Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: Anny Blatt Absolu (Absolute Caviar)
Review Date: May 8, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Spring 2011

Absolu Sisko Cardigan Absolu Ruffled Scarf

The Look

Absolu is packaged in a keepsake decorative box with a message from Anny Blatt that describes the story behind Absolu as a beautiful love story:

. . . the outcome of an endless Passion for the oldest breeds of French Angora Rabbits, combined with a rare know-how! Patient, complex and infinitely precise cross-breedings have given ABSOLU its unique, exquisite and totally natural color. Absolutely no dye used! Given the rarety of the biber and the complexity of the process, only a very limited supply is available. Each skein is numbered. To protect their extreme softness and amazying fluffiness, each skein is delicately placed in its own individual case for you to appreciate fully. Enjoy Anny Blatt ABSOLU, the ultimate luxury in Angora!

The Feel

There is no fiber more soft, silky or warm to the touch than angora. Absolu rates #10 on the softness scale.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

Anny Blatt’s luxurious wrap cardigan is classically simple. Regardless of whether it is worn over jeans or an evening gown, this understated but glamorous garment makes a statement of refined elegance. Angora is a rare and costly fiber and most knitters will choose to use it in small quantities for accessories, trim, or shrugs. Scour resale shops for vintage 1950 and 1960 era patterns to see how angora was used. Be sure to update for today’s sizing and fit preferences; clothes from that era tended to fit more snugly than current fashions.

Color Range

Absolu is available in one color: sophisticated Grey. No dyes are used to disturb the beautiful natural variations in color.

Working It

A soft halo blooms when angora is handled. Absolu is so light and soft that it seems to vanish when knit. The yarn looks like any other fingering weight yarn, but it is transformed into a fuzzy weightless cloud of knitted fabric. At the recommended gauge of 21 stitches over 4 inches, the fabric is light, airy and drapes gracefully. There is little elasticity in this fabric; projects should focus on simple geometric shapes. The fuzziness will obscure lace or texture stitches, making angora well suited for stockinette or very simple pattern stitches.

What I’d Like to Make with It

Because angora is such an arresting fiber, a mere dab of it is generally enough to attract notice to any garment and a shawl or shrug will be an absolute show- stopper. Angora recently played a feature role in the British royal wedding. Kate Middleton’s smashingly gorgeous second wedding gown topped by an angora shrug generated admiring notice from all corners. No copycat patterns for Kate’s shrug have emerged yet, but that’s just a matter of time. Clever knitters can use vintage patterns from the 50’s and 60’s for angora shrugs to imitate the royal look. A collar-less boxy cardigan shortened to mid-rib length could also be adapted for the Middleton look. Devotees of Elizabeth Zimmermann will recognize this shape as the rib warmer. Kate’s bridal white might be used for christenings or winter snowballs, but the sophisticated grey Absolu angora is a terrific choice to duplicate the smoking-hot sexy look of 1955.

Knitting Outside the Box

Not all social occasions warrant an angora shrug, so why not trim a pair of fine gloves with an angora cuff. Other possibilities include an angora tam, corkscrew scarf, or sumptuous cowl. The half-hat ear warmer of the 1950-‘s with page boy hairdo may not make a comeback, but angora continues to intrigue and lure knitters. It is elite among luxury fibers.

Blocking It

Lay flat to dry.

Washing It

Hand wash. May be dry cleaned.

Wearability

Angora is an extremely durable fiber. It is rated as the warmest of all natural fibers (some claim it is up to 10 times warmer than wool) so perhaps there is a reason for those short shrugs. Don’t worry about getting overheated in an angora garment though: angora does not absorb odors. While some people are allergic to angora rabbits as pets, it is the protein in the rabbits’ skin cells (dander) and saliva which the rabbits use to groom themselves, not the fur that causes the allergies. Angora yarn should not trigger an allergic reaction in most people. Another characteristic of angora is a tendency to shed if not spun tightly. Angora fiber is fine and slippery, and it can unspin itself and shed. Absolu is tightly spun and does not shed.

Overall Recommendation:

For the ultimate in extravagance, try Absolu angora. It rates #10.