Ulysse is, like its big brother Gilliatt, an airy woolen spun yarn made from a blend of white French Mérinos d'Arles (Provence) and black Portuguese merino (Alentejo valley). Ulysses is named after the hero of the "Odyssey" who fell in love with Penelope. Made up of two well-twisted strands, it is a light, soft and delicately fluffy yarn which is perfect for fair isle and colorwork but also for drawing delicate cables or enhancing a beautifully rustic lace. All the manufacturing stages of this Ulysse are carried out in a short circuit (France and Portugal for sourcing, Belgium or Italy for washing, France for spinning and dyeing) with a constant desire for traceability and to reduce its impact on the environment. It is offered in natural colours resulting from the blend of brown and white fleeces ("sel" (salt), "poivre blanc" (white pepper), "poivre et sel" (pepper and salt) and "poivre" (pepper)), and in a range of subtly heathered and dyed in fleece colours. Yarn Specifications Yarn Name: Ulysse Yarn Brand: De Rerum Natura Ball weight: 50g Ball Meterage: 185 meters Ball Yardage: 200 yards Yarn Composition: made from 100% wool, it is a blend of white French Mérinos d'Arles wool (Provence) and black Portuguese merino wool (Alentejo valley) Yarn Gauge: This yarn is sport weight, it is quite dense for a sport weight yarn so is better labelled as a heavy sport weight yarn. Gauge: Using 3.5mm needles (US 4), it gives 22 stitches x 34 rows in a 10 x 10cm swatch, and 24 stitches x 38 rows on 3mm needles (US 2.5). Recommended Knitting Needles: 3mm to 3.5mm needles (US 2.5 to 4) Recommended Crochet Hook: 3mm to 3.5mm hook (US C/2 or D/3 to E/4) Knitting Machine: Can not be used as the yarn is too thick for a machine. Other Information: It is spun and dyed in a small mill in Rougnat, France. It is a two ply twist that makes it a light, soft and delicately fluffy yarn. It is amazing for colourwork and beautiful cables or highlighting a nice rustic lace. Care Instructions Care Instructions: Best to hand-wash with a no-rinse detergent, then shape the fabric on a flat surface (e.g., a towel) and lay flat to dry. This Ulysse yarn is not superwash treated. We recommend that you wash your knitted fabric in warm water with soap or a suitable detergent and leave it to dry flat, avoiding rubbing or stretching it. If you wish to test the wool programme of your washing machine, we advise you to do so first with your sample. Please note that very dark or particularly saturated colours such as "émeraude" are more likely to bleed during blocking. If you plan to knit with lighter colours, we recommend that you test a swatch first. If you find excess dye in the first wash, we recommend that you repeat the rinse bath until it is clear before drying your work. Pattern Ideas Here are a few patterns we love for Ulysse, a yarn that really comes into its own in colourwork and cables. There are many more, so if none of these is right for you, do get in touch and we will happily suggest something to suit your project. Fenn Sweater knitting pattern by Trin-Annelie on Ravelry Adelis knitting pattern by Audrey Borrego on Ravelry Carousel knitting pattern by Tin Can Knits on Ravelry Beginner's Jacket knitting pattern by PetiteKnit, available at Knit With Me Maggie Cardigan knitting pattern by PetiteKnit, available at Knit With Me Maggie Vest knitting pattern by PetiteKnit, available at Knit With Me Ida Tee knitting pattern by PetiteKnit, available at Knit With Me Olga Blouse knitting pattern by PetiteKnit, available at Knit With Me About De Rerum Natura De Rerum Natura is a French yarn brand we are delighted to stock at Knit With Me. It was founded in 2012 by Solenn Couix-Loarer, who moved from a life working with seventeenth century French literature into yarn, driven by a wish for wool she could trace and feel good about. That care runs through everything the brand makes. Their yarns are spun and dyed at a small mill in Rougnat, in central France, where the water is cleaned through a natural phyto-purification system and the dyes meet strict European REACH standards. The undyed wool comes from Mérinos d'Arles sheep raised on organic farms in Provence, some of the finest merino in Europe at around 21.5 microns, from small traditional flocks where mulesing is never practised. It is wool with a real sense of place, and you can feel that quality in every stitch. Browse the full De Rerum Natura collection at Knit With Me
