But it's not Merino... part 1

Merino is the tried and true go-to of hand knitting.  It's a wool we know is soft, natural, and very pretty.  I've used Merino for many of the garments I have made since I learned to knit. But I know now there are more sheep breeds (and even other animals & also plants!) out there with a lot to offer the hand maker, and I want to share them with you through this blog.

Before I commit to dying and recommending a yarn - I test it myself.  And by test, I mean I knit a whole garment in it! Then I wear it, and even sleep in it to see how it keeps its shape, how quickly or if the yarn pills (we need a whole blog post devoted to pilling), and how it relaxes.  It's the only way I would be confident enough in selling a yarn to our making community. Also, it allows me to speak intelligently and from experience about the qualities of each fibre. So I take the risk factor out of the equation when dealing with new fibres for the makers wanting to branch out from Merino.

Currently in the studio we offer Halfbred, BFL, & Romney wools, Linen, Possum, Yak, Silk, and Super Kid Mohair blends. During the Summer we offer Cotton, and a Linen/Silk blend. 

So let's choose one and do a deep dive!

Halfbred wool is the most misunderstood and under appreciated.  It's most famous for its awful name that appears to be bothersome for almost everyone, yet impossible to change?

HISTORY: Halfbred sheep were originated in the 19th century by crossing either Romney or English Leicester with the Merino. Halfbreds, like Corriedales, are a New Zealand breed are well suited to the hills and high country.