Bucilla Nubby Knit

This image and description come from CorkSpork on Etsy.com:
2 skiens Vintage Bucilla boilproof Nubby-Knit yarn, ash blue color, 225 yards each for a total of 450 yards, appears to be unused, really unique knubby yarn, I believe it is made of cotton. (Only one pictured but both are matching)

Boilproof! Right on the label, this yarn is promoted as boilproof!

Now that's truly extinct yarn!

Thanks, CorkSpork, for your permission!

PINGOUIN Pingolaine

Pingolaine is 100% Pure new wool, Machine Washable.
200 m/220 yards, 50g/1.75 oz per skein.
Gauge: 30 st, 10 rows per 4 inch square, using #3 US needles.
An early superwash wool, fine gauge perfect for socks and baby items. It's fingering four ply, quite like most modern sock yarns. SOFT and really yummy. Takes a bit of a tug to break it (my favorite test).


This review seems to be about exactly the same yarn as I've got, right down to the yardage and gauge. Year of origin given is 1995.

As this forum thread implies, most recent purchases of Pingouin are made outside the US. Both old yarn and pattern books turn up on eBay too. Other yarn trekkers have discovered Pingouin yarns recently for sale in Paris.

I just love that old logo. Cute! So cute! Aww, cute smelly seabird!!

My intentions were good when in 1982 I purchased hmm about a dozen skeins of this stuff in 4 colors -- olive, orange, yellow and tan -- from Flatlands Yarns on Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. I wanted a fine-gauge cardigan. But I never made it, the yarn migrated from bag to bag, and now unearthed from its latest mausoleum (the dreaded footlocker in the closet) I'm impressed how well it stood up. No fading, and no moth damage! None! I see no kinder possible fate than baby clothes.

LANG Forina

Forina by Lang, made in Switzerland. Discontinued 2005.
100% cotton, subtle sheen but non-slippery feel.
Yarndex info implies the yarn might have changed a bit over the years. My skeins of the stuff indicate a gauge of 20 stitches/26 rows per 10 cm/4 inches on #4 needles, but Yarndex shows 23 st per 4 inches on #6 needles. The yarn I have is quite fine, I'd say #3 needle even, never a #6. Intriguing.

My 6 skeins of Fiorina are of reasonable vintage, dating back to approximately 1986, so this yarn had some staying power! It's just a plied cotton, probably mercerized, nothing really odd or special. which brings up the point that many Yarns of Years Past may be gone in name but not in style. Many just get re-named or re-branded, especially if their parent company is acquired. Lang's current offerings are many and varied, including several fine plied cottons, but Fiorina, and its style, is gone.

We had lots more of this yarn at one time. My mother machine-knitted a plain silver top with white trim. I honestly can't recall what happened to it; we might've given it away after we both outgrew it. These remaining six shall become baby attire for the worthy offspring of a friend.