Triangular flower scarf/Malabrigo Lace yarn review

I’ve really struggled to find time to crochet lately, so it was like a small celebration to finally weave in the ends on this lightweight, buttery soft triangular scarf (which I probably won’t get to use until next winter!). I’m currently in the final stretch of Pesach cleaning; crochet is my favorite way to unwind during rare free moments.

I used two hanks of Malabrigo Lace in the colorway Hojas and a 2mm hook. The pattern is the Mehr Shawl by KnitterKnotter, a gorgeous but uncomplicated pattern that evokes the image of a spring field full of flowers. I also added a basic border of chains and sc.

Now, for my favorite part: working with the yarn! This was my first time using Malabrigo Lace, and it didn’t disappoint. First, keep in mind this is very, very thin yarn. It packs a generous 470 yards (430 meters) in a 50-gram hank, so two hanks are plenty for a nice-sized scarf, shawl, or cowl.

A brief detour on working with lace-weight yarns in general. It’s an ideal choice when you’re a crocheter rather than a knitter, because crochet always works up thicker, so picking a lace-weight yarn ensures you get a lightweight, drapey fabric, perfect for any wearables you don’t want to be too bulky, stiff, or warm.

On the flip side, lace-weight yarns can feel like they take forever to work up into a finished project. Also, they seem almost insubstantial when they slide between your fingers, so keeping tension is often a challenge.

Anyway… Malabrigo Lace. It’s a 100% merino, heavenly soft and with zero itch/irritation factor, a fantastic choice for scarves or anything you wear next to the skin. As a single-ply yarn, it’s slightly uneven, so I got some stretches of yarn that were thread-thin and others that were almost as thick as DK.

Malabrigo warns that “we don’t have a record of which yarn store receives a specific dye lot and it’s impossible for us to find out where you can find the same dye lot skeins.“ I found out the full effect of this once I began using the second hank and realized that the hues are ever so slightly different: the first one leaned toward more blues, the second showed more of a greenish palette, as you may notice in the photo.

It’s not that big of a deal in this case, since the scarf is for me, and the color changes won’t be really noticeable when it’s worn bunched up around the neck. But it’s something to keep in mind if you’re making a wearable for a gift or if you need the shade to be exactly the same throughout the item.

Overall, I really enjoyed working with this yarn, and would use it again for a delicate scarf or a spring cardigan.

Make sure to check out my reviews of other Malabrigo yarns: Worsted, Rios, Silkpaca, Mora, Sock, and Silky Merino.