Meet the Yarn: Nebula, Part 2

It's the time of year when I crave light. Anzula's Nebula is a yarn that provides subtle shine and sparkle. The way it glimmers when it catches light makes me happy.

Nebula is a yarn that might very well be my definition of perfection. This 3-ply yarn consists of 86% Superwash Merino and 14% Sparkling Stellina. Each 114g skein is 400yards (366 meters). The Stellina makes Anzula's many colors sparkle. If you'd like to learn more about the Stellina, Jill wrote about it and her experience with this beautiful yarn .

How can this yarn be so special? For me, what sets Nebula apart from its cousins at Anzula is the combination of the tight twist of the Superwash Merino and Stellina. It makes it rounder and a bit hardier and in all ways yummy. I think it shines (sorry) best in accessories -- from delicate shawls to hard-wearing accessories for hands, heads, and feet. Could you knit a Nebula sweater? Yes, if that much sparkle makes you happy.

stockinette

garter stitch

knit swatches

crochet swatches

single crochet detail

granny square motif

crochet texture

crochet lace

I love Nebula and these swatches. My suggestion? Purchase a skein and try it!

I'm excited that I can now share some comparisons of Nebula, Lucero, and Lunaris. You can tell there's a hint of cashmere in Lucero and Lunaris as has a different loft, but Nebula is soft and beautiful in its own right. While I'm trying not to choose favourites, I think it very well might be Nebula. (I know, each new swatch becomes my favourite. In reality they all are!)

Please note that for some reason I choose hooks/needles on the smaller side of the range to work up Nebula. It creates a nice fabric that I love. I could have also worked it up with larger sized tools and it would be different and still beautiful. I find I prefer to work certain yarns at different gauges. Right now I like Nebula at a small gauge.

Pattern Ideas:

There's a pattern book of 5 designs dedicated to Nebula! It includes:

Contraction Cowl by Barbara Benson
Dayap Cowl & Hat by Angela Tong
Light Bell Sleeve Shrug by Katherine Vaughan
Mandarijn by Jen Lucas

You can watch a video tour of the patterns and find out more at this post describing the book. The patterns are available as a collection and individually at Ravelry.

Here are some of the additional designs featuring Nebula that caught my eye:

Divo by Heather Zoppetti
Ashland Collar, Shawlette, & Shawl by Jill Wolcott
Rising Tide Shawl by Grace Akhrem
Hawaiian Lace (crochet!) by Ambur Hsiao

Reminder

Has this post sparked a design idea? You can send a Yarn Support Request to Anzula here.

—Charlie interrupting this post to let designers know that we are accepting requests for crochet, knitting, and weaving in a variety of bases. Email me your ideas! I love all of you!—

All swatches in this post are shown in the Dusty Rose colourway with 2.75mm/US3 needles and hooks, any perceived differences in shade are due to the photographer.

Penny Shima Glanz spends her days spinning yarn and code into memorable projects. Small businesses rely on her for smart technology decisions. Designers rely on her to sample, test, and edit their hand-knit and crochet patterns. She loves muddy trail runs, fosters kittens, and lives in Westchester, NY with her husband and cat (or two). www.pennyshima.com

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Meet the Yarn: Dottie

Are you looking to knit with a new and different yarn? Anzula's newest, Dottie is for you!

It is 420 yards of a fingering/sock weight that is a blend of 80% Superwash Merino, 17% Acrylic, and 3% Polyester.

What?! Acrylic? Polyester?

Dottie is special, there is a tweedy effect created by the neps of black Acrylic. It creates a very unique fabric, as you'll see in the swatches below.

I personally find tweedy yarns very difficult to work with as I want to re-spin it into a smooth yarn. As they aren't a yarn I tend to choose on my own, I don't have much experience with them. That made this post much more educational for me than I expected when the yarn first arrived on my doorstep.

Tweed yarns sing best with simple stitches. We'll change things up in this post and I'll begin with crochet before I share the knitting.

My first swatch was a large one worked in single crochet. The structure of crochet traps the tweed neps into each stitch.

The effect changes slightly half-double and double crochet. While there is some stitch definition, it's subtle.

So what if you were to work different stitches? What happens with lack of sharp stitch definition?

I personally don't find the effect of combining this tweed yarn with a motif stitch exciting. That could change with a different hook or blocking. I sprayed this lightly with water and finger pulled it to its roughly square shape. This is why swatching is important!

Does it work in a texture stitch? This is the same stitch I've worked for all my other texture swatches. It's ok, however I feel the essence of the texture is lost in the tweed. Does that matter? Maybe, maybe not. If you enjoy this stitch why not work it?

Ok, lace. I think in a certain design, and at a different gauge and with attention blocking, it could work as an accent (or edging) to a piece worked in a more basic stitch.

What have I learned from these few humble swatches? That it's very important to swatch. Maybe you’ll love the look in a very different stitch, such as crocheted (post-stitch) cable. Maybe you'll decide that single-crochet is the way to go. This is a very different yarn in Anzula's current line-up and I think you'll be able to have lots of fun with this yarn.

