Ghost Town – Halloween Tops
Ghost Town – Halloween Tops
Ghost Town – Halloween Tops
Ghost Town – Halloween Tops
43% Alpaca, 27% Exmoor Blueface, 15% British Wool, 7% Falklands Corriedale, 5% Falklands Merino, 3% Mulberry Silk
All the good things in October lead up to October 31st and its glorious spookiness! To celebrate Halloween, Laura has been busy behind the scenes cooking up three scary good Tops colours for our favourite spooky holiday – and Donna has matched them with witchy song titles for names!
Specifications
Specifications
Blend: 43% Alpaca, 27% Exmoor Blueface, 15% British Wool, 7% Falklands Corriedale, 5% Falklands Merino, 3% Mulberry Silk
Colour Blending: We start with solid coloured tops (aligned fibre) and blend them together using precise recipes to create our nuanced shades.
The entire range is created from a handful of base colours, making it easy to find harmonious colour combos for colourwork projects.
Fibre Characteristics
Fibre Characteristics
Alpaca: Originating from South America, alpaca fibre is soft and lustrous. It has less crimp than sheep’s wool, making it much drapier with less ‘memory’ than sheep’s wool. We use fibre from Huacaya alpacas. Micron: 26; Average Staple Length: 10cm/4”
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”
Falklands Corriedale: This fibre has a good long staple length, is smooth with a hint of lustre and oodles of bounce. The breed is derived from a cross of the Merino sheep and Lincoln Longwool. Micron: 29; Average Staple Length: 12.5cm/5”
Falklands Merino: The softest sheep breed, ideal for next-to-skin wear. Wonderfully bouncy with dense structure. Our Merino is farmed in the Falkland Islands – ensuring that the animals have been treated with the utmost care and are free from harmful mulesing. Micron: 23; Average Staple Length: 11.5/4.5”
Mulberry Silk: This fibre is produced by the Bombyx silk moth. It has the lowest micron count of any natural fibre making it incredibly soft and extremely lustrous. When added to a blend it gives the fibre a phenomenal drape, durability and shine. Micron: 14; Average Staple Length: 9cm/3.5”
Wool Blend
Wool Blend
This base is a Traceable Wool Blend with either alpaca, nylon or silk added. The UK portion of this fibre purchased from the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) uses their new traceability scheme meaning that all the wool 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.
However, our climate here in the UK is not suited to Merino and Corriedale sheep. We make sure to source ours from the Falklands in order to ensure that the animals have been treated with the utmost care and are free from harmful mulesing.
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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!
10% Off with Mill Membership
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!