Maxima

Maxima is a super soft, squishy, cuddly merino. The worsted weight single-ply construction makes it a great all-purpose yarn, and skeins have enough yardage for single-skein accessories. The kettle-dyed colors are fun, bright, and intense to make your handmade items stand out.

All of Manos del Uruguay yarns are hand dyed. The artisans use big kettles heated by wood-fueled boilers, dyeing in small batches creating wonderful colors. The colors of Manos yarns are bright and wild, full of nuances and variations. No two skeins are the same, each one is unique, a testimony of a particular moment.

Due to the small batch hand-dyed process, there may be differences in colors between skeins. Order enough yarn for your project for a better likelihood that skeins will match. Alternate skeins where needed.

All Manos del Uruguay yarns are mulesing-free.

Our notes

After making a few of our own projects with this thread, here's what we've found:

Fantastic stitch definition: No matter what craft or stitch, Maxima's single-ply construction makes each stitch distinct. The short color repeats also make for lovely accent pops with textured stitches.

Gorgeous colors: This is one of our favorite lines of yarn, half for the feel of it and half for the look. Each of the colors, whether it's a semi-solid or a variegated, is beautifully bright and vibrant.

Soft, squishy, and bouncy: This is next-to-skin soft for everyone but the most sensitive. We don't really have much of a better way to describe it than "it feels like a hug from a marshmallow."

Stronger than expected: Many single-ply yarns, especially those that are more loosely spun, tend to fall apart if you pull on them enough or are working against the twist of the yarn. None of us had any issues with this one, and Stephanie found she had to untwist a bit of the yarn to get it to split while doing her nalbound swatches.

Perfect for crochet: The Z-twist is perfect for the majority of crochet stitches, especially those that can make S-twist yarn a bit splitty. As we said before, stitch definition is stunning in this yarn, so any crochet projects will be beautifully textured and have good drape to them too.

May pill from hard wear: Merino, particularly in single-ply yarns, can be prone to pilling in garments that see a lot of wear. Keep an eye on spots like the armpits of sweaters, and gently use a depilling tool if needed.

Swatch details

All swatches were wet blocked before measuring.

Knit

• Colors: Habanero, Icon
• Swatcher: Avery
• Needles: 4.5mm (US 7)
• Stitch: Stockinette with a seed stitch border
• Gauge:
  • Habanero: 16 stitches and 26 rows per 4" / 10cm
  • Icon: 18 stitches and 30 rows per 4" / 10cm

Crochet

• Colors: Habanero, Icon
• Swatcher: Avery
• Hook: 5.5mm
• Stitch: Half double crochet
• Gauge:
  • Habanero: 16 stitches and 12 rows per 4" / 10cm
  • Icon: 15 stitches and 12.5 rows per 4" / 10cm

Nalbind

• Colors: Habanero, Icon
• Swatcher: Stephanie
• Tension: Needle, 20mm circumference
• Stitch: Oslo F1
• Gauge: 34stitches and 18 rows per 4" / 10cm
  

Weave

• Colors: Habanero, Icon
• Swatcher: Stephanie
• Sett: 8 ends per inch
• Structure: Plain weave, 30 (Habanero) / 34 (Icon) picks per inch
• Warp: Size 10 crochet cotton

Yarn details