We’ve got three new yarns for Spring 2016, and last week I talked about my experience of knitting with Berroco Elba™. This week, I experimented with another of the new yarns, Berroco Mykonos™. Like Elba, Mykonos is a plant based-fiber yarn, but unlike Elba, a 100% cotton yarn, Mykonos is 66% linen, 26% nylon, and 8% cotton. Both Elba and Mykonos are also constructed in unique ways—Elba is a tape yarn, and Mykonos… well, Mykonos is something really special.
To start with, on the surface Mykonos is one single, shiny yarn. The nylon helps give it the subtle sheen. But if you start to pull at the cut edge of the yarn, you’ll soon discover that Mykonos is actually made up of three very fine plies, bound together with the outer wrapping.
If you look closely at the yarn, you’ll see small sections where some of the linen fiber pokes through the binder thread. This results in a pleasant, slightly slubby fabric (similar to a tweed yarn), but doesn’t impact the knitting at all.
Mykonos works best at a DK gauge—our ball band suggests using US size 4–6 knitting needles or a size E (3.5 mm) crochet hook for the best fiber. For my swatch, I used a US size 4 (3.5 mm) metal needle. Normally I wouldn’t call attention to the type of material used in my knitting needles, but in this case, I would personally suggest using a wooden or plastic needle if you, like me, tend to knit on the loose side. The stitches slipped around quite a bit on my metal needle, but that’s primarily because of my tension. You may have a different experience knitting with Mykonos—I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Mykonos is a perfect yarn for summer knitting because the fabric remains open and airy. So if you like to cover up a bit when you go out in the sun, but don’t want to overheat, give Mykonos a try! We have six summer knitting patterns in our Mykonos booklet, all designed by Amy Christoffers. My personal favorites are Odele and Melina. We also have a free pattern, Antigone, to test out crocheting with Mykonos.
What do you think of Mykonos—have you knit with it yet? Have plans to knit with it? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this great new yarn!
AP
Any comments on the best way to join in a new ball of yarn with Mykonos, in lace knitting?
Hi Christal. Given the slippery nature of Mykonos, it’s best to leave a really long tail when changing yarns. Unfortunately it won’t be as “invisible” as a woolier/thicker yarn might be.
It looks lush and amazing, cannot wait to try thus yarn.
Please let us know how you like it when you have a chance to knit Mykonos!
can u suggest a cast on for this yarn when making the summer Tee ?
Are you asking about a cast-on for Odele? A long-tail cast-on works just fine with Mykonos—it’s what I used to start the swatch shown in the blog post.