We are delighted to be restocked on most of the colors of de rerum natura Ulysse and Gilliatt! In addition, we have decided to bring you their aran weight – Cyrano. It is a large 100 gram ball of amazingly squishy and sheepy aran weight – a true 3.5 to 4 stitches to the inch. It comes in four natural shades (sel, poivre blanc, poivre et sel and poivre) and a palette of plain or subtly heather colors. We recommend hand washing in warm (not hot) water with gentle soap. Lay fabric flat to air dry.
Cyrano Details:
- Aran weight
- 164 yards per 100 grams
- 100% merino
- 14 to 16 sts over 4” on a US 9-10 needle
- $16
We are missing a couple of colors but here’s what was in our first shipment:
Project ideas:
1. Beloved Aran by Solenn Couix-Loarer
This is a free download on Ravelry!
2. Avalanche by Heidi Kirrmaier
A basic cable and lace pullover with just enough details to show off this gorgeous yarn but still simple enough to get done quickly on US9 needles!
3. Lagertha by Christelle Nihoul
I don’t know how to adequately express my excitement about this sweater…I don’t know yet what color I will be using but this is going on the needles sometime this month!
4. Black Forest Cardigan by Sustainablist
This is one of several gorgeous designs in Woods: Making Stories (available at the shop!)
About De Rerum Natura:
The mastermind behind this beautiful line of ecologically friendly yarn is Solenn who lives with her family in Toulouse in the south of France. Solenn made the transition from working with 17th century French literature to the yarn world when she became increasingly frustrated with the transparency of wool and yarn production, worried over everything from the mistreatment of sheep to working conditions and the chemical treatments that went into the production of the yarns she was working with. Driven by this frustration, she went on to found De Rerum Natura which focused on transparently produced, ethically sourced yarns with a minimal ecological footprint.
The merino used to produce De Rerum Natura yarns is even special in its own right. All the flocks are from France and Portugal and spend the majority of their time outside in the fields of Provence, the southern French Alps, and the Aletenjo Valley in Portugal. The majority of the fibre comes from the “merino d’Arles” breed that originated in France in the 19th century. While these sheep produce extremely fine fleece, the animals are small and only produce around 2 kilograms (about 4.5 lbs) of fibre per year, making them that much more special. The remaining fibre comes from the “petra” black merino sheep of Portugal, which adds a lovely heathered finish to the final yarn when the white and black fibres are mixed together.
De Rerum Natura yarns are spun semi-woolen. You may be familiar with the lofty twist of woolen spun yarns like Brooklyn Tweed Shelter or Loft, but this method is not ideal for merino wool. In order to still produce a lofty yarn, Solenn convinced the mill operator in Creuse, France to combine combed and uncombed fibers into the airy finished product. While the yarns look rustic, they still have the softness we all know and love from Merino.