De Rerum Natura Gilliatt

$24.00
Color
poivre

 

Weight: Worsted

Fiber Content: 100% wool (French Mérinos d'Arles and Portuguese black merino)

Yardage: 270 yards (250 meters)

Skein Weight: Approximately 100 g

Gauge: 17–19 stitches per 4 inches (10 cm)

Recommended Needles: US 6–8 (4–5 mm)

Construction: Three-ply, woolen-spun

Origin: Wool sourced in France and Portugal; spun and dyed in France

Care: Gentle hand washing recommended; lay flat to dry

Product Description

Gilliatt by De Rerum Natura is a beautifully soft, woolen-spun merino yarn that combines the character of traditional wool with a wonderfully light, lofty feel. Made from French Mérinos d'Arles and Portuguese black merino, it offers natural warmth, elasticity, and a satisfying texture that makes it a pleasure to knit.

Its three well-twisted plies create a round, airy yarn with excellent stitch definition. Gilliatt is equally at home in simple stockinette, textured stitches, and intricate cables. The woolen-spun construction gives finished garments a lovely fullness without unnecessary weight, while its forgiving nature makes it approachable for knitters of all experience levels.

The color palette is especially beautiful, featuring natural shades created by blending white and dark fleeces alongside a collection of subtly heathered colors dyed in the fleece. These nuanced shades bring depth and richness to even the simplest projects.

Thoughtfully produced with an emphasis on traceability and responsible sourcing, Gilliatt's wool comes from flocks raised in France and Portugal. Processing takes place entirely within Europe, with spinning and dyeing completed in France.

Gilliatt takes its name from the resourceful fisherman and unlikely hero of Victor Hugo's novel Toilers of the Sea, a story of courage, perseverance, and the power of nature. A fitting literary namesake for a yarn with such enduring character.

Why We Love It at A Show of Hands

Gilliatt brings together so many qualities we appreciate in a wool yarn: beautiful natural fibers, thoughtful production, and the versatility to become a favorite everyday sweater. We especially love its subtle heathered colors and the way its woolen-spun construction creates fabric that feels both substantial and remarkably light. It's the kind of yarn that makes even simple knitting feel special.

Perfect For

Everyday sweaters and cardigans

Beautifully defined cables and textured stitches

Cozy hats, mittens, and scarves

Classic colorwork and stranded knitting

Warm, lightweight garments with a natural wool finish
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Pay with Apple Pay We offer Apple Pay as a swift and secure way to make a payment at checkout.
Order online, collect in-store Choose in-store collection at checkout to pick up your order at select Fresh locations.
Gather and craft Join us in our store for crafting, to ask questions, or dream up new projects!

We’re here for the love of it and the fun of it. For the craft that connects us to something older than any of us.

Fiber Information

Yarn Weight + WPI

Yarn weight refers to the thickness of a yarn. Thickness determines appropriate needle or hook size, finished fabric density, and yardage requirements. Standard weight categories from thinnest to thickest: lace, fingering, sport, DK, worsted, bulky, super bulky.


Weight labels on yarn are approximate. Wraps per inch (WPI) gives a more precise measurement. To measure WPI: wrap yarn snugly around a ruler for one inch, without overlapping strands or stretching. Count the wraps.


WPI reference:

  • 30+ WPI: lace
  • 20–28 WPI: fingering
  • 14–18 WPI: sport
  • 11–14 WPI: DK
  • 9–11 WPI: worsted
  • 7–8 WPI: bulky
  • Fewer than 7 WPI: super bulky

WPI is most useful when a label is missing, when substituting yarns, or when working with handspun yarn.

Gauge and Sett

Gauge is the number of stitches and rows per inch in a knitted or crocheted fabric. It is determined by yarn weight, needle or hook size, and individual tension. A pattern’s gauge is the measurement the designer used to calculate sizing. If your gauge does not match the pattern, your finished dimensions will differ. A small difference over many inches makes a big difference in fit.

To adjust gauge: a smaller needle or hook produces more stitches per inch; a larger needle or hook produces fewer. The goal is to match the pattern’s gauge, not its suggested needle size.


Sett is the weaving equivalent of wraps per inch (WPI). Sett controls how open or dense the finished woven cloth will be. A standard starting point for sett is half the WPI for a balanced plain weave. Twill structures generally require a slightly closer sett; lace structures a more open one.


Both gauge and sett are starting points that need to be confirmed by sampling. Calculate first, then verify with a swatch. Record what you find; your future self will thank you.

Wet Blocking

Blocking is the process of wetting a finished piece, shaping it, and allowing it to dry. It evens out stitches, sets the final dimensions, and for lace, opens the pattern fully.


For protein fibers (wool, alpaca, cashmere): soak in cool water with a small amount of wool wash until fully saturated, typically 15 to 20 minutes. Gently press out water without wringing. Roll in a towel to remove excess moisture. Lay flat, shape to finished measurements, and pin if needed. Allow to dry completely before moving.


For lace pieces, blocking wires threaded through edge stitches produces cleaner lines than pins alone.


Fiber-specific notes:

  • Wool holds its blocked shape well once dry.
  • Silk and silk blends block well and dry quickly.
  • Linen and cotton do not respond to blocking the same way protein fibers do, but wet finishing still softens and settles the fiber.
    Steam blocking is appropriate for fibers that should not be fully saturated. Hold the iron several inches above the surface. Do not press down on wool -- direct pressure and heat flatten the fiber's loft.

    Block to finished measurements, not to the dimensions of the piece as it came off the needles or loom.