinny Cotton. Skinny Cotton is also 100% organic cotton, however, the fiber structure is cable piled. Here they are side by side:

Curious, I asked Kelly at The Unique Sheep. She kindly replied that the DK is the designation it comes with and there is sometimes very little difference between Sport and DK (on the skinny end) and DK and Worsted (on the thicker end).

Review – Swatches

In St st, US 3 was the lowest I went (I decided it was important to keep my sanity, I dropped more stitches than I care to admit). US 9 I worked about 2″ and frogged it because seriously it looked like it was knit by a drunken sailor who was attempting to swatch for the first time – totally shameful!

For me Organic Cotton Petite DK’s “happy place” needle size is a US 5. The drape is beautiful and the stitches have just enough room to let the yarn shine without so much room that it looses it structure. Overall, Organic Cotton Petite DK suited well between US 4 for a tight weave and US 6 for a more open weave.

To finish up the swatching sample squishy mail, I wanted to see how it looked in one of my favorite stitches, the twisted rib. The yarn is particularly well suited to texture! I did a quick twisted rib swatch on a US 2 to create a dense weave for fall. Look at those details.

Review – downside
Sadly one of the 5 skeins had a few (3) breaks. I contacted Kelly at the Unique Sheep to see if this would be the norm. She replied, “Generally breaks like that should not be the norm, but every once in awhile part of a cone of yarn can have some weird spots for several grams. I am assuming/hoping your yucky skein was just a fluke, but I will be sure to keep a closer eye on the yarn coming off the cones.”
Other than this, I had no downsides! Puddles is crossing his paws that ya, it was just a fluke & you know Kelly will be keeping her eye on it too.

Review – Eco Value
American Made from seed to skein: this yarn is dyed in the US, milled in the US, and the fiber is sourced in the US! Furthermore, the Unique Sheep is a dedicate to the environment and supporting others through yarn. They share their environmental impact on their website here.

Review – Summary
I love this yarn! Already ideas are spinning for designs. Seasonally – I think it will be best suited to Spring to late Fall wear. If you like double knitting, then it would work for winter use. Great for FOs for humans of all ages. The organic cotton makes this a family friendly fiber. Kelly’s color skills can make it anything from funky to classic and everything in between!

Stockinette, textured, lace, cables, and ribbing – this yarn shows off the skills of your stitches! So the next time you’re looking for an organic cotton, look no further than Organic Cotton Petite DK by the Unique Sheep.