Yarn Review: Wooldreamers Mota
After 25 years in the yarn and knitting business, I love being surprised by a yarn. When that surprising yarn has a great story to tell, it's like Christmas in July. Wooldreamers Mota is that sort of yarn.
Wooldreamers is a recent arrival in US yarn shops. I had not heard of them before visiting their booth at h+h Americas, the wholesale trade show, this past May.
FYI: This yarn was gifted to me by Wooldreamers US, with no obligation to use or review the yarn. The links are not affiliate links. I receive no compensation for this review, nor will I receive a commission if you make a purchase. I have no business relationship with Wooldreamers.
First, the Specifications
This yarn is suitable for use in patterns calling for worsted-weight yarn.
Let's Take a Closer Look
Mota is a round, bouncy 3-ply yarn with a moderately tight twist. The yarn has been lightly fulled in finishing at the mill, giving it a slightly fuzzy surface, but the overall appearance is smooth. That light fulling makes the yarn cohesive. I can break the yarn with my hands with just a bit of effort. The yarn is consistent and evenly spun, with just one small knot in the ball I sampled.
Note that the yarn label is written in Spanish. All the information can be found in English on the Wooldreamers US website.
Let's Look at a Swatch
I knit Mota on size 7 (4.5mm) needles. My gauge in Stockinette stitch was 20 sts and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm)—a bit tighter than the gauge recommended on the yarn label.
This yarn is a breeze to knit, with great elasticity and no hint of splitting. I could easily knit this yarn with my eyes closed.
The fabric is smooth and even, with lovely stitch definition. It has a good balance between density and drape. A sweater made with Mota would keep you warm in the winter without feeling stiff. The swatch is softer than I expected. Those who are extra sensitive might not be comfortable wearing Mota next to their skin, but I wore the swatch pinned inside the back neck of my shirt for several hours and felt no prickles at all
Bouncy, round yarns like this are generally well suited to knitting cables, so I knit a pair of mittens with a cable running up the back of the hand.
There is no pattern link for these mittens. I was knitting freestyle, and I encourage you to do the same. Pull out your favorite basic mitten pattern and experiment with adding a cable. If you don't have a favorite, try this free pattern from Tin Can Knits.
These mittens feel sturdy, cozy, and warm, and I love the way the cable looks. I added them to my donation box for Knit the Rainbow, where I know they will be put to good use.
What You Can't See
Wooldreamers launched in 2020 as the hand-knitting division of a 100-year-old family-owned wool mill in Mota del Cuervo, Spain. They are located southeast of Madrid in the Castilla-La Mancha district. The label for Mota features a drawing of windmills, along with the quote "No son Gigantes, son Molinos" (they are not giants, they are mills) from Cervantes' Don Quixote, the "man of La Mancha".
There are many sheep farms in Castilla-La Mancha, but they raise dairy sheep. This region is the home of Manchego cheese (yum). For years, farmers who raise Manchega sheep for their milk have treated the wool as a waste product.
Manchega sheep grow a fleece with a staple length of 5–6" and a fiber diameter of 26–28 microns. This is on par with a breed like Columbia, which is raised in the Western US mountain ranges and makes up a large part of the annual US wool crop. It is classified as a medium wool. Wooldreamers is buying that "waste" wool, blending it with locally grown Merino, and spinning it into yarn.
The Bottom Line
Wooldreamers Mota is a beautiful, classic yarn well suited to knitting sweaters, hats, and mittens for the entire family. Mota is also a terrific yarn for the beginner knitter. It comes in a lovely range of 41 solid colors, plus 3 marls.
At $16 for a 252-yard ball, this yarn is a great value. You could knit a women's size medium pullover for less than $100, and it would last for years.
Ask for Mota at your local yarn shop or order direct through Wooldreamers US website. They ship from a US warehouse, so there is no worry about costly international shipping or customs delays.
My reading list is often packed with Serious Topics and Dark Themes. Every now and then, I want a book that gives me all the warm and fuzzy feelings. You Are Here by David Nicholls is that sort of book.
Nicholls is the author of the 2009 best-seller One Day, which was adapted into both a feature film and a Netflix limited series.
Michael and Marnie are middle-aged professionals whose lives have not turned out quite as they expected. They are both survivors of failed marriages who have become loners.
A mutual friend brings them together for an epic hike across England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. To everyone's amazement (not least their own), sparks fly, and attraction starts to smolder. Can Michael and Marnie lower their defenses enough to keep it burning?
The novel alternates points-of-view, changing from Marnie's perspective to Michael's and back with each new chapter. The descriptions of the landscape add a cinematic quality to the story. You Are Here is funny and heartwarming. Both Marnie and Michael are very likeable characters. I found myself thinking, "Go ahead! Kiss her!"
Note: Book titles are linked to Bookshop.org, a non-profit that supports independent bookstores. These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
There will be no new post next week. I'll be in Lancaster, PA, working at Maker Festivals. I had big plans to write two posts this week so I'd have one scheduled and ready to roll, but it just isn't going to happen. There is too much to do before I get on that airplane. I’m giving myself a break, and I trust you will, too. I'll be back with a new post on August 8.
In the meantime, thank you, as always, for letting me into your brain. I am thrilled that you find my words worth reading.
How fabulous that Wooldreamers is utilizing "waste wool". As always Sandi, your yarn reviews inform me about yarns I haven't heard of and delight my fiber creative mind and heart. Manchego cheese is delicious and it was my favorite when I lived in Spain. :)
Sandi, I really appreciate your yarn reviews. Have fun at the Fest!