Vaya

Cotton that knits like summer. Merino and yak that remind you winter exists. One yarn that somehow handles both.

Vaya is a DK weight yarn from Lang Yarns — 74% cotton, 16% extrafine Merino, 10% yak — and the fiber combination does something genuinely interesting. The cotton keeps it breathable and light; the Merino adds elasticity and softness; the yak brings a subtle warmth and a quiet depth of color that makes every colorway look more complex than a single skein has any right to. If you've noticed that Vaya colorways seem to have a slightly dark, layered quality to them, that's the yak doing its job.

The construction is chainette — not plied — which is why it drapes so well for a DK, holds its shape in finished garments, and has that clean, polished stitch definition across everything from stockinette to lace. It runs on the thinner side for a DK, so Lang's own patterns typically call for a smaller needle for ribbing (US 2.5) and a US 4 for the body — worth knowing before you cast on.

Made in Italy. Machine washable. The transitional-season sweater you've been waiting to justify.

Jolene says if she could only ever knit with one yarn, this would be it. -Kerry