Yarn Review: Drops Air
Hi guys! Welcome to my weekly yarn review.
Each week, I write about a specific yarn that I’ve worked with in the past and discuss what I loved about it, where it falls short, and what kind of knitted items it may work best in. For my more yarn reviews, and to get notified when I write a new one, sign up for my newsletter!
Today I’ll be reviewing Drops Air – a blow yarn that I’ve used extensively in the past and love to wear. So I’m a bit biased because I knit and design most of my sweaters in Drops Air.
It’s a relatively cheap blow yarn that’s designed to be knit on 4 – 5.5 mm needles and it’s composed of 65% baby alpaca, 28% viscose, and 7% wool.
Drops Air is my go-to for warm and soft yet breathable garments (thanks to the alpaca) with a good degree of elasticity (thanks to the viscose).
Good for:
- Knitting cables. You won’t get the best stitch definition with Drops Air because it is a fluffy blow yarn, but your cables will feel lighter and softer.- Holding double to replace a thicker yarn like Drops Wish or WAK The Petite Wool.
- Versatility on several different knitting needles. The benefit to Drops Air being a blow yarn is that while Drops recommends using it on 4 – 5.5 mm needles, you can use it on smaller needles for a tighter, denser fabric or use it on larger needles for a fluffier, airier garment without the characteristic gaps that come from sizing up your needles. Just remember to swatch first!
- Wearing directly on the skin. This comes with a bit of a disclaimer because I do not have any wool sensitivity, but I love the feeling of Drops Air against my skin (more than something like mohair for comparison). It is itch-free and very soft and comfortable.
Not great for:
- Structural knitting. I learned this the hard way when I was designing the Liscannor sweater. Some structural knitting (like the panels in Liscannor) will show up well on Drops Air, and some (like diagonal ribbing or smaller details) will not. In this case, opt for a less fluffy yarn like Drops Big Merino.- Outdoor sweaters. Drops Air is not as durable or suited for hiking sweaters as something like Istex Lettlopi or Drops Nepal.
Recommended patterns in Drops Air:
- The Liscannor sweater- You can knit the Soldag sweater in Drops Air for a light, soft alternative.
- Hollie Soave’s puppy dog or kitty cat sweater (this is an example of Drops Air held double and it knits up so fast and warm).
- For Norwegian knitters: Kristiane’s bølgegenser and høstgenser