By Claudia Ostrop
Once again, another fantastic yarn has just joined the Pascuali family, one that is truly not available on every corner.
Sayama is made up of a blend of Bolivian highland wool and fine llama hair – a match made in yarn heaven! This blend gives you a sturdy yet delicate wool combined with the softness of baby llama, resulting in a gloriously soft and wonderfully textured yarn.
Sayama is a DK weight yarn with 122 yds (112 meters) in a 50-gram hank, perfect for those who like working with a bit chunkier yarn. The label suggests a gauge of 20 stitches and 28 rows or rounds over 4” x 4 “ (10 x 10 cm). The recommended needle size is US 6 (4 mm), but this should only serve as a guide, as you might need to adjust the needle size up or down depending on how tightly you knit or the material of the needle tips to achieve a specific gauge or the knitting tension that suits you best.
Sayama comes in 24 colors. These cover the entire color spectrum from natural to primary colors to dark grey. Most shades are in the subdued, natural spectrum. The base for Sayama is white sheep wool, white, and brown llama hair. When dyed, it creates a very nice, lively color palette.
Before starting to knit, you'll need to wind up that yarn. But fear not, this yarn is so smooth that hand-winding is a breeze – and with a length of just over 100 meters, it goes quite fast. Yarn wound, needles ready: Now it's time to finally get cozy for a little "yarn tasting" session wit Sayama!
Casting on is always a joy with this yarn! The yarn glides wonderfully through the fingers, and the stitches are quickly and evenly cast on. Even the first row – which can often be a bit bumpy because the cast-on stitches are not very elastic – knits up smoothly. Stockinette stitch is practically a breeze with Sayama; the yarn glides wonderfully and evenly, creating a super beautiful, very consistent fabric. The yarn is sturdy; you don't accidentally split it with the needle.
It's really fun to "experiment" with the yarn: Cables, textured patterns, brioche...you name it, they all turn out fab. And because Sayama is soft but not slippery, it's perfect for colorwork like Fair Isle – especially with so many colors to choose from!
After washing, the swatch is still a star. The gauge holds up, but the yarn blooms even more, giving your fabric a delicate fuzziness. It's just delightful!
Sayama is a medium-weight yarn. Would you like it even more opulent? Let's continue...
How about adding a touch of fluff for an extra snuggly knit?
The Mohair Bliss color range is like a match made in yarn heaven for all the Sayama shades. Whether you go tonal or mix it up with bold contrasts in the light-dark spectrum or beyond, it's all about the fun. Fun fact: Mohair Bliss is 60% Organic Superkid Mohair and 40% Mulberry silk – a quirky choice but an absolute gem alongside the earthy Sayama.
Bump up the needle size a bit and introduce Mohair Bliss to the Sayama party: it's like a dream team!
The delicate Mohair Bliss thread graciously takes a step back next to the chunkier Sayama, but it adds a silky sheen and fluff to the knit. When you work tonally, there's a cool effect at play: even if you barely see the Mohair Bliss core, the knit suddenly has a whole new vibe compared to Sayama alone.
As you go up in needle size, that effect mingles and changes. Even with chunky 6 mm needles, Sayama and Mohair Bliss are still a sight to behold! Experimenting with different needle sizes is surprisingly fun – the fabric texture and fluff factor keep you on your toes.
Feeling inspired to mix things up even more? Choose Manada as your sidekick yarn! This blend of 45% Mohair, 25% silk, with Merino and Yak making up the rest brings a soft touch and a whole lot of fluff to the table.
Pairing off with Sayama, these two yarns seem to dance together. You'll catch glimpses of Manada's fluffy halo, but its thick fuzz blends ever so seamlessly with Sayama, unlike the more distinct Mohair Bliss.
Sayama and Manada join forces to craft a beautifully textured and soft masterpiece. The thinner the needle, the more unified the color tone, while a chunkier needle gives each yarn a chance to shine.
Whether you're knitting with a US 7 (4.5 mm) needle or going big to a US 10 (6 mm) , you'll end up with a dreamily soft, snuggly, and oh-so-fluffy knit. While Mohair Bliss adds a delicate sheen and a touch of magic, the Sayama and Manada combo creates a cozy, matte masterpiece. Different vibes, equally stunning!
To sum it all up… Sayama is truly a gem of a yarn that's game for all kinds of creative projects. Sweaters or cardigans, solid hues or a colorful mashup – flying solo or in tandem with a buddy yarn, it's knit heaven for those snuggly tops that might just outshine your jacket. And hey, it's a top pick for warm and fuzzy accessories like hats, gloves, or those oh-so-cozy shawls.
Enough yarn love from us – now it's your turn to join the knitting fun!
