By Claudia Ostrop
Can you believe that Pinta first made its appearance in the Pascuali range as a sock yarn?
A sock Yarn, really?
When you hold the fine 50 gram hanks in your hand, it's almost unbelievable because the yarn is incredibly soft with a wonderfully delicate sheen. Pinta looks and feels quite different to most other sock yarns on the market and that's why it has long outgrown its original purpose.
Because we place great value on high quality fibres, no synthetic fibres are used in our yarns. We only offer yarns made with natural fibres. You can read more about this in our blog “Are Synthetic Fibres Really Necessary in Knitting Yarns?”
Classic sock yarns usually have a synthetic fibre content of 25 percent to make the socks more robust and durable. In order to achieve this without adding "plastic," we have added ramie to Pinta. Ramie is a plant from the nettle family which has been used since antiquity whose fibres are extremely stable. With it, socks have a decent durability. Ramie can absorb more than twice as much moisture as cotton without feeling wet and also releases this moisture very quickly making it very comfortable to wear when it is warm outside. Pinta also has silk which along with the ramie brings additional shine to the yarn.
Pinta consists of 60 percent fine Argentinian merino wool (mulesing free, of course), 20 percent mulberry silk and 20 percent ramie, both of which come from China. Pinta is available in a total of 25 great colours. It has a yardage of is 193 yds (212 m) on 50 g. The recommended needle size is 2.5 US to 6 US (3 - 4 mm), but as with any other yarn, please knit a swatch to determine with which needle size you get the best results! Even the material of the needle can influence the stitch structure. To knit socks, it is advisable to use a smaller needle size because the more stable the knitted fabric is, the less friction there is when you wear it. And that simply means less wear and tear.
Pinta feels very soft and is extremely easy to work with. The hank can easily be wound into a ball so you can start casting on very quickly. It is a 4 ply yarn and is therefore pleasantly stable. It will not split and because it glides smoothly on the needle, knitting can be done rather quickly. Knitted in stockinette stitch results in a great stitch definition with the stitches lying evenly next to one another. Narrow braids or a simple lace pattern also look great with Pinta.
Even though Pinta is perfect for a pair of fine socks, it is just too pretty to hide in your shoe most of the time! Many knitters who have knit with it have discovered its great properties and it has become a popular all-round yarn. Pinta is perfect to knit accessories, tops, shawls, and even a light cardigan.
Once you give Pinta a nice bath and you block it, it blooms a little more and gets an extremely delicate fluff making it even prettier!
Anyone who has acquired a taste for it can find Pinta in the Pascuali shop and, of course, at selected local retailers and online.
