Longwool Blend is a glorious combination of two longwool breeds – Wensleydale and Cotswold – and is drapey, lustrous, strong and smooth with a slight halo. The yarn is approximately 4 ply/Fingering and has been expertly spun by The Border Mill. It is worth bearing in mind that because it is quite a dense fibre, and also because of the way The Border Mill is set-up to spin, the yarn itself is quite fine (in terms of diameter) compared to others with the same m/100g.
The wool comes from Culgowrie Flock (formerly Orrinside Flock, they have moved in the last year). Jane has a very eclectic mix of sheep breeds and is great to work with, taking a real interest in the yarn produced from her fleece. Last summer, for the first time, Jane decided to enter some of her fleece in the Royal Highland Show, Scotland’s biggest agricultural show……….and she came away with 1st and 2nd prize in the Lustre class! These two fleeces plus another two have gone into Longwool Blend which is 3/4 Wensleydale and 1/4 Cotswold.
The yarn is ideal for shawls and cardigans with drape. It would also work well for a sweater such as the Ranunculus – which I’ve had my eye on for quite a while! I particularly like this version knit by Louise of South Downs Yarns. The Eathie Shawl knits up beautifully in three shades of Longwool Blend. Or for a single skein project the Lode Shawl is beautiful and very wearable.
