MANOS DEL URUGUAY ('Hands of Uruguay') - just the name makes us wax lyrical about knitting. This was the yarn that got us into knitting all over again as a teenager. Fond memories of NYC yarn stores with walls brimming with hanks of this gorgeous yarn. The colours were so amazing we had to have some even though we weren't sure what we were going to do with the yarn!
The story behind the yarn is just as inspring as the yarn itself.
Manos Del Uruguay is a a cooperative organization committed to developing work for women in the countryside of Uruguay. Today 17 individual cooperatives support a total of approximately 350 artisans: 25 spinners and 15 dyers produce the yarn. A very worthy effort that has managed to be a successful enterprise since 1968!
The yarn has no dye lots because all the colours vary from skein to skein. Each skein is kettle dyed giving a richness of colour that is incredible. There's a hint of tonal striation in even the solid colours - this means there are streaks of lighter or darker shades throughout. There's also a slight thick and thin variation going on. This yarn has a lot of character- definaitely not mass produced! |
The yarn is a slightly chunky Aran weight yarn and knits up quickly - making gorgeous hats, scarves and cosy sweaters and throws. It's soft and warm and wonderful to knit with, and it also felts beautifully.
If you are after a more even colour effect we also recommend knitting with 2 skeins at once, alternating the skeins every few rows.
Loop recommends that you buy all the yarn you need for your project as we buy the yarn in Kilos and more likely to be close in colour from the same shipment.
www.manos.com.uy |
