Knit by Numbers – the world of 115 shades…

Creating our own clothes and homeware allows us to fully exercise our creativity and make things that we love to use and wear. It’s why most of us started knitting, spinning, and crocheting in the first place, right?

To make sure that you have the exact colour you’re looking for, in every conceivable shade under the sun, we created Knit by Numbers, one of our most beloved ranges, in DK, 4ply, and tops. It’s a wee bit different to our other ranges… Instead of creating a cohesive palette of 20 or so shades, we decided to create ALL the shades, and we do mean all! Knit by Numbers has 115 individual options for you to pick from for your project.

So, how did we do it?

Knit By Numbers is unique in that each shade is created by blending a pre-dyed fibre top colour with specific varying percentages of white. This means that each of our 19 colour families in Knit by Numbers starts off in its most saturated, bright form. Then we add more and more white fibre to the blend, which gives us 5 more tones, creating a beautiful 6 colour gradient from dark to light. Gorgeous, and perfect for those ombre, or gradient projects that are oh so popular.

The Fibre Blend

Knit by Numbers is a 50-50 blend of sumptuous Falklands Merino and British Bluefaced Leicester. Knit by Numbers started life as a 100% Merino product, but as we are passionate about trying to use as much UK-grown fibre as possible (both to lower transport emissions and support our local wool-growing industry), we decided to add 50% Bluefaced Leicester to the mix. BFL is the absolute softest of British breeds, so this scrumptious base is still soft enough to wear next to the skin (even in the most delicate areas), but it also adds lustre and drape.

To help you decide which shade you need for your project (and we know how hard it can be to choose!) we’ve created beautiful and collectable Shade Cards for all our ranges, and our Knit by Numbers Shade Card will soon be available too!

Showing off all 115 colours, it’s the perfect tool to help you in your making, but also serves as a wonderous inspiration to stir your creativity.

Pattern Inspo!

Knit by Numbers is such a versatile yarn, being available in 4ply, DK and fibre tops, but to spark your imagination, here are a few of our favourite patterns that use our KBN…

With its wide range of colours and with mini skeins available in both 4ply and DK, Knit by Numbers is a great option for creating small projects. Gorgeous Hazel the Squirrel, from the book Mouche and Friends by Cinthia Vallet, is an utter delight and can be knit up in no time using small amounts of our Knit by Numbers 4ply. Isn’t she the cutest?

Another small-scale project that can use up some of your Knit by Numbers minis, is the Before Bloom Bandana by Anna Husseman (Ravelry). Taking a simple scarf to the next level with a spot of intarsia.

Fancy a bit of crochet? Fay Dashper Hughes’s Drover Scarf from our Annual (issue three) can be made with our Knit by Numbers DK and is the perfect light covering on a summer evening.

If you’re looking for your next sweater cast on, The Virvendus by Aleks Byrd (Ravelry – Aleks’ Website) is a gorgeous take on a classic striped sweater, pairing Knit by Numbers DK with some mohair.

Another sweater that has our hearts is the Tenderheart, by Tin Can Knits (Ravelry – Tin Can Knits Website). Knit by Numbers has the perfect amount of grip for a bit of colourwork, and we love this pattern in our DK.

There’s no denying that the Butterfly Patchwork Quilt by Dee Hardwicke (Ravelry)  is an absolute stunner, and a make to treasure for years to come. Dee used our Knit by Numbers DK, and it’s clear in this pattern that the shade range of our Knit by Numbers can really be utilised to create the most unique colour combos possible!

We hope you enjoy working with our Knit by Numbers. Make sure to tag us on our socials in any of your lovely projects. It is always such a joy to see what you clever folks come up with!