Toft and Baa Ram Ewe New Season Yarn Launches

As I'm writing this I'm cowering inside with all my windows open trying to cool down in the heat. Summer is here in the Midlands, UK - well for a few days at least. Yet whilst I'm carrying on knitting Tin Can Knits' Raindrops jumper in gorgeously silky 4ply, Britain's independent yarn companies and designers are busy working on their Autumn/Winter yarn launches.

Since I started writing this blog two and a half years ago my eyes have been opened as to what can truly be called British yarn. At the beginning I featured Rowan yarns with it being one of the best-known British knitting companies and having its headquarters at the heart of mill country in West Yorkshire. I since learned, thanks to some digging and information from other bloggers such as KnitBritish, that the company is now German-owned and sources its wool from abroad. The company used to sell a great British Sheep Breeds line but it was discontinued. Nowadays I'd still feature on A Woolly Yarn Rowan patterns by British designers but its yarn is a no-no.

Batch 2 image courtesy of Toft

Two new season yarn launches that can proudly call themselves British are Toft's £12 hand-dyed 50g balls - batch 2 has just been released and there will be more to come in the series - and Baa Ram Ewe's Dovestone Natural Chunky.

Toft Batch 2

Toft's DK yarn - spun in the UK from British fleeces - has been given a colourful makeover. Batch 2 is a bright turquoise colour inspired by owner Kerry Lord's gecko crochet pattern. In the last few years the company's focus has moved on from knitting to crochet thanks to the success of Lord's crocheted animals and monsters patterns. If you're not into animals and crochet this can be off-putting, but it doesn't take much leap of the imagination to see the yarn knitted up into a hat or cowl (though you'll probably need two balls for this).

The Toft website offers some great free patterns suitable for the hand-dyed DK yarn that are suitable for beginner and intermediate knitters. I recommend starting off with the YF DK Scarf or the Basic Beanie.

Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone Chunky

Over at Leeds-based Baa Ram Ewe their Autumn/Winter focus is on chunky, natural yarns perfect for warming up in Winter. Dovestone Chunky (a sister product to the store's thoroughly British Dovestone DK and Aran yarns) is launching on 13th July in five shades priced at £14 per 100g hank.

Dovestone Natural Chunky image courtesy of Baa Ram Ewe

Dovestone Natural Chunky is spun from 50% Bluefaced Leicester, 25% Wensleydale Longwool and 25% Masham wool.

For pattern support Baa Ram Ewe is publishing Learn to Knit At Home - 12 home furnishing patterns designed by Alison Moreton aimed at new and beginner knitters.

I haven't seen Batch 2 or Dovestone Natural Chunky in the flesh but hope to review them in the future.