First Look At Baa Baa Brew Yarn

Baa Baa Brew image courtesy of Baa Baa Brighouse

A few weeks ago I wrote that the online knitting store Baa Baa Brighouse, based in my home county of Yorkshire, was planning to bring out its own yarn range called Baa Baa Brew. Now I've had the chance to test drive (or rather knit) from a 100g skein and rather fabulous it is too.

The USP of Baa Baa Brew is a heart-lifting one: it's made from 100% British Bluefaced Leicester DK wool that is both spun and hand dyed in Yorkshire. This principle gets a huge tick from me, meaning that the yarn is truly British, benefiting farmers and consumers alike, and it hasn't clocked up any air miles during its manufacture.

There are six colours in the range, most being Spring-inspired pastels. I received the 'Woodhouse' colourway, which is a vibrant dappled orange and thankfully my favourite out of the Baa Baa Brew range.

One 100g skein is enough to knit a pair of socks. My plans to cast on a simple sock pattern from a recent edition of Simply Knitting magazine were scuppered by the correct sized needle being used on another half-finished project. Instead I knitted a stocking stitch swatch to see how the yarn handled.

I really like the variegated effect the yarn gives when it is knitted up. It adds a certain sense of specialness to a simple stitch. Baa Baa Brew has quite a firm consistency without being rough and holds its stitch definition. No furry haze here. Whilst Bluefaced Leicester isn't as soft as some other yarns it's a hard worker and has a pleasant feel against the skin - I feel it'll make a great, warm and longlasting pair of socks.

I hope that the company will bring out some original patterns to support the yarn.

Each 100g skein costs £14 and can be bought directly from Baa Baa Brighouse.  For £35 knitters can buy a Baa Baa Brew gift box, containing a skein of the yarn of your choice, a mug, 250g of Yorkshire Gold leaf tea, a 100g slice of Yorkshire parkin (a kind of dark gingerbread), a 100g piece of oat flapjack and a Yorkshire lavender bag.