Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Noro King
Review Date: March 14, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: 2010

Amanda from Noro Love Book #10 Little Venus from Noro Love Book #10 King Waves Shrug from Noro Volume #28

The Look

Eisaku Noro is a recognized and respected master at blending color and fiber so it’s no surprise that Noro’s new King yarn is bundle of crisp crunchy texture swirled in rich color. Noro twines one ply of wool blend and another acrylic blend with a nylon strand to create this beautiful textural yarn. It is a light weight composite of 33% microfiber, 23% silk, 23% kid mohair, 20% wool, and 1% nylon in 8 colors that will accent spring and summer wardrobes.

The Feel

Each fine strand is softly crinkled. King looks like a lustrous silk and linen blend, and it feels like a soft woolen yarn. Over 250 yards are in each 50 gram ball of King, indicating this is a feather light yarn. King ranks #7 on the softness scale for its lightweight softness.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

Two new books from Noro, Volume #28 and Jane Ellison's Noro Love (Book #10 F/W 2010), feature King yarn. This versatile yarn is used in flowing stoles, shrugs and scarves and even children’s wear. King is an excellent choice for garments that emphasize drape, but it works well in fitted pullovers and cardigans, too.

Color Range

King is produced in eight different fusions of color. The base tones include tan/blue, charcoal/brown, greens, gold/blue, red/orange, pink/ green, turquoise/green, and brown/purple, but these colors expand exponentially. Each ply is a strand of variegated color, twisted and crimped together with a nylon strand so that a different “face” color shows up in nearly every stitch. In knitted fabric, the colors blend into a harmonious array, each one unique and completely original. Knit in the round or in rectangular stoles or scarves, King works into irregular stripes; when knit on the diagonal or in a triangle shawl shapes, the stripes may be more regular.

Working It

The color changes flow from one into the next in a mesmerizing current of color. You will marvel at Eisaku Noro’s color artistry as you knit King. Random colors emerge in unexpected yet stunning combinations, further enhanced by slight surface variations created by the yarn’s texture and an almost imperceptible haze. This premium yarn does not snag or split, even when knit to a fine gauge with sharply pointed needles. The yarn is inelastic, and it knits into fabric with slight elasticity. King drapes elegantly, making it a good choice for stoles, scarves or wraps.

What I’d Like to Make with It

The ruffled “Helix Scarf” has been a smash hit among hand spinners. Knit using short wedges of short rows, this gently undulating garter stitch scarf blooms in King yarn. The constantly changing colors of King are concentrated in the short rows while the garter bumps reveal bits of color in a way that makes the scarf look woven. This two-row pattern is easily mastered, very portable, and a great project for travellers.

Knitting Outside the Box

Noro colors reveal themselves in mysterious and individual patterns, so that no two garments will be exactly the same and your knitting will be different from any other. Whatever you knit in Noro King, it will be unique and one-of-a-kind.

Blocking It

Lay flat to dry. Do not apply heat.

Washing It

Hand wash. May be dry cleaned.

Wearability

King is lustrous and richly colored, and these colors can be expected to stay fresh looking over the life of your garment because the colors don’t run or fade. King does not pill or stretch. Expect to enjoy your knitting for a long time.

Overall Recommendation:

King is another sensational yarn from Noro. I rate it #9.