Carmen is the sock yarn in the Urth Yarns family — and the nylon content tells you everything you need to know about its intentions. Where Trill is built for garments and the linen gives it a relaxed drape, Carmen's 20% nylon makes it hardwearing enough to survive the kind of daily punishment a pair of socks takes. The 80% extrafine superwash merino handles the softness; the nylon handles the rest.
Each skein is hand-dyed in Turkey in a characteristic combination of saturated solid plus exuberant speckle — the effect that makes Carmen particularly well-suited to planned pooling, where the regular repeat of solid and speckle can be engineered into deliberate stripes across the work. It is a more technically demanding approach to knitting, but Carmen rewards it better than most yarns at this price point. It works perfectly well as a straightforward self-striping yarn too, if the pooling feels like homework.
As with all hand-dyed yarns, there will be subtle variation between skeins. Buy enough for your project in one purchase and alternate skeins as you work to distribute any colour differences evenly.
- Composition: 80% Extrafine Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Nylon
- Weight: Fingering / 4 Ply
- Skein weight: 100g
- Yardage: 440 yards / 400 metres per skein
- Recommended needle size: 2.25–3.25mm (US 1–3)
- Recommended hook size: 2.25–3.25mm (B-1 to D-3)
- Tension: 28–32 sts per 10cm on recommended needles
- Hand-dyed in Turkey
- 4 colourways available
- Each purchase plants a tree through Trees for the Future
Care: Machine wash cold on a delicate cycle. Hand-washing in cold water with a small amount of wool wash is recommended for longevity. Lay flat to dry. Do not tumble dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carmen a sock yarn?
Yes — the 20% nylon content is specifically there to add durability in high-wear areas. It is an excellent sock yarn, and the fingering weight and gauge are exactly what most sock patterns call for. It also works beautifully for lightweight accessories, shawls, and fingering weight garments.
What is planned pooling and does Carmen work for it?
Planned pooling is a technique that uses the regular repeat of a self-striping yarn to create deliberate colour patterns — argyle effects, chevrons, and other geometric arrangements — by carefully matching your stitch count to the length of each colour repeat. Carmen's combination of solid and speckle is designed with this in mind. It requires some swatching and calculation, but the results are striking.
How many skeins do I need for socks?
A standard adult sock pattern in fingering weight takes 1–2 skeins depending on foot size and leg length. Most average adult socks fit comfortably in one 100g skein with a little left over. Check your pattern for the specific yardage.
Can I choose my colourway?
Yes — select your colourway from the dropdown. We currently stock colourways 1403, 1408, 1412, and 1413.
How does Carmen differ from Trill?
Both are Urth Yarns fingering weight skeins hand-dyed in Turkey, but they are built for different things. Trill is 80% merino and 20% linen — suited to garments, wraps, and warm-weather knits where drape and breathability matter. Carmen is 80% merino and 20% nylon — suited to socks and accessories where durability is the priority. Trill is lighter and drapier; Carmen is tougher and springier.
