Bio Shetland By BC Garn is a 100% wool, Shetland style yarn with Global  Organic  Textile Standard (GOTS) certification.

The worsted spun, 2 ply construction yields a smooth and drapey fabric with unexpectedly light results when knit or woven.

Each shade is infused with a melange of colour made possible by ‘dyeing in the wool’, where the wool fibres are dyed prior to spinning, making the palette vibrate.

With its GOTS certification, this yarn meets strict ecological and social criteria to ensure the entire supply chain meets the leading worldwide standard for organic textile production.

You’ll find Bio Shetland ideal for a range of woven and knit pieces, with particularly stunning results when working colourwork and lace details in the knitted fabric.

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THE YARN

FIBRE CONTENT: 100% Pure Wool
NET WEIGHT: 50g (1.75oz) per skein
YARN WEIGHT EQUIVALENT: Light Fingering / 3 ply
APPROX. YARDAGE: 280m (306yd)
CONSTRUCTION: Worsted spun, 2 plies, light twist
ORIGIN: Dyed and milled in Turkey
CARE: Cold hand wash (see notes below)

Colourways Available

GAUGE

KNITTING

24-32 stitches over 10cm, using 2.5-4mm needles (6-8 stitches per inch, US size 2-6 needles)

CROCHET

2.25-3.5mm hook (US size B-1 - E-4 hook)

WEAVING FOR YARDAGE

12 epi (50 ends / 10cm)

TAPESTRY WEAVING (WEFT FACED WEAVES)

4 epi (16 ends / 10cm) – 6-8 strands
6 epi (24 ends / 10cm) – 4-6 strands
8 epi (32 ends / 10cm) – 2-4 Strands

FELTING

Work the piece 10% to 20% larger than the intended size. It’s highly recommended that a test swatch be made applying your intended finishing technique to assess the variables of the fabric.

PROJECT SUGGESTIONS

Bio Shetland GOTS is suitable for a range of knit and crochet pieces. For project inspiration check out our pattern favourites on RAVELRY.

ABOUT GOTS CERTIFICATION

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. The aim is to define and maintain an internationally recognized requirement to ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials through to environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, in order to provide credible assurance to the end consumer. To learn more about the standard and certification process please visit www.global-standard.org.

ABOUT BC GARN

BC Garn is a family run business based in Germany. They are known for their selection of natural fibres and extensive colour palettes. They produce a collection of GOTS certified yarns.

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Introducing Schacht Spindle Co.’s Inkle Loom, perfect for weaving bands and belts.

We were impressed by the generous warp length of 2.5 meters, open side for ease of warping, and a tension bar with an easy-grip knob for fine adjustments as you weave.

The all timber construction is second to none and built for years of heavy use. We love the silky smooth hard maple that is left unfinished for a clean and crisp aesthetic that will appeal to the modern weaver.

It arrives fully assembled and we’ve included a Schacht belt shuttle and a 25 pack of weaving cards so you can use it straight out of the box!

FEATURES YOU’LL LOVE

• Warp width of 11cm (4.5")

• Generous warp length of up to 2.5m (8.5') when using continuous warp method

• Warp tensioning knob

• Made from silky smooth hard maple timber

• Made in USA

OUR INKLE LOOM KIT INCLUDES…

• 1 x Inkle Loom with adjustable warp tensioning bar

• 1 x Belt Shuttle

• 1 x Weaving cards, 25 pack

• 1 x 8 Page instruction booklet

Find the complete specifications HERE.

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SCHACHT INKLE LOOM

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Let’s Get Started…

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I often find it difficult to decide what to spin next, often overwhelmed by the many project variables – colour, fibre, plies and ultimately what to knit/weave/crochet…

Gradually I’ve realised that I just need to get the process started by making one key decision.

For a while I’ve wanted to spin for a shawl project and drawn in by the intense colour-play of the Nightshift shawl I knew it was time to commit.

I’ve detailed below how making this one decision had a positive cascading effect on the direction of the project, from how I selected the fibre and determined colour, to how I would spin the yarn and knit the shawl.

I hope you enjoy this exploration in fibre, colour and yarn, and maybe even inspire your next spin!

Andrea - Loom & Spindle

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PROJECT: A Hand Spun Nightshift Shawl

INTENTION

Hand spin yarn for a Nightshift shawl and explore:

• Fibre selection and colour placement

• Colour effects in the hand spun yarn

• The resulting fabric and hand-feel

SKILLS

• Hand spinning a two-ply worsted/10ply weight yarn

• Knitted shawl construction

TOOLS

• Spinