Devon Naturals 4ply
Devon Naturals 4ply
Devon Naturals 4ply
Devon Naturals 4ply
4ply/Fingering: 400m per 100g (100m per 25g) / 437yds per 100g (109yds per 25g)
Zwartbles / Exmoor Blueface or Grey Exmoor Blueface / Romney
Our Devon Naturals range is a curated selection of our local wool in undyed gradient shades. We offer two blends: One consisting of Exmoor Blueface and Zwartbles, and the second one of Grey Exmoor Blueface and Romney. Each of these breeds is available both separately and in a blended gradient of each combo so you can get the best of both!
In its 4ply variation, it's a loosely spun, 2-fold yarn with a distinctive rustic halo. Each blend leans into a different characteristic of the wools – the Zwartbles / Exmoor Blueface is super bouncy and robust, and the Grey Exmoor Blueface / Romney is softer and more lustrous. We hope that these lovely sheepy yarns will suit a variety of projects and help you find the right blend for your heirloom pieces.
This wool is 100% traceable back to farms in the South West, through our local British Wool grading station. We pop along once a year to have a nosy at what is coming in to see that it meets our high standards of sheepyness and quality.
As this range is all about the sheep, we’ve kept it simple and named each as if they were our own little flock, with alliterative, old timey names that bring us joy!
Specifications
Specifications
Thickness: 4ply: 400m per 100g (100m per 25g) or 437yds per 100g (109yds per 25g)
Blend: Zwartbles / Exmoor Blueface or Grey Exmoor Blueface / Romney
Gauge: We do not give a recommended needle/hook size for our yarns, as everyone’s gauge is subtly different. It is possible to achieve quite a wide range of gauges with this yarn. A tighter gauge (more sts per cm/inch) will create a denser fabric and a looser gauge (fewer sts) will create a drapier fabric.
If you are substituting yarn for a pattern, we recommend comparing the meterage. If your yarn is within 25 metres of the given yarn per 100g then you should be able to happily get the correct gauge.
Colour Blending: We start with solid coloured tops (aligned fibre) and blend our nuanced, heathered shades using precise recipes. If you look closely at any of our yarns, you’ll see that each heathered shade contains a multitude of colours within it.
The entire range is created from a handful of base colours, making it easy to find harmonious colour combos for colourwork projects.
Worsted Spun: All our yarns are worsted spun. This means the fibres are parallel to each other, giving them greater drape, strength and softness than a woollen spun equivalent would. Learn more about worsted and woollen yarns on our blog.
Fibre Characteristics
Fibre Characteristics
Zwartbles: The breed originates from Friesland in The Netherlands, but is now widely farmed across Exmoor. They are a naturally dark brown sheep with distinctive white accents on their face, legs and tails. The fibre is voluminous and incredibly bouncy, when added to a blend it creates a wonderful depth of tone. Micron: 35; Average Staple Length:9cm/3.5”
Exmoor Blueface: This is our most local sheep and can be seen dotted across the Moorland where we live. A crossbreed of the Exmoor Horn (our local hill sheep) and the distinguished Bluefaced Leicester (the softest British sheep breed), the Exmoor Blueface sheep produces a beautifully soft and springy fibre which is excellent in just about any blend. Micron: 31; Average Staple Length: 9cm/3.5”
Grey Exmoor Blueface: We found this fibre by visiting our local British Wool Marketing Board grading station. It is pale silver in colour, wonderfully soft, with a delicate woolly halo and plenty of lustre. The sheep are a crossbreed of the distinguished Bluefaced Leicester (the softest British sheep breed) with a local hill sheep. Micron: 33; Average Staple Length: 11.5cm/4.5”
Romney: This breed has been farmed since the 13th century and originates from the Romney Marsh area of Kent. Their fibre is fine and semi-lustrous with good drape and a little bounce, perfect for adding a little sheen. Micron: 34; Average Staple Length: 10cm/4”
100% Traceable British Wool
100% Traceable British Wool
All the fibre we purchase from the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) uses their new traceability scheme, meaning that all the wool we have bought at auction through them since September 2022 is fully traceable back to the exact farm it came from. We know which farmer, in which area, contributed to every bale of wool we process, including how many sheep produced their share.
We are pleased that the additional payment we make within this system also gives an uplift on the auction price direct to the farmer, ensuring that they’re getting a slightly better price on the wool each time as well. This system benefits everyone – the farmer gets a better price, we get better knowledge of what we’re working with, and you get the knowledge that our supply chain is honest and traceable.
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
We recommend that our yarns are gently washed before use as we don’t do any washing or conditioning after the yarns are spun and skeined. You’ll be amazed by how much the fibre blooms after a soak and it will certainly help you get a more accurate feel for gauge and character of the yarn over time.
Once your piece is finished, we recommend another hand wash before wet blocking the piece to the given dimensions. This will set all your stitches and guarantee that your garment looks its best.
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Local Fibre
Our mill is situated in the heart of North Devon. As much as possible we use the fibre which is reared and sheared on this land, utilising the unique properties of each breed in our yarn and tops.
Unique Yarn & Tops
The hours of work and skill that go into producing one of our yarn and tops ranges is reflected in the dedication of a knitter, spinner or crocheter during the intricate journey from beginning to finished garment – both are a harmony of tradition and creativity.
Vintage Machines
Our Mill is one of only a handful of small-scale worsted spinning mills still operating in the UK. Many of our vintage machines were rescued from old, traditional mills before their closure. Keeping them going is a labour of love, but we reckon that the resulting woolly treats are well worth it!
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Our Mill Members receive access to oodles of limited edition specials, early access to new products, a lifetime 10% discount and our heart felt thanks for helping us do what we love every day!