About the yarn (since this is the wool experiment). Upon first grabbing the ball of Rowan's Pure Life British Breeds Suffolk yarn, I thought, "hmmm...itchy, definitely crunchy--I can see why Clara Parkes uses that description--and rather hairy." There are bits of different hairs--white and black--that stick out here and there throughout the yarn.
I did notice that the yarn was very round. It's three ply, and upon untwisting it to look at the plies, I noticed that the individual plies are all smooth and very lofty. The plies almost look like wool "cotton candy." When plied together, the resulting yarn is round and very smooshy--despite the initial impression of "itch." When knitted, the resulting fabric is so cushy, yet strong, that I wanted to sit and squeeze it.
I was worried that wearing the yarn might itch my forehead or ears. After putting it on, though, all I felt was warmth. I also worried that knitting with it might irritate my hands. I found that after starting to work with the yarn, it didn't feel itchy. I did notice a sheepy smell, which was more enhanced upon opening the zip-loc bag I keep my projects in to protect them from curious kitties. The smell definitely added to the charm of the yarn and I found myself smelling it from time to time as I progressed in my knitting.
Because of the climate where we live, I can't imagine knitting a sweater or jacket out of this yarn, though I believe that it would be like a great big hug on a cold day if I lived somewhere cold. Realistically, I can see knitting a blanket. I saw one on Ravelry that used different breeds (thus different colors) in a log-cabin blanket. It was very pretty and something I might want to try eventually. I can also see some cabled throw pillows or a bag--slightly felted.
I'm really glad I started this journey into wool discovery. I can't wait to see what the next projects bring. I've already casted on project #2, the Flicka Hat, in Fresco yarn by Classic Elite. I'll talk more about that tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment