Imagine how much we'd appreciate our clothes if they were all made this slowly!

One day when Isabel, the gorgeous human behind all our hand-dyed and handspun yarn, was in we hatched a plan to find beautiful patterns to show off her handspun yarn.

So much love and attention go into making this beautiful yarn that it deserves to be celebrated.

First, the rare breed Gotland sheep are carefully raised & shorn.
The fleece is then washed and carded.
To be spun and knitted by expert hands.
Imagine how much we'd appreciate our clothes if they were all made this slowly!

Isn't it such a beautiful product.

And since there is a serious shortage of commercially spun yarn at the moment, because of COVID stopping production and increasing demand, this is one product we can guarantee supply of.

My first place for inspiration was Ravelry.

I hit the advanced search button and went hunting for projects using the following:

  • Yarn weight: Bulky
  • Gauge: 14sts to the 10cm
  • Available by Local Yarn Store sales

Isabel’s spun yarn is equivalent to a bulky weight yarn (around a 12ply in NZ terms) and we know from knitting samples on 6.00-7.00mm needles that it’s gauge is about 14sts per 10cm.

And I wanted to make sure the patterns were available in Ravelry’s Local Yarn Store In-Store sales program. This is a great initiative where the yarn store (aka Needle & Hook) gets a small portion of the pattern sale.

While hunting the pages in my search I can across this ...



The Carbeth Sweater by Kate Davies Designs

Perfection.

I fell in love the moment I saw it and knew the fit would look amazing on everyone, including me.

I have broad shoulders and love anything with a deep raglan or detail that cuts across the shoulders like this sweater.

So we purchased the pattern from Ravelry and Isabel headed home with a mission.

7 days later she was back with a finished jumper.

Yep, that’s a jumper in a week!!

And here it is.

I am absolutely IN LOVE. And I’m pretty sure I’ll be wearing it for the next 100 days.

Lucky wool is smell resistant!

I have a bust size of 112cm (thanks for the buxom genes Nana Brooky) and we went with the 4th size with a bust circumference of 122cm. The pattern notes recommend a positive ease of 10cm. That means you want to go for a size that is 10cm larger than you.

And we used 650m of the Handspun Gotland Yarn in Grey.

Here’s the size chart from the pattern.

If you’d love to knit this gorgeous jumper for yourself or someone else, get in touch, we’d love to make a kit up for you. 

We’ll cake the yarn, source the pattern and get you the right needles, if you need them.

 


xx Birdie

Links

Isabel Walker - Sheepish Designs

Carbeth Sweater Pattern by Kate Davies Designs // Ravelry

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