A Look at Sayama: My New Favorite Yarn

Written by: Melanie Berg

Published on November 2, 2024

Time to read 3 min

Sayama: My Secret Tip for Cozy Knitting Projects

I am incredibly excited to offer a very special yarn in my webshop: Sayama by Pascuali! This yarn has captured my heart, and I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm with you.

Sayama consists of 50% Bolivian highland wool and 50% fine llama hair. This combination is unique and gives the yarn a wonderful texture. The sturdy yet delicate wool perfectly complements the soft baby llama hair, so you immediately feel the quality and softness when knitting. In terms of softness, it can easily compete with alpaca wool!

With a length of 112 meters per 50 grams, Sayama offers the perfect worsted weight, ideal for those who love to work with slightly thicker yarn. The recommended needle size of 4 mm ensures that you see quick progress. For me, this is a big plus because I love to achieve results quickly!

"Sayama connects for me the softness of high-quality wool with the passion and dedication of the people who produce it—a yarn that has a soul."

Color Play with Sayama: Creativity Without Limits

What captivates me the most is the color palette: Sayama is available in 24 colors, ranging from natural, muted tones to vibrant shades. This variety invites experimentation with different colors and combinations!

It’s just so much fun to choose colors and try out new combinations. The muted tones remind me of the gentle color shades found in nature—from earthy browns to delicate greens and beautiful grays that evoke foggy mornings. These colors create a calm, relaxed atmosphere and combine wonderfully to knit timeless pieces that are always in style.

But then there are the vibrant colors that catch the eye immediately! Bright red, radiant blue, and rich yellow are a feast for the senses. It’s so inspiring to play with these intense colors and see how they can completely change a project. I love trying out new color variations and discovering how they harmonize together.

Every color combination tells its own story. Sometimes I reach for harmonious tones that create a calm, cohesive knitting pattern. Other days, I go all out and mix contrasting colors that pop! It’s amazing how the colors interact while knitting and come to life.

Selecting and combining colors is a creative process that makes knitting even more exciting for me. It’s the freedom to experiment with colors and discover new, inspiring combinations that makes working with Sayama a special experience. I can’t wait to show you which colors I’ve chosen for my current shawls!

The Birth of Sayama

Paul Pascuali is not just a yarn producer; he is a true passionate advocate for sustainable and fair textile production. His belief is clear: beautiful yarns should be knitted with a clear conscience. That’s why he regularly travels to farms and spinning mills to see where his yarns are created.

Recently, his journey took him to Argentina and Bolivia, where the latest yarn Sayama was born—a delightful blend of 50% llama wool and 50% sheep wool. The journey began in northern Argentina, where majestic llamas roam freely in the high plateau of “La Puna,” enriching the landscape with their presence. Here, Paul aims to support the people in utilizing llamas for their wool so that these wonderful animals are not solely kept as pack animals.

In Santa Catalina, he met with a dedicated cooperative that strives to produce pure-colored llama wool to improve marketing and provide a better life for the people involved.

The journey continued to La Paz, where the spinning mill in El Alto produces Sayama yarn. Here, the llama fiber is not only sustainably processed but also dyed with great care to create a vibrant play of colors reminiscent of the yarn Balayage, also created by Pascuali.

Discover Sayama

Ready for Your Next Knitting Project?

As a designer, I absolutely love working with Sayama, combining colors and textures to create unique pieces. In the shop, you'll find two yarn kits for shawls that I've designed, and you can grab them right now! The patterns will be available starting in December 2024. I can't wait for you to experience the beauty and versatility of this yarn for yourself!

By the way:

The name Sayama is derived from the majestic Sajama Mountain, the highest peak in Bolivia. Although Paul couldn't reach the summit during his journey, the memory of that breathtaking landscape and the warm-hearted people remains in his heart. Through Sayama yarn, that inspiration is woven into our knitting projects.

Come and discover what you can create with Sayama!

Let yourself be inspired by Sayama and bring your creative ideas to life! I can’t wait to see the unique projects you craft with this wonderful yarn.

Best wishes,

Melanie