RiverKnits – Becci & Markus

We are chuffed to bits to have RiverKnits joining us for our MOW celebrations! Click this link to attend their  MOW talk on zoom at 3pm Saturday.

And we are chuffed to reveal that they have whipped up two incredible hand dyed shades of our Appledore especially for our Mill Open Weekend.. 

RiverKnits is jointly run by Becci and Markus. We first started dyeing yarn at home on our narrowboat, which was moored on the River Nene at the time. We both left our high-pressure corporate engineering jobs, which enabled us to work at our own pace while exploring the UK waterways, and to spend time with our young son. After a couple of years, the business grew and we moved it into a studio in Weedon, Northamptonshire, and we reclaimed the boat fully as our living space.

We are both knitters and crocheters and we love wool, especially when it’s sustainably sourced. RiverKnits wool yarn is all sourced from British breeds and much of it is spun in the UK too. We are proud supporters of the Campaign for Wool. Our range currently includes Bluefaced Leicester, Wensleydale, and Jacob, all fantastic breeds with different characteristics.

A lot of our colour inspiration is drawn from our life on the canals and rivers, some directly from the wildlife and landscape, and some from the history of the waterways. We use acid dyes, which are specifically designed for use with wool and silk. Using them enables us to dye consistent and repeatable colourways. We mostly create non-pooling variegated colourways and tonal / semi-solids in earthy, wearable colours. We hope you love them!