A little bit about our yarn

Commercial yarns are factory dyed in large quantities whereas hand-dyed yarns are, by definition, hand-dyed in smaller batches. Due to the nature and method of hand dying yarn, more colour variation is introduced. This results in more depth of colours that cannot easily be replicated in commercially dyed yarns.

If you want to buy 100 balls of yarn that all look exactly the same then buy commercial yarn, but if you are looking for something unique that has a lot of life and colour depth then hand dyed is what you want.

We always recommend buying enough yarn to finish your project and alternating between two skeins, every few rows, on larger projects. This avoids pooling or a sudden shift of colours.

All our yarn is washed after dying but some residual dye might still be present inside the fibre. Therefore, on your first wash, there may be some residual dye.

Our yarn bases are superwash, with colour heat set, and machine-washable – however we strongly recommend to hand wash all your knitted items in lukewarm water. Your projects will last much longer!

First, a bit about fibres:
Merino wool is a fine grade wool that is warm without being hot. It also has moisture wicking properties. It is ideal for garments that are worn close to the body (socks, hats, mittens, sweaters, scarves… the list goes on!).

All our merino is super-wash which makes it machine washable. We do however still recommend hand-washing to extend the life of your garments. Merino can pill depending on how it is spun. Loosely spun will likely cause more piling than plied yarns. Plying ‘wraps’ the ends of the fibres which will create piling over time.

Nylon is spun with natural fibres to create yarns with improved strength and durability – Your much-loved hand-knit socks will last longer if nylon is in the yarn. As a bonus it also adds a shimmer/shine to the yarn. Nylon is also lightweight, moisture-wicking and breathable. It is also wrinkle and shrink-resistant and quick-drying. It also helps prevent pilling of natural yarns – nylon strands are much longer than natural fibre and ‘wrap’ the fibres of the merino that causes pilling.

Our 75/25 Merino/Nylon is perfect for all garments. We specifically LOVE it for socks – you only need on skein! It has a lovely shine, is super soft and we adore it.

From our experience it is very resistant to pilling (compared with other bases). It is plied (3 ply), sock weight with approx. 366m/100g