Yarn Review: Rowan Cotton Glace

I am not the greatest fan of knitting with cotton, but as I planned to knit L'illo, a baby cardigan to be worn in the summer I decided that it would be a good idea. I knew that I needed a cotton that could be machine-washed - a 13 mth-old baby rather dictates this. In the end, I decided to try out the recommended yarn for this pattern, an unusual move for me, largely based on the nicer looking pictures in ravelry...

To no disappointment! Yeah!  Rowan cotton glace is a smooth, soft cotton yarn; a softness that mitigates it from my most disliked aspect of cotton, a kind of graceless inflexibility.  The yarn has some sheen to it but not to the extent of a cotton like Patons 100% cotton, making it great for showing up the detail of a textured pattern without an abrasive brightness. 

Rowan cotton glace worked well in this pattern, where sport weight yarns might also have been substituted.  The yardage seems quite good to - it took less than four skeins to complete a cardigan in the 18-mth size.  That said, this is priced at typical Rowan prices - I bought mine from Laughing Hens for £4.95 - but it is a nicer, softer, more flexible yarn than cheaper cottons around.  I would use it again in a knitting project that required cotton, although a friend of mine, in my knitting circle, has been working with Rowan pima cotton and that feels even softer...

Here is the finished L'illo :)