Next up: knitting!

It looks different than when crocheted. There is still stitch definition in the stockinette section and the garter stitch looks very different.

I'm surprised by how much I want to squish this garter stitch swatch. I find the tweed neps fun in this swatch in a way they weren't in any of my crochet swatches.

The same is also true in this stockinette. It's a more subtle effect than in crochet in a way I'm not yet able to articulate.

Dottie is a unique yarn that I think will entice you to swatch (in either knit or crochet -- or both) to find the combination of stitch and gauge that speaks to you.

If you'd like to try Dottie, head to your favorite local yarn store on April 27th for Local Yarn Store Day and pick up a kit for a gorgeous knit shawl by Jen Lucas! It features stockinette and some slipped stitches in a contrast color for a unique look. Crocheters, as each kit includes 420 yards of Dottie and 3 mini skeins of Squishy, why not combine a simple crochet stitch with your favourite scarf or shawl recipe and have some creative fun?

Click this photo to find a list of shops!

All swatches are in the Teal colourway with 3.75mm needles and hooks, any perceived differences in shade are due to the photographer.

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Meet the Yarn: Serenity

My dictionary defines serenity as the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. It is true, I found that while working with this new 100% Cashmere fingering weight yarn all my worries disappeared, at least for a few moments. What is Anzula's new yarn, Serenity ? It is 185 yards (169 meters) of four softly plied strands of creamy white 100% cashmere. The bare fiber takes the dye beautifully and looks stunning in all the colorways that make Anzula yarns pure luxury.

You'll find a handy list of shops below.

As we've seen already from several designers, the stitch definition for knitted cables is stunning . It is also true for stripes and slipped stitch colorwork , I'll discuss lace later (spoiler -- it's lovely). Looking at beautiful photos and working with this yarn are two very different actions. I wish technology was at a point I could let you feel the swatches. The stockinette is soft and lets you see the hint of halo. The garter stitch is pure squish and in my opinion is pure serenity! My swatch became a micro (3.5in/9cm) comfort blanket.

So now that I've gushed about the knitting, how is the crochet? Does the slight halo of the lofty cashmere fibers adversely affect stitch definition? How does it drape?

Go get your crochet hook. You will want to work with this yarn and it loved every stitch I tossed at it. My stitch definition ranged from about 4-5 spi for my swatches and I need to figure out how to photograph the drape. I'm in love!

Serenity, crochet swatches simple stitches (single crochet, half-double crochet, and double crochet)

I apologize that these simple stitch swatches are flat, and you can't touch them. I wish I could capture them in a way to excite you. The depth created by the crochet stitch creates a warm texture without adding unwieldy bulk. The single crochet swatch (at 4in/10cm square) has given the garter stitch a fierce challenge to become the swatch I carry everywhere.

When I make the swatches, the granny square is most often made first. It took control to stop, which was true of every swatch. A draft of this post was delayed because after laying it out on my desk, I rested my head and took a quick nap.

Serenity, crochet swatch - granny square

If the depth of the plain stitches or the granny square didn't impress you, let me offer this textured swatch. It is not bulky and offers as beautiful a drape as the single crochet.

Serenity, crochet swatch - texture swatch

I'll confess that the swatch I love the least is only because it's late November here in the Northeast. I gravitate away from delicate lace this time of year. From my tiny swatch, I know that it is stunning, and know it could be scrunched in the morning when it's extra chilly. As the warmth of the day arrives, the lace could emerge. It looks beautiful in open knitted stitches too.

The nature of crochet stitches mean yardage for a project is always a concern. While I've not completed final maths, my 4in/10cm single crochet square weights 5.22g. By my quick estimates that means you could make a small one skein project! In single crochet you could make a cowl of approximately 6in/15cm width and 26in/66cm length.

Yes, gauge and stich choice will influence what you can make but one skein projects are possible!

With that generous yardage I urge crocheters to feel confident to pick up a skein of this luxury yarn their crochet hooks and give it a try.

You will find Serenity in all of these shops:

California

Twisted Skein

Connecticut

Stars Hollow Yarns

Florida

Castle Creek
Dixie Knits
Four Purls
Knitting Garden
Knitty Gritty

Illinois

Knit One Purl Two

Michigan

Crafty Lady Trio
Knotted Needle
Spun
Woolly & Co
Yarn Garden

Minnesota

Amazing Threads

Missouri

The Village Yarnery

New Jersey

Wool & Grace

New Mexico

Yarn Store at Nob Hill

New York

Brooklyn General
The Knitting Room
The Knitting Store

North Carolina

Bella Filati
Silver Threads & Golden Needles

Oklahoma

Loops

Pennsylvania

Knitting to Know Ewe

South Carolina

The Needle Tree

Tennessee

Bliss Yarns

Texas

McKnittey

All swatches are in a one-of-a-kind colourway very similar to Orchid, worked with 3.75mm needles and a 3mm crochet hook. Any perceived differences in shade are due to the photographer.

You can find Serenity in our gorgeous Nubivagant Kits, shop list here.