Yarn Spotlight: ByLaxtons SheepSoft
The latest yarn that we’ve brought to our shop is the beautiful SheepSoft DK from ByLaxtons. I’ve had my eye on this one for a really long time, so I’m delighted that it’s finally here, and that it’s every bit as lovely as I’d hoped it would be!
The Yarn
A Beautiful Blend of BFL and Masham
Laxtons Sheepsoft DK is a blend of two premium British Sheep Breeds, with each one bringing its own special characteristics to the yarn. Blue Faced Leicester is a long-wool breed with fine, lustrous fleece that forms in long, narrow, curly locks. It’s also one of the softest of the British breeds. Resilient Masham fleece adds durability and bounce, and comes in beautiful natural shades of brown and grey that give a soft heathered appearance to the yarn once dyed.
From Fleece to Fibre in less than 50 miles
One of the reasons that we love SheepSoft so much is the low carbon footprint of its production process: raw fibre comes from the British Wool Depot at Bradford, is dyed less than 20 miles away in Huddersfield, and then sent down the road to Laxton’s Mill in Baildon for spinning. From there it is ready to ship directly to us!
Made for Hand Knitting
With approximately 225m to each 100g skein, SheepSoft is a classic DK weight which knits up quickly on the recommended 3.75mm needles. It’s a great all-purpose yarn which is soft enough for next to skin wear and would make lovely garments or accessories - you would need approximately one skein for a hat or mittens, 3 for a shawl and 5 for a garment (depending on the size made). The muted and heathered shades, including some which are undyed, all work well together so this would also be a great option for colourwork.
I’ve knit up a Scarf No 1 by My Favourite Things in shade Grassington as a shop sample and I’ve loved working with this yarn! It feels like a proper ‘woolly’ wool, with a good amount of grip and a nice halo. It smells wonderfully sheepy (in a good way!), and the finished scarf feels soft enough to wear around my neck but is definitely robust enough to last for a long time. The green blue colour is quite subtle and appears to change depending on the light and what you pair it with, so it’s really versatile. I would love to combine some of the undyed shades of this yarn together in a colourwork sweater.
About ByLaxtons
ByLaxtons is the sister brand to Laxtons, the UK’s leading specialist yarn manufacturer. Laxtons was formed as a worsted spinning mill in Oakworth, West Yorkshire, in 1907 and has been producing yarns for hand knitting since 1974. Since 2009 they have built a new state of the art spinning mill in Baildon, Yorkshire. You can read more about their history and heritage here. Laxtons also spin yarn for a number of well know hand knitting brands including Erika Knight and Baa Ram Ewe. You can hear all about how Laxtons brought all their processing back to the UK, and what exactly happens to the yarn on it’s journey from farm to fibre in this episode of Erika Knight’s KnightKraft Podcast. Also well worth checking out is Fruity Knitting’s visit to Laxtons and interview.
Pattern Suggestions
Ley Lines (pictured) by Kjerstin Rovetta from Making Stories Issue 6 is a v-neck, set in sleeve sweater with an interesting slipped stitch pattern that really shows off the subtle colours and great stitch definition of SheepSoft. The Field Sweater by Camilla Vadd also features a textured stitch pattern that would look great in this yarn.
SheepSoft would also be a great choice for colourwork sweaters. I’m very tempted by Tuku by The Petite Knitter and Tomomi Yoshimoto’s Drawing Sweater (which would be perfect for spring!).
Finally, if you fancy some cables, Rebecca Clow’s Lauder is a really versatile pattern that includes options for an all over cabled vest, sweater and cardigan with different sleeve and neckline options, any of which would look great in SheepSoft.
