Many knitters, crocheters and fiber artists prefer natural fibers. The most well known is wool. But there is also alpaca, cashmere, linen and other natural fibers.

But new technology brings new innovations so I want to talk about three unusual yarns that are making a big splash in the yarn market. At this point you will probably have to order them from the Internet because even some of the local yarn stores I've visited have never heard of them.

The first one is yarn made from hemp. If you are familiar with hemp cordage, you are probably thinking of the scratchy kind that looks like twine or rope. But the hemp yarn is soft and fluffy and comes in wonderful colors. Hemp is one of those fast growing plants that is a renewable resource. Hopefully U.S. laws will change one of these days and we won't have to import all our hemp yarn. Here are a few retailers I found at random that carry hemp yarn.

http://www.aurorasilk.com/shop/hemp_yarn.shtml

http://www.hempforknitting.com/yarnpageus.htm

http://www.envirotextile.com/hemp-yarns.htm

Corn yarn is becoming more readily available every day. It is literally made from corn fiber and has a beautiful drape to it. The colors are just delicious. And it's sure to be an icebreaker when someone says, "What is that beautiful sweater made of?" And you say, "Corn."

Here are some sources for corn fiber yarn. Keep in mind I haven't ordered from any of these companies, but hope to let people know what is available to them.

http://www.kollageyarns.com/yarns.php?cid=17

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/yarn_made_from.php

http://www.soysilk.com/amaizing.html

The third type of yarn that has me excited is bamboo yarn. You could literally furnish your entire home and make a wardrobe out of bamboo products.

Here are some links for bamboo yarn. This first link has some beautiful variegated bamboo yarns as well as solid colors. Bamboo yarn has been compared to the sheen and look of silk. I can't wait to try some.

http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/South_West_Trading_Company_Yarn-Bamboo_Yarn-1246.html

http://www.halcyonyarn.com/Yarn_pages/yarn243.html

http://northeastfiberarts.com/yarns/bamboo.php

If you are a manufacturer of any of these yarns and want me to test drive them, just email me and let me know.

And if you are a knitter or fiber artist who has used any of these yarns, please let us know how you liked them and what you made out of them. Thanks.