Another instalment of our Fibre Fridays! This week we are talking about merino wool.

Merino wool! you may say, That’s not a summer yarn. It’s all sheepy and warm and not at all good for summer knitting. Well, we are here to disagree!

Merino sheep were first bred in Spain, and were highly prized

Long before the invention of synthetic fibers, the fabric of choice for sportswear and outdoors was wool. Did you know that cyclists in the Tour de France wore wool jerseys, even in the middle of the summer? In 1947, when the Tour first tried to introduce the first synthetic threads on the iconic Yellow Jersey by their sponsor Sofil (a synthetic thread maker) there was outrage among the riders. Louison Bobet, the rider who was to wear the yellow jersey, flat out refused, saying that it was a matter of hygiene and that pure wool was the only way to go. The company had to make a new, 100% wool jersey over night for him to wear!

One of the reasons for this is the breathability of wool. It naturally cools the wearer down in the summer, and keeps them warm in the winter. It can absorb 35% of its weight in water before feeling wet to the touch, as well as repelling moisture (or sweat) away from the wearer, reducing clamminess.

Now, we aren’t advocating that you all run out and knit your own cycing jersey. Merino works very well as a light layer for regular, everyday use, which works well for summer time. A lightweight merino jumper would work well over a sundress in cool evenings, or with a lace pattern for a summer top. Here in the UK we are rarely battling really, truly hot temperatures, which makes wool an excellent choice year round.

Wool is a very sustainable and renewable fiber, which is one of the reasons we love it so much! As with any product that we carry, we are conscious not just of it’s impact on the environment but also on the people and animals that are involved in the process. For this reason we make sure that all of our merino comes from farms that do not practice museling, a painful surgical process common in Australia against flystrike.

So what should you look for in a wool yarn? We like fine gauges, like Arucania Botany Lace, or blended with another fiber such as silk, with Manos Silk Blend DK.

Natalie is dreaming of the Crown Tee by Jenise Reid. It calls for a lace or fingering weight yarn. We have some great candidates for this pattern, which you can purchase through the shop in person or on Ravelry. Botany Lace by Arucania is a very hearty plied yarn that has a lot of stitch definition, which would make the lace pop. We have two options from Fyberspates; Scrumptious Lace and the brand new to us Vivacious 4Ply.

The silk content of the Scrumptious will have more drape, while the Vivacious will have more stitch definition. Finally, Sulka Legato by Mirasol is a 60% Merino/20% Silk/20% Alpaca from Peru which would have amazing drape and comes in great colours.

Now, how’s that for summer inspiration! And remember, the Summer Top Knit-A-Long is in full swing, share your summer knits with us and you can be the lucky winner of £100 to spend on more yarns + we’re about to reveal the huge pile of extra goodies we’re adding to the prize draw, so keep your eyes on the blog for further announcements.