FA L L
2017
NEWSLETTER
TA B L E O F
Contents DESIGNER INTERVIEW
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Lisa Hannes F E AT U R E D C R O C H E T PAT T E R N
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Aloe Cowl BEHIND THE SCENES
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Meet Tabaré NEW COLORS
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Speckled Mechita, Lace and Rios THE WORLD OF MALABRIGO
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Nature, Uruguay, its climate & sheep VIDEO
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A Little Bit From Home C O M M I T M E N T T O S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
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Pellet Fuel at malabrigo UPCOMING EVENTS
Trunk shows and Fairs
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DESIGNER INTERVIEW
Lisa Hannes Lisa is a knitwear designer, designing from her home in Germany. She started knitting in 2011 and it quickly became an important part of her life. Her designs are self-published under “maliha designs”, each inspired in part by color, nature, architecture, creative arts, music and her everyday life. Her goal is to transmit the magic and inner peace that she enjoys while knitting and designing her patterns. She does this through her use of textures or interesting techniques and the interplay of colors to create fun and engaging projects that result in beautiful, eye-catching finished pieces.
When did you first cast on and why did you start? It all started because I wanted a pair of hand knitted socks but didn’t really know anyone I could ask to make them for me. So I figured, why not learn how to make them myself? I went to visit my grandma so that she could teach me the first stitches. My grandma used to knit things like scarves and hats for me when I was a child and even though she probably hadn’t knit for over 25 years she still knew how to cast on and knit right away. While
4 | D e signe r I nte r vie w
visiting, I bought some simple, long metal needles and a book to start a few simple projects. The obligatory garter stitch rectangle scarf was, of course, one of them. I knitted it in a squeaky acrylic yarn and of course the needles were the wrong size! Well, and that was that... Despite the strange yarn and the silly needles - I had no idea about different yarn weights, or gauge, or even needle sizes back then - I really loved it and haven’t stopped knitting since.
Now, I can’t even imagine a day without knitting. I squeeze it in every free minute I have even if it’s just one row, it’s the best way for me to relax and calm down after a busy day. I always tell people that knitting is magic! I truly believe that is does something magical and therapeutic to us. I don’t know if it’s the smooth continuous movements, our two hands working together, the joy of working with beautiful yarns and colours, or even the fascinating fact that we’re creating something so wonderful out of a single thread that continues to amaze
Walk in the Woods in Rios
me every day... Oh, there are so many countless things I want to add to this list, but it all sums up to the fact that it just really makes me happy. I feel ‘at home’ when I have yarn and needles in my hands. What was your first design? At the end of 2014 a special stitch pattern caught my eye, so I played with it using different shapes and eventually designed a shawl and matching mitts. They’re called ‘Frieze Shawl’ and ‘Frieze Mitts’, and the first samples were actually knit in malabrigo Worsted and Rios. I still remember how much fun I had creating these designs and writing up what I did into a pattern. After that many ideas and patterns followed, and more & more people started knitting projects from my patterns. It’s still really fascinating to me even after almost three years of designing that I write up a pattern for my design and any knitter, anywhere in the world can make their own version of it through my patterns. It’s amazing and I hope that I can transmit at least some of the magic and joy that I find in knitting through my designs and that people can experience it in their projects made from my patterns. I’m so grateful for all the feedback, love & support I’ve (continue) D e si gne r I nte r v i e w | 5
Ice Cream in Rios
Ceciliana in Mechita
Doo Wop in Arroyo
6 | D e signe r I nte r vie w
Liquid Gold in Mechita
received and the many wonderful people I’ve met on my journey through knitting design so far! Every time someone posts a lovely picture of their project made from one of my patterns on Ravelry or Instagram my heart jumps with joy. Designing my own patterns and working as a knitwear designer is a dream and something I truly enjoy. I’m excited to see what the future has in store for me on this journey! When did you discover malabrigo? I saw the beautiful projects on Ravelry that people had knit with it and read about how much they loved it. I thought they looked amazing and really wanted to try it out, but where I lived stores didn’t carry malabrigo yarns so I searched online. There were a few German stores online that carried them, only two or three at that time. But I really wanted to see and feel it in person before I bought it. Luckily, around that time we happened to take a trip to Sweden and I actually found a store there that carried a few malabrigo yarns and I couldn’t believe how gorgeous they were. I bought two skeins of Rios in Azules which were my first malabrigo’s and also my first time working with hand-dyed yarn - I was hooked right away. malabrigo yarns are still some of my favourite yarns to work with and I have used them in creating many samples for my designs.
You have a number of shawls in your arsenal; what makes them special to you?
Do you take inspiration from anything or anyone in particular when designing?
They are like a blank canvas for my ideas. I find it very interesting to play with different shawl shapes and see how they affect the appearance of a stitch pattern, texture, color or yarn in a way that’s maybe not so suitable or a very positive, accenting way. You can take shawls many different directions to test your ideas, which makes them fun to design. I absolutely love designing and knitting shawls, and I love wearing them too.
I draw inspiration from many different things when designing; but the things that inspire me most would have to be color, nature, architecture, creative arts, music, my family & everyday life.
Also, shawls are usually fairly quick, easy knits and since you don’t have to worry too much about size or gauge they’re appealing to knitters of every skill level. I always try to create patterns that reflect the magical inner peace and joy that I find in knitting. Therefore I like to keep them easy enough to be relaxing to knit, while also adding exciting little details here and there, like the interplay of different colors and the use of interesting textures or special techniques, so that they’re engaging to make. Shawls also make the loveliest accessories and I believe that they always add something special to any everyday wardrobe.
A special yarn or stitch pattern also is often a starting point for other new designs. Especially when I create designs for collaborations with a particular yarn, I like to let the yarn tell me what it wants to become. When I hold it in my hands, I can feel its character, see the color and the way it was dyed and it tells an entire story which usually leads to several different design ideas very quickly. What are your preferred techniques in general? The first thing that comes to mind is colorwork - I especially like using color blocking, stripes and slip stitch/mosaic knitting in my designs (for examples, see patterns like Emiliana, Ceciliana, Walk in the Woods, Doo Wop, Herbarium) - and I love textured stitches (Powdersnow, The Colourist, Ice Cream Shawl, Liquid Gold, Fallen Cloud). I have also found that garter stitch and lace go together beautifully (Silverleaf, Quiet Journey). (continue) D e si gne r I nte r v i e w | 7
My design ‘Laurelie’ combines elements of all these techniques, while demonstrating how I like to play in my designs: letting the different colours and/or techniques interact with each other by reversing, mirroring, repeating, echoing, interlocking… These combinations can create the most fascinating, eye-catching results. I enjoy choosing techniques for my designs that combine colours, textures and special stitch patterns to make them fun to knit, let the yarn’s character shine and create wearable pieces. Many people knit to relax. Do you think designing has changed the experience for you? What other things do you like to do to relax? It’s still one of my favourite ways to relax. Of course sample knitting with deadlines for collaborations can be a bit stressful when you have to finish several things at the same time. Or, if you have to re-knit something that unfortunately didn’t come out right. But generally I’m still enjoying every single stitch just as I did before I started creating my own designs. In fact, often more so because it’s really exciting to see something that started as a faint idea in my mind, to become sketches, calculations, then more detailed notes and charts and finally coming to life on my needles.
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I just love this process – it makes me forget everything else around me and is a great source of energy for me. What does the future hold for Lisa Hannes? Are you tackling any interesting projects or working on anything exciting? Currently in the planning stages: more shawls of course! A sample for a new mystery knit-along is on my needles at the moment which is really exciting, I’m experimenting with a few new shapes and fun techniques, yarns for two new mosaic shawls are all wound up and ready to get knitted up, and I have a couple of beautifully cabled & textured ones planned for this fall and winter. And of course, what is your favorite malabrigo yarn and colorway? It’s so hard to pick just one… I absolutely love Mechita in Teal Feather and Pearl. Arroyo in Plomo and Borrajas are also some of my very favourites. Rios and Worsted are just fantastic for warm winter items. And the watercolour colourways such as Archangel are simply amazing pieces of art!
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Emiliana in Mechita
F E AT U R E D C R O C H E T PAT T E R N
Aloe Cowl designed by Amy Astle
P A TT ER N INFORM A TI ON SI Z ES
CR OCHE T HOOK S
One Size
5.0mm / H-8 hook
F I N I SH ED MEA SUR E M E N T S
5.5mm / I-9 hook
Length: 11¾″ / 30cm
Y AR N AMOUNT S
Width: 7¾″ / 20cm
1 skein of Rios, shown in Peachy, Water Green, Archangel, and Aquamarine
A B B R EVIATIO NS ch
chain
sc
single crochet
dc
double crochet
sdc
spike double crochet
mm
millimeters
slst
slip stitch
rep
repeat
st(s)
stitch(es)
rnd(s)
round(s)
yo
yarn over
RS
right side
10 | Fe a tu re d C rochet Patter n
T E C H N IQ UES SP I KE ST IT CH
(worked diagonally) 1. Stitches before spike stitch is worked 2. YO, insert hook in to stated stitch, crossing over previous stitches 3. YO, pull through all three loops on hook.
D I RECTIO N S Ch102 with 5.5mm hook. Join to first chain using slst to make a large loop ensuring not to twist the chain Change to 5mm hook. Rnd 1: ch1, 1sc in each ch around, join with slst to first sc. RS facing outwards. (102 sts) Rnd 2: ch1, * skip 1 st, work 1dc in each of next 2 sts, work sdc in to previous skipped stitch, rep from * around, joining with slst to top of first dc (102 sts)
12 | Fe a tu re d C rochet Patter n
Rnd 3: ch1, 1sc in each stitch around, ensuring to pick up all three loops between each spike stitch and following dc. Join with slst to first sc. (102 sts) Continue to repeat rnds 2 and 3 for 11 times more or until you have run out of yarn. FINIS HING
Fasten off and weave in all ends. Steam blocking with an iron (pinning your cowl to the ironing board and hovering the iron over it for a few seconds ensuring not to touch the stitches, then let it cool and unpin).
Fe a t ure d C ro c he t Pa t ter n | 13
BEHIND THE SCENES
Meet Tabaré Every Season in ‘Behind The Scenes’ we like to introduce one of our beloved employees who are at the heart of malabrigo yarn and have helped make it what is today. Tabaré has been with us for years and as the Plant Manager, he plays an integral role in the organisation and management of the mill and its processes, without him and the whole place would go up in multi-colored smoke! He has his fingers in all areas and ensures that everything is running smoothly and that every worker is not only treated well but having a great time. His sense of humour brightens the workplace, he helps people enjoy what they do and make sure they aren’t taking themselves too seriously. In the following interview he gives his unique perspective on what life is like here at malabrigo...
How long have you been working for malabrigo? I have worked for the company since October 2011, almost six years. What are your duties and responsibilities? Basically I organize and ensure that the processes happening in the factory continue to function normally. I act as the plant manager, so I have to schedule
and delegate the tasks that are performed across different areas of work. I also organize the exports and orders of our customers and stores in countries like North America (the USA and Canada), the United Kingdom, Russia and Japan. From Uruguay, but on a smaller scale, we also export to countries such as Brazil, Chile, China, Korea, Taiwan and Australia. (continue)
Be hi nd t he S c en es | 15
What is your typical work day like? My daily tasks are duties that must be done day in day out. There are also unforeseen circumstances or specific tasks that could arise at any time. The first step of my routine is to work out which wool has to be sent to dye, then knowing this, I send ink receipts to the laboratory so the dyeing sector has something to work with. Next I organize the draining and subsequent filling of the dryers; the skeins that leave the dryers go directly to quality control for labeling, and finally to the packaging area. Another part of my daily duties concerns generating, preparing and controlling the stock that is ready export. Which of your responsibilities do you enjoy the most? I find the most satisfying tasks are in the finishing or the final cycles, when the bags are finally prepared and are waiting to be exported. I guess I like the feeling of a job well done. 16 | Be hind the S cen es
Which colors are in highest demand? In our watercolors the most ordered are: Arco Iris, Anniversario, Boreal, Camaleón. In semi-solid colors our most exported are: Tuareg, Cian, Fucsia, Sunset, Cereza and Jupiter. Which yarns are in most demand? The most exported yarns are Worsted and Caracol. Then there’s the Superwash line and it would be Ríos, Arroyo, Sock and Mechita. Do you have a favorite dye color? Or a favorite yarn? Cyan, due to the energy the color transmits to me, I would not wear it in a garment of my own but it catches a lot of my attention. As for yarns, I like Rios a lot. Because of its smoothness and, being superwash, the brightness of the colors means it stands out really well.
Do you know how to knit? I don’t know how to knit by hand on two needles, but many years ago I worked for a textile company that exported garments of knitted fabric using doublefaced machines. We usually wove tracksuit jumpers and worked mainly with cotton thread. Could you tell us a funny anecdote? I don’t have an exceptional anecdote to tell, but I would like to highlight that the relationship between the co-workers here is very good. We always try to work casually, making jokes or telling funny stories… I always try to make jokes to keep up a nice atmosphere. This relationship between coworkers is very important, since it means we can carry out our daily tasks better.
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Lynx
Poipu
Carnaval
Aureo
Renaissance
Atomic
EXCITING NEW COLORS IN
Speckled Mechita Because we loved making the 3 previously released speckled colorways in Mechita, Storm, Paprika and Granada, we wanted to create 6 more with names almost as exciting as their appearance: Lynx, Aureo, Poipu, Atomic, Carnival, and Renaissance. We have enjoyed making these colorways so much that we couldn’t stop playing with them. After our first three, Storm, Paprika, and Granada, we just kept going and made eight more. Any of these wonderful colors will be more than enough to keep up with your speckled addiction.
and have so many subtle variations across the entire color spectrum that you’ll be pleasantly surprised with every stitch. Renaissance uses these variety of hues to its advantage, specifically flaunting its marbled yellows and purples, reminiscent of the emperors in Ancient Rome. Carnival is a party of its own: a natural base allows all the colors to come together in a chaotic yet beautiful coherent dance. Much like people from all walks of life can come together to make something beautiful, this yarn is a testament that colors can do it too!
We speckled an orange base with black, purples, and others to create our new ‘Lynx’, a cuddlier version than its animal counterpart. We used a yellow for the new Aureo and a light blue for our Popipu.
Finally, we have the explosive Atomic. This yarn isn’t as dangerous as it sounds, in fact, it’s incredibly sweet! The dominant color is a bubblegum pink that provides an ideal contrast for the rest of the speckles to shine.
For the other new colorways, Atomic, Carnaval, and Renaissance we experimented more with the dyeing method over the pure white of the natural yarn. These yarns are bright and vibrant,
We are fairly certain this is only the beginning of malabrigo´s speckled world as we expect more colorways like these to start finding more of a home on your needles.
N e w Co l o r s | 19
new colors MA L A B R I G O L AC E
20 | N e w Col ors
Aniversario
Camaleon
Diana
Cirrus Gray
Plomo
Cereza
English Rose
Sabiduria
Zarzamora
Cian
Hojas
No me olvides
Zinc
NEW COLORS
L ac e A natural favorite, Lace plays host to many of our unique colorways and has one of the most complete color paletes malabrigo has to offer. All the same, we wanted to expand and add some other colors that are already available for our other yarns such as Aniversario, Hojas, English Rose, Cereza and Cirrus Gray. Zinc, Plomo, Sabiduria, No me olvides, Diana, and Zarzamora have also been added! We wanted to diversify the colors to allow new ideas and projects to take form for Lace projects. In this way we also decided to add some of our latest colors such as Cian and Camaleon to help get your creative juices flowing even more than before! We hope you enjoy these new colors as much as we’ve enjoyed making them.
Ne w Co l o r s | 21
Camaleon
Peachy
Whole Grain
NEW COLORS
Rios We know we have already added new colors for Rios quite recently but we couldn’t resist launching three more as a bonus! Prepare yourselves for new lines of Camaleon, Peachy and Whole Grain. Camaleon is a variegated colorway, flowing effortless from color to color with all the magic and nuance of a Chameleon. It’s sneaky and contains many secrets, in fact once you notice one of its hidden colors like our new cyan dye, it may have already started to change. Peachy is a beautiful, light solid colorway, that is just as fresh and warm color as its name implies. In the right light it may even be bright enough for you see a fuzz shine off it too. Whole Grain is a rich and wholesome beige color solid, inspired by the vast potential of seeds and grains, maybe they’re in a field, a cracker, or perhaps a steamy loaf of bread fresh from the oven. We invite you to cast on with these new colors inspired by animals and nature and see which of them makes you most feel in your element.
