Our Tempo 4ply update is live on the website! We have 100g skeins and BRAND NEW Tempo 4ply mini skeins plus yarn packs for some combinations. One image shows Tempo 4ply in Wren’s Egg, Chestnut, Twig and Sand. Another image shows Tempo 4ply mini skeins in Whispering Grass, Cottage Original, Bark, Dark Oak and Black Magic Rose. Other colour combination suggestions can be found in the update flickr album including pairings of full skeins and mini skeins which would be perfect for use as socks with contrasting toes, heels and cuffs. One of the images shows a skein of Tempo 4ply in Diantus and a Tempo 4ply mini skein in Black Magic Rose. Tempo 4ply is our *proper* sock yarn. It’s Superwash Merino and nylon with 400m/100g (the minis are 20g) and it’s designed to be really tough and hardwearing. I find it soft enough for next-to-skin wear too and I am actually wearing a jumper (Boxy by Joji) made in it as we speak. I made it years ago and still looks new! As well as shawls, I’ve also got lots of socks made in this yarn – they have been seriously well used and are still going strong, so I do see a lot of value in this yarn even though it’s not quite as soft as the extrafine Merino bases. It is also our cheapest hand-dyed yarn as the Merino fibres used are less fine (more coarse) than is used in our other Merino yarns. This adds to the durability of this yarn and keeps the price lower.
Other recently added yarns have been in support of pattern releases. Exhale by Rachel Illsley of Unwind Knitwear is a beautiful sweater with an intricate colourwork yoke in a contrast colour. The pattern is written in nine sizes from XS to 5XL with the largest size using five skeins of the main colour with one skein of the contrast colour. It uses Titus 4ply in Charcoal and Bark (this combination is shown in one of the images) but would be stunning in many other colour combinations. Alternatively you could also use Milburn 4ply for this design which would give a wider range of colour combinations. Milburn and Titus can also be used together if you wish to do so! I’m planning to make one using Milburn in Black Tulip for the main colour — I just haven’t decided on the contrast colour yet. The pattern is available on Rachel’s Payhip. We are offering a discount on yarn for this design that is applicable to purchases of Titus 4ply and Milburn 4ply. Use code EXHALE10ECY at checkout for a 10% discount to the price of your yarn. This code will be valid until the end of Friday 5th August (UK time) and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount codes.
We also have a batch of Brimham 4ply in Rose Campion (shown in one of the images) on the website for Liz Corke’s latest pattern, Treabh (pronounced “tro”) socks. Meaning plough in Scottish Gaelic, this is a simple but fun sock pattern featuring garter columns running up both sides of the sock, giving beautiful texture while still being a simple and quick knit. A pre-order batch is currently being dyed but if this sells out a new pre-order can be set up.
We have also recently restocked Titus Fingering. This is the same blend of superwash extrafine merino with mulberry silk as is found in our other Titus yarns but in a fingering weight singles yarn. It strikes us as primarily a garment and shawl yarn, but it also works really well at a much tighter gauge for things like fingerless mitts, hats, and cowls. The only thing I really wouldn’t recommend it for is socks. This yarn is fairly fine as fingering weight yarns go, due to it being lustrous and singles-spun. It will substitute in place of most fingering/4ply weight yarns but please be aware that you might think it looks a bit thin compared to more traditional 4ply yarns. There is a great selection of colours available as well as yarn packs in several colour combinations. The shown combination is Titus Fingering in Tide, Echinops, Ivy and Driftwood. There has also been a small restock of Titus 4ply which is our original Merino/silk yarn so we have lots of beautiful yarns to choose from!
Happy Shopping!