Kate Davies' Buachaille Seven Skeins

Buachaille pic courtesy of Kate Davies

As of this weekend Kate Davies' own-brand Scottish wool Buachaille, spun in Yorkshire, is available for sale in her online shop. Previously the range was only available to a limited number of customers who signed up for her seven skeins club. These people received their seven skeins a few weeks ago along with seven to accompany them. Davies is publishing a book comprising the seven patterns plus essays, photos and recipes. There has been a delay at the printers but the book will be on general sale soon.

Buachaille is Kate Davies' love child after wondering why there are so few Scottish yarns available on the market. She created the yarns herself, with help from a dying and spinning company, and came up with seven colour ways: Highland Coo (rust); Between Weathers (mid blue); Yaffle (Spring green); Islay (teal); Ptarmigan (natural white); Squall (natural dark grey); and Haar (natural silver grey). Each 50g skein costs £7.49.

I will be fortunate to see all seven colours on Christmas Day because my husband bought me a seven skeins membership for Christmas. I have had a sneak peak of the seven accompanying designs though and these are my favourite:

Buachaille Baffies
Fabulous socks come house slippers. There are two designs - one with more intricate colour work and one with simpler stripes (shown below). I certainly can imagine knitting a pair for me and a pair for a friend's present.

Image courtesy of Kate Davies

Cochal
This width and length of this snood can be changed depending on how tight our slouchy you like to wear them. Davies has knitted Cochal in various colour ways but the one below is my favourite - I adore the teal wool.

Image courtesy of Kate Davies

Bunnet
A cosy, hat with a five point crown on the back. There are two versions two knit: slouchy or more close-fitting.

Image courtesy of Kate Davies

Sadly in every pattern book there's something I wouldn't knit in a million years and here is such a pattern from Kate Davies, although I can see that she needed something small to knit to use up the leftovers from the seven skeins.

Oobit
A felted bangle. I'd have loved it when I was eight years old but now? Nope. All very Why Don't You? for readers who remember the 1980s children's programme that urged viewers to turn off the TV and do something less boring instead, like threading melon seeds together to make a bracelet (true and my best mate Sarah and I actually tried it one rainy day. That anecdote still keeps us laughing).

Image courtesy of Kate Davies

And another Kate Davies pattern
If you missed out on seven skeins and would prefer to buy the wool in a kit then Kate Davies' latest design, Goats of Inversnaid, is available in her shop in a bright rust, blue and white colour way. The kit has patterns for a hat and hand warmers. I have bought one and will review it when I've finished Christmas knitting and have time to start something new.

Image courtesy of Kate Davies

I'd like to change the hand warmers into gloves. Does anyone know how to change the pattern to add fingers? If so I'd really appreciate you letting me know in the comments box below. Thanks in advance!