22 | N e w Col ors
new colors MA L A B R I G O R I O S
N e w Co l o r s | 23
THE WORLD OF MALABRIGO
N a t u re, U ru gu ay, its climate & sh e e p We spend a lot of time talking about our fantastic yarns or exciting colors, but now we want to shine a light on the other heroes of the story so that you know who else to thank for all your lovely sweaters, shawls, cowls and hats: The Sheep! And of course Mother Nature does her part too, but these fluffy bundles of future-yarn, or as some purists may call it, wool, outnumber people in Uruguay 3:1! We don’t mind at all though and neither do they, in fact sheep have a great time here in Uruguay. Not only are we a friendly bunch of people, the weather is perfect for them. Though there are four distinct seasons all of them are relatively mild, with severe temperatures almost as rare as an unhappy sheep. This means that the sheep remain comfortable all year round so their wool is grown with a predictably regular length and thickness. After all, the softest yarn comes from the happiest sheep. If that wasn’t enough, strict regulations have been set to protect our favorite animals (sorry llamas!) and their environment. Like you and me, sheep need to be treated with decency and kindness to promote a happy life, so these regulations from agencies like SUL focus on solving problems such as nutrition, environment, health and handling, because, just like us if someone isn’t eating or drinking safely they’re going to have a bad time. The environment is a little harder than giving them some tasty, green grass or clean, fresh water because if the sheep are in a dangerous, threatening location because of weather (or
worse) the poor sheep could get uncomfortable very quickly. They are protected from predators under the watchful eye of ranchers and they have access to shelters if the weather gets too extreme. When we clean them we use only naturally biodegradable products and ensure all waste water is disposed of in an intelligent, safe way and as far away from their pastures as possible! Nobody, plant, animal or human alike enjoys being sick. Beyond general life satisfaction, a sick sheep makes life uncomfortable and even dangerous for the rest of its herd, so health is a very important part of care. Finally, since sheep are a very domesticated species and have spent a lot of their time around humans for thousands of years, it’s important that we know how to treat and handle them well when we have to. For example, the Tally Hi method for shearing is highly practiced, while other, less friendly methods of treatment are strictly illegal here such as the mulesing process. We are firm believers in treating the world around you well and it will return the favor. If we can do our bit to make sure our sheep are smiling, then we know for sure that once you get your hands on its yarn you’ll be smiling too. If you want to find out more about how sheep are treated in Uruguay you can follow the link below for more information: www.wool.com.uy/animal_welfare.htm
The Wo r l d o f M a l a b r i go | 25
A L i t t l e B i t Fro m Ho me Here we have a special treat for you. With the help of the creative minds over at ParisTexas, we put together a short film of our process and the inspirations behind them. Do you like sheep, nature, or the stories behind our yarn and colors? If that’s the case then you’re sure to enjoy the video as it portrays the wonderful world of malabrigo yarn, from the earth to field and from needle to design. We hope you have as much fun watching as we had making it. Credits: Director: Sofía Córdoba Director of Photography: Nacho Elola Exec. Producer: Marta León Barreto / Vasco Elola Writer: Vasco Elola Producer: Ana Mieres Assistant Producer: María Elola
26 | Vi deo
Editor: José Vitarella Post: Nacho Benedetti Color Post: Nacho Elola Gaffer: Germán Couto Archive: Ricardo Aguerre Music Composer: Manuel Espasandin
Vi deo | 27
CO M M I T M E N T TO S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
Pe l l e t Fu e l at malab r ig o Here at malabrigo yarn we have taken another step towards nature. In line with our theme, Elements, we could think of no better time to announce the fact we have migrated the majority of our energy uses at the mill to wood pellets! These burn cleaner than their fossil alternatives and are carbon neutral, depending on their source. If you want to find out more information on this subject, we have a blog post outlining its key features on our website, which you can access following the link below. Learn more >
28 | Commitme nt to Sustainabilit y
Co mmi t me nt to S ust ai na b i l i t y | 29
Upcoming EVENTS
Did you know that we have trunk shows packed with gorgeous garments from our books available to your shop? We currently have four shows touring the country: there are three large shows that feature pieces from our most recent books, including books 10 & 11 alongside select classics from earlier books. There is also a mini-trunk show, a smaller version of the larger shows, to give your customers a tantalizing taste of malabrigo! We’d love to make your LYS our next stop. If you’re interested in scheduling a show, please email us at admin@malabrigoyarn.com.
TRUNK SHOW 1
TRUNK SHOW 3
January 15, 2018 Country needleworks Jenison, MI www.countryneedleworks.com
January 15, 2018 Lucky Ewe Yarn New Braunfels, TX www.luckyeweyarn.com
February 15, 2018 The New Ewe, Yarn and Quilt Shop Newaygo, MI www.newewe.com
February 15, 2018 Ben Franklin Crafts Oconomowoc, WI www.benfranklincraftswi.com
TRUNK SHOW 2
MINI TRUNK SHOW
February 15, 2018 Mass Ave Knits Indianapolis, IN www.massaveknitshoponline.com
December 15, 2017 Sheep Skeins Newburgh, IN www.sheepskeins.com
30 | Upcoming Eve nts
Bring the malabrigo trunk shows to your shop! Up c o mi ng Even t s | 31
32 | Conne c t w ith Us
Co n ne c t With Us facebook.com/malabrigoyarn
instagram.com/malabrigoyarn
pinterest.com/malabrigo
ravelry.com/yarns/brands/malabrigo-yarn
twitter.com/malabrigobuzz
admin@malabrigoyarn.com
Co nne c t Wi t h U s | 33
w w w.malabr igoyar n.com