Yarn Bases
A note about sustainability, superwash yarns, and accessibility:
The discourse around sustainably made products (as excellent as they are and as important as it is) often lacks class consciousness; not everyone can afford to purchase craft supplies that are sustainable in their production and guarantee the fair wages of all involved. When purchasing yarns milled and dyed locally to you, it is easier to ensure that all those involved in its production have been paid well.
There are many ways to participate in sustainable fibre crafting; recycling yarn, trading tools and materials with friends, and purchasing yarn with traceable origins and natural materials. Purchasing yarn one can afford, making a garment so that it it lasts, and taking care to repair it is sustainable making, 'even' when the yarn is superwash or not made with natural fibres.
I will take care to provide bases at different price points, some of which may be superwash and some not, because buying 'sustainable yarn' is not accessible to everyone and purchasing is only one aspect of sustainability. Taking care of the finished object, loving it, preventing it from going into the landfill, and addressing the frequency of one's purchases in general are all part of sustainability, not just the pocket-money to buy pricey yarns.
So I pose some questions: Can your crafting be sustainable in at least one aspect? How can you help make our crafting community open to people of diverse backgrounds? What is your individual responsibility as a crafter? What is my individual responsibility as a business owner?
Available Bases:
Topsy Farms Wool, fingering-sport weight:
100% wool, 1-ply construction. 440 yards to 115 grams. Ontario Wool, milled on Prince Edward Island.
A celebration of hearty, Canadian wool, this yarn comes from the sheep of Topsy Farms on Amherst Island, Ontario. Topsy's flock is dual-purposed for both meat and wool products, a predominant breed among their animals being Cheviot.
This yarn is on the toothier side, with a nice wooly halo, and would shine in projects involving cables and colourwork. This yarn is so bouncy, it makes skeining difficult! It is not silky, but by no means 'scratchy'; the 100% wool garment will continually soften and serve you for years to come.
Suggested uses: hats, mittens, lighter sweaters, afghans.
Blue Faced Leicester, fingering weight:
100% BFL wool, 2-ply construction. 420 yards to 115 grams. Internationally sourced RWS wool*, milled in the Greater Toronto Area.
The fluffy, silky, shiny yarns produced from the clips of Blue Faced Leicester sheep have gained love and attention from handknitters in recent years. BFL sheep are a historic British breed, and the fibre they produce has a longer staple-length than the ubiquitous Merino breed. This means that the yarn it produces is more lustrous, and STRONG! So strong, in fact, that many sock knitters choose to knit socks out of 100% BFL yarns, with no added nylon content or even reinforced heels and toes.
This yarns' potential goes way beyond nylon-free socks; anyone squishing these hearty skeins is sure to imagine lush and elegant garments. Guaranteed to make you swoon, be it stockinette, cables, or colourwork. It would be hard to find a more serviceable or delightful yarn.
Suggested uses: socks (with or without additional reinforcement of heels and toes), shawls and scarves, mittens and hats, sweaters, lightweight blankets.
*Responsible Wool Standard https://responsiblewool.org/about-rws/
Conscious Sock, fingering weight:
80% superwash organic wool, 20% recycled nylon, 3-ply construction. 420 yards to 115 grams. Internationally sourced RWS wool*, milled in the Greater Toronto Area.
Looking for that familiar wool and nylon sock yarn, dyed in vibrant, one of a kind colours, but with a gentler footprint (pun intended!)?
A combination of eco-friendly wool for warmth and recycled nylon for durability, this base permits as much speckled whimsy or variegated fun as your heart desires, without worrying about your purchasing.
Suggested uses: socks! socks! and more socks! It can of course be used as a garment or accessory yarn as well...but don't you need another pair of squishy socks to to stay cozy in the long, long Canadian winter?
*Responsible Wool Standard https://responsiblewool.org/about-rws/