Meet the Yarn: Gerty Part 2
Gerty debuted in 2017 and is a unique yarn in the Anzula lineup.
It's a 3-ply fingering weight yarn of 100% Targhee wool. Each 100g skein is 390 yards (357 meters).
It's bouncy, it's soft, it's my absolute favourite. (I know I say that about every yarn, it's true!)
Jill wrote about her experiences knitting Gerty in her Meet the Yarn post. Please go check it out!
I knit two simple quick swatches to show how it looks in stockinette and garter stitch. But I also knit more. A few years ago, I knit a pair of gloves in a simple variation on ribbing stitch. They’re gorgeous, comfortable, and still look good. More on the still looking good later. I agree with Jill’s assessment that this yarn loves defined stitches and due to the tight twist, it'll try to resist stitches that rely on open spaces.
That assessment is also true of crochet. While I loved knitting Gerty, I absolutely adored crocheting it. The nature of the crochet stitches I tried begs me to pull out a stitch dictionary and work through more variations.
What makes this yarn special? It's a combination of factors—Gerty is grown, milled, and dyed here in the US. The 3-ply structure of the wool makes it different, unique, and wonderful. Why would you want to choose it for your next project? I can confirm it wears well. I haven't yet knit a pair of socks which are my ultimate yarn stress test, but my gloves still look amazing. I gave them a quick bath before my swatch photo session but that's all I've done for them. They’d been out doing yardwork and were covered in dirt—it’s a challenge to see the wear!
There are currently 17 patterns that call for Gerty listed on Ravelry, including a crochet design!
Want some Anzula of your own? Throughout these strange new times, Kalliope has opened the online store to everyone. You can find it at anzula.myshopify.com.
All swatches in this post are shown in a colourway very similar to Mariana with 3.75mm (US 5) needles and (F/US) hook, any perceived differences in shade are due to the photographer.
Penny Shima Glanz spends her days spinning yarn and code into memorable projects. Small businesses rely on her for smart technology decisions. Designers rely on her to sample, test, and edit their hand-knit and crochet patterns. She loves muddy trail runs, fosters kittens, and lives in Westchester, NY with her husband and cat (or two). www.pennyshima.com