Over the last year, we’ve been replacing all our 100% Merino with a scrumptious blend of 50% Merino / 50% Bluefaced Leicester. 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) and this change is helping us achieve that, which is brilliant.
We love the softness of Merino – who doesn’t? Which is why we’ve chosen to add the softest of British breeds, Bluefaced Leicester. This sheep is renowned for its lustrous locks, which have a delicate sheen to them. So the new base has a little more lustre and drape than our current 100% Merino offering, but still packed with crisp stitch definition and soft enough to wear next to the skin (even in the most delicate areas).
We hope to have all 115 shades available in in 4ply by May and if you’d like to sample this new blend in the meantime, then you’re in luck as we have the undyed shade (KBN55) available in 4ply, in biggies and minis – hurrah! All the dyed shades are now available in DK – please click here if you’d like to have a browse.
4ply – 400m per 100g / Mini skeins 100m per 25g
Hand wash at low temperature with mild detergent
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Like a few other popular breeds, BFLs were originally bred by Robert Bakewell in the eighteenth century. They are one of the UK’s tallest breeds with a broad ‘Roman’ nose and, of course, that divine lustrous fibre!
They can have rather a delicate constitution, but are popular with farmers for breeding purposes. The most common mule (cross breed sheep) in the UK is a hardy hill sheep mother crossed with a BFL male. Apparently this tends to bring out the best qualities of both breeds… On a side note, our Exmoor Blueface, is the fibre from those BFL and hill sheep crosses. Its a perfect all rounder, which is why we use it in so many of our bases!
