Meilenweit Aloha is a sock weight (4-ply or fingering) yarn composed of 80% wool and 20% Polyamide. It’s machine washable, non-felting and durable. It comes in 100g balls with about 420m length. It is a self-striping yarn with subtle, soft colours. The manufacturer suggests 2.5mm to 3mm knitting needles for a gauge of 28 stitches to 40 rows to make a 10cm x10cm square.
I have made a couple projects with Aloha and thoroughly enjoyed knitting with it. My first project was a pair of ankle socks. I knitted a diamond lace pattern into it to see how well it would show, in spite of the striping effect. I was quite happy with the outcome. The yarn was comfortable to use; soft, even and flawless. I would expect nothing less from a Lana Grossa product. I divided the ball into 2 and knit both socks at once (off 2 balls) on 2 circular needles with half of each sock on either of the two 2.5mm needles. I was easily able to achieve the gauge. Because the colour changes are subtle, I was concerned that it may be challenging to discern the shift in colour from one ball to the other at cast on; yet I had no trouble doing so. The result was a very pretty lace sock.
The next project I made was Sivia Harding’s Waves and Brambles beaded lace shawl. (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/waves-and-brambles) This was my first attempt at a lace shawl, and it was beaded to boot. The striping of the yarn worked beautifully for the size of the shawl and gave a lovely soft pattern. I used a 100cm long 3.5mm circular needle for this project. The edging, worked in relatively short rows perpendicular to the body of the shawl, obviously has a much more defined stripes. I was very happy with the overall look. Despite the cast on of 321 stitches, I found the yarn so comfortable to work with that it was a joy from beginning to end.
The quality of this yarn is excellent. I encountered no joins in any of the balls that I used, and no noticeable inconsistencies. The yarn was soft, smooth and the finished garments are wearing well. It washes up and blocks beautifully.
If you are looking for something that knits up with strong defined stripes and patterns that look like fancy colour work, this yarn will not satisfy you. If you are looking for a sock weight yarn that has a noticeable stripe, without being too bold, Meilenweit Aloha could be a good fit for you.
Lana Grossa Meilenweit Aloha Stats
Fiber Content: 80% wool, 20% Polyamide
Weight: 100g
Gauge: Sock Weight
JUDY’S DESIGNS 