A new direction, a new yarn
A New Arrival for Sweater Season
There’s something about this time of year that makes us crave wool in our hands.
Maybe it’s the way the light shifts — softer, lower — or how the leaves start to crunch underfoot. Maybe it’s just that familiar pull toward slower, quieter things as the days get shorter. Either way, September always feels like the true beginning of knitting season. I’ve had some time off on maternity leave to mull a few things over, and this year I’ve decided I need some flexibility in my life, to look after my two (!!!) children, and tend to life that is immediately around me and to keep things in better order generally.
So I’ve decided as well as dyeing my own yarn, for the next while I am going to add some other yarn brands to the shop.
This week I’d like to introduce my first yarn brand:
Jamieson & Smith (The Wool Brokers).
This yarn has a bit of a cult following, and for good reason. Grown in Shetland from Shetland sheep, it’s lightweight but warm, soft in that “real wool” kind of way, and made for colourwork. If you’ve ever dreamed of knitting/ designing a Fair Isle sweater or a peerie jumper for your wee bairn (or wean, as we say here), then the 2ply jumper weight will be your perfect companion.
If you have ambitions about knitting a maritime inspired gansey, then the 5ply Sport will be a great choice. It is worsted spun so denser (while still being soft), and rounder.
What I love most about it — apart from the texture and the colours — is the history. It isn’t a ‘trendy’ yarn per se, but it has a rich history. The Shetland sheep have been shaped by the Shetland landscape for generations, and this yarn supports traditional crofting communities there. There are lots of patterns to choose from, and with Shetland Wool Week just around the corner, there will be lots of new patterns in the 2025 annual to look at too.
I’ve stocked a range of colours — rich rusts, stormy blues, quiet greys, peaty browns, lichen greens. I have about 75% of the 2ply jumper weight and all of the 5ply Sport.
2ply Jumper Weight
100% Shetland wool
Woollen-spun, non-superwash
25g balls | Approx. 105m/ 114 yards each
Ideal for steeking, colourwork, and lightweight knits
Made in the UK
5ply Sport
100% Shetland Wool
Worsted Spun, non- superwash
50g balls | Approx 115m/ 125 yards each
Ideal for ganseys-smoother and stronger than the 2ply jumper weight, more densely spun.
Made in the UK
It’s the perfect yarn for slowing down and settling into the rhythm of autumn — row by row, candles lit & the kettle on the boil.
Happy knitting,
Emma
