A French yarn house with a particular style
Phildar has been making yarn since 1903 and the aesthetic is recognisably continental: clean colours, smooth yarns and a strong bias towards cotton. Where British yarn tradition is built on wool for Aran and Fair Isle, the Phildar catalogue is at its strongest in fine cottons for babywear, summer garments and crochet, which is why Phil Coton is the name most people know. The range stocked here is compact and does specific jobs well rather than trying to cover every weight.
Phildar yarns in this collection
- Phil Coton 3: a fine mercerised cotton, the natural choice for delicate crochet, edgings and baby garments.
- Phil Coton 4: a step heavier, better for summer tops, bags and homeware where you want more body.
- Phildar Super Baby: a soft yarn for layettes, matinee coats and gifts for a new arrival.
- Phil Laine Cachemire: a cashmere-blend option for accessories and pieces where softness is the point.
Working with mercerised cotton
Mercerising treats the cotton so it takes dye more brilliantly and gains a subtle sheen, and it also makes the yarn smooth and firm. That has practical consequences. Stitch definition is excellent, so filet crochet, textured stitches and lace edgings look crisp. There is almost no elasticity, so ribbing will not spring back the way wool rib does, and a heavy cotton garment lengthens under its own weight; opt for shorter body lengths and firmer shoulders. The yarn is slippery on metal hooks and needles, so many people find wood or bamboo easier for keeping tension. It is also hard-wearing and washes well, which is exactly why it has been used for baby clothes for a century.
Choosing weight and hook or needle size
Phil Coton 3 is fine work: it suits small hooks and needles and rewards patience with a fabric that holds shape and detail. Phil Coton 4 covers ground faster and is more forgiving for a first cotton garment. Whichever you choose, swatch and then wash the swatch, because cotton behaves differently once wet and dried, and this is the fibre where a garment most often comes out of its first wash a different length from the one you knitted. Measure the swatch dry, flat and unstretched.
Understanding French pattern conventions
If you use Phildar's own patterns, a few conventions differ from British ones. Sizes are given in French sizing and finished measurements in centimetres, so work from the finished chest measurement rather than a size label. Tension is typically given over a 10cm square as here, which makes comparison straightforward. Where a pattern is translated, check whether crochet terms are UK or US, since a treble in one is a double crochet in the other and the difference is a whole stitch height.
Care and finishing
Cotton takes blocking differently from wool: it will not be reshaped by blocking in the way wool is, so make the pieces the right size on the hook rather than hoping to stretch them later. Press cotton pieces with a damp cloth rather than a dry iron to set the fabric. Wash cotton garments cool and dry flat, supporting the weight when wet, as saturated cotton is heavy enough to stretch a shoulder seam. For the cashmere blend, hand wash in lukewarm water with a wool-safe soap and dry flat, away from direct heat.
Phildar yarn questions
Where is Phildar yarn from? It is a French brand, founded in Roubaix in northern France in 1903.
What is Phil Coton 3 used for? Fine crochet, lace and edgings, baby garments and anything needing crisp stitch definition in cotton.
What is the difference between Phil Coton 3 and Phil Coton 4? Phil Coton 4 is the heavier of the two, so it works up faster and gives a more substantial fabric.
Can I buy Phildar yarn in the UK? Yes, the range shown here ships to UK addresses.
Does mercerised cotton shrink? It is stable but can relax or change slightly with washing, so always wash your tension swatch before starting a garment.
