New Yarn: Understory
Named for its woodsy character and shadowy palette, our brand new Understory makes a wonderful addition to your own family’s story: a cherished baby blanket, a well-worn sweater, a favorite hat.
A stunning mixture of 50% baby alpaca, 25% baby yak, and 25% silk, all colors of Understory, except the Heirloom White, start with naturally yak-colored yak. The result is a warm underlying nut brown that casts the palette in a luminescent glow… Beautiful!
A light worsted weight yarn that knits up at about 5 stitches per inch on US size 5 to 7 needles, Understory is remarkably soft and squishy, but also surprisingly light, keeping you warm without oppressively weighing you down.
Each skein is 250 yards, which means you might need just one for a hat, two or three for a scarf, and five or six for a sweater or baby blanket. We used four (although you can get away with three!) for our big, cozy, and totally gorgeous Thorn Stitch Cowl, a free pattern that is the perfect introduction to Understory.
We used the color Willow Bark to make our Thorn Stitch Cowl, but we want one in every color! Check out our whole palette below, starting at the top with natural Willow Bark, followed by Pink Earth and Ripe Plum in the top row, Silver Berry and Violet Gray below that, and ending with Heirloom White and Field Mint. Wait, is that a green we spy? Yes, and a beautiful one, too!
All yarns tell a story, from the animals to the shearers, from the spinners to the dyers, and to you, the knitters, crocheters, and weavers. With every stitch, you add to the narrative, and with Understory, the ending is bound to be happy! Please browse the entire Understory collection right here… and cast on!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
GORGEOUS!
How well do you think Understory would work for the Twisted Rib Pullover? (Btw, I’ve used Merino Twist and Cascade 220 for that sweater, and both are lovely.)
Hi Liz!
Thank you for your kind words! Understory is a DK weight yarn and it might be a little too thin for this pattern, although it is possible to get gauge if you try some swatches on bigger needles.
Happy knitting!
Carly
Ah, darn it, I got so caught up in the gorgeous photos that I didn’t even pay attention to the yarn weight, lol!
I will find an excuse to use this yarn. I am determined like that. 😉
What a stunning yarn, and the colors are all beautiful. Could you comment on how soft it is? I ask because of the alpaca content, which I often (and unfortunately) find itchy. I pretty much have tried all yarns in the PurlSoho Range, so comparative comments are welcome and informative. Thanks!
Hi Chiara,
Thanks so much for writing in and for your kind words! We are kinda smitten with Understory ourselves! The Baby Alpaca and Baby Yak make this a lovely soft yarn that softens even more on blocking! The silk content also means that it is strong. It has a beautiful ply structure that shows stitch definition well.
Best,
Cassy
That is one of my favorite colors yet. Now to figure out what to make. Good job folks.
This yarn is so beautiful! I have been crocheting for a couple of months now. Do you have any recommendations for a crochet pattern (perhaps a cowl?) that would work well with this yarn? I am still learning how to determine that. Thank you!
Hi Arielle,
Thanks for writing in! I think that our new Ripples Scarf could be quite nice in Understory, although you may need to go up a hook size!
Best,
Cassy
I love the pattern understudy but am have trouble finding how much yarn I will need for the XL size
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for writing in! We are so glad that you like Olson! We are smitten as well! You will need 6 (6, 7, 7, 7, 7) skeins of Understory for sizes 40¾ (44½, 47¾, 51½, 55, 58¾) inches which will fit an actual chest circumference of 30–32 (34–36, 38–40, 42–44, 46–48, 50–52) inches.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Would Mulberry Merino work in the Olson sweater pattern?
Hi Gwen,
Thanks for writing in! Our Mulberry Merino is a bit thinner than our Understory and thus you may have a bit of a challenge getting gauge using it. If you would like to use an alternate yarn, we recommend Cashmere Merino Bloom or Flax Down. Both are slightly different in gauge, but closer than Mulberry Merino, so I would be sure to knit a gauge swatch to make sure that you are getting a pleasing fabric and the correct gauge for this lovely sweater!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Dear Purl Soho: I’m looking for a fairly simple sweater pattern to make for my daughter for Christmas that utilizes your Understory yarn. I have the “Olson” pattern, but am daunted by its complexity. Could I use Understory for either the “Top Down Circular Yoke Pullover” or the “Addison?” If you have any other suggestions, I’d appreciate them.
Thank you.
Diane Hill
Hello Diane,
Thank you for reaching out! Understory’s gauge is close enough to work beautifully for Addison- I would as always knit up a gauge swatch before jumping in, but I say go for it!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
I originally ordered this yarn for another project. I am considering you this in the “weekender” sweater by Andrea Mowry. Wondering about your thoughts. i have seen descriptions of light worsted and dk so can i use it/
Hi Carol,
Thanks for writing in! The Weekender does call for a larger needle size and gauge than we recommend for Understory – we suggest a US 5 to 7 needle and a gauge of 20 stitches per 4 inches, and the Weekender calls for a US 9 and 18 stitches per 4 inches. It might work, but the only way to find out is to knit a gauge swatch! By knitting a swatch, you will find out if you are able to obtain the correct gauge for the pattern, and also decide if you are happy with Understory knit at a looser gauge.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I have several skeins of Understory and wondered if it would be suitable for the Delicate Cable scarf? Thanks
Hi Judi,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, I think Understory would be lovely in our Delicate Cable Scarf! As always, when substituting a different yarn, it is a good idea to knit a gauge swatch to see if you need to adjust your needle size. You will need four skeins of Understory for this scarf.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
You do not stock “Understory” any more. Do you have a comparable yarn to use as a substitute? Please Advise, Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for reaching out! I’d recommend the following yarns as great substitutes for Understory:
The best match would be Morning. Morning is a blend of cotton and yak, and it has a very similar “sleek” texture to Understory. Another option would be Cashmere Merino Bloom, which is a sumptuous blend of cashmere and merino, and the yarn is very warm and fuzzy. Finally, Knitting Yarn would also be a great substitute. It’s the perfect “all-around” yarn: simple, durable, and extremely versatile!
As always, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
All the best,
Lili