By Claudia Ostrop
Maximo, derived from the Latin "the greatest", really lives up to its name: The newcomer to the group of Pascuali yarns is super thick, incredibly soft and made from 100 % Argentine GOTS-certified merino wool. That's why Maximo, like all Merino yarns from Pascuali, is naturally mulesing-free.
A ball weighs 100 grams and is 87 yards (80 meters) long. This means that Maximo belongs to the "Chunky" yarn category, which is really something special for a merino yarn. Finding such a thick, pure merino wool is usually quite rare.
Maximo is a four-ply twisted and wonderfully fluffy yarn. Despite being so thick, it feels incredibly light and fluffy with a very distinctive sheen.
So, grab your needles (although one could also just cuddle with the ball of yarn...)! The recommended needle size is 13 US (9 mm). The yarn feels wonderfully soft and smooth between the fingers; it is very easy to cast on; and glides smoothly across the needles. With this needle size, it is not surprising that you get a gauge of 10 stitches and 15 rows per 4” (10 cm). It is perfect if you want to quickly hold (or wear!) a finished knitted piece, such as the grandiose Bubuna cardigan.
Knitted in stockinette stitch, it creates a uniquely beautiful and even fabric which is very soft and pleasing to the touch and appears very light despite the thickness of the yarn. It is also a wonderful yarn to knit cables because they turn out to be not too thick and stiff, as one might fear given the yarn thickness. Since the strand of yarn is twisted very loosely, the cables remain soft and light.
If you want a slightly firmer knit, you can also try it with one or even two needle sizes smaller: Due to the already mentioned "fluffiness", the stitch structure is of course a bit finer and more robust with a thinner needle, but the knitted piece is still supple and soft.
What´s more, Maximo can be machine washed, even though it is not a classic superwash yarn. Through a biotechnical process called Lanazym, the wool is treated with enzymes that reduce its tendency to felt and pill. With such a fluffy-soft yarn, that's a real plus!
Maximo is available in 31 great colours: from white to natural and pastel tones to really bright colours all the way through classic grey and black. And because knitting is so quick with this wonderful yarn, you don't actually have to decide on a single colour - you can simply knit several pieces of the same pattern 😉
