If you’ve been with Purl &Jane for a while, you’ll know that I’ve been passionate about natural fibres since the very beginning.
Since opening the shop in 2010, I’ve been talking about sheep breeds in Yarnaholics and comparing the characteristics of different fleeces.
One conversation has always stuck with me. Someone described wool breeds like single malts. Another compared them to different spirits. And the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.
If you want to know whether you like whisky, you have to try whisky. Gin is completely different. So is tequila. Each has its own flavour, character and personality.
Wool works in exactly the same way. Bluefaced Leicester isn’t Jacob. Jacob isn’t Shetland. Herdwick isn’t Wensleydale. They’re all wool, but they’re all wonderfully different.
That’s the idea behind Yorkshire Yarn – our own collection of British wool yarns that allows each breed to speak for itself.
And where better to start than Bluefaced Leicester?
Not all sheep are the same
If you’ve ever wondered why some wool feels completely different from another, the answer often starts with the sheep.
Bluefaced Leicester sheep are instantly recognisable thanks to their distinctive Roman noses, but amongst knitters they’re famous for something else entirely – their fleece.
Often described as the softest British wool, Bluefaced Leicester has a silky feel and a gentle sheen that makes it a joy to work with. It glides through your fingers as you knit or crochet and produces fabric with beautiful stitch definition.
It’s one of those yarns that manages to feel soft and luxurious while still retaining all the bounce and character that makes wool such a wonderful fibre.
Why I love it
One of the things I love most about Bluefaced Leicester is its versatility.
It’s soft enough for garments worn next to the skin, baby knits and everyday accessories, but it still has enough structure and resilience to create pieces you’ll wear and enjoy for years.
The natural shades are another reason I love it so much. Rather than covering the fleece with dye, this yarn allows the wool to shine through in its own colours. The result is a palette of creamy whites and warm browns that feel timeless and wonderfully connected to the sheep themselves.
The (new) beginning of Yorkshire Yarn
Bluefaced Leicester is the first chapter in the Yorkshire Yarn story.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be introducing more breeds from the collection, each with their own personality and knitting experience.
For now, though, if you’ve never knitted with Bluefaced Leicester before, this is a wonderful place to begin.
Sometimes all it takes is one skein to discover that not all wool is the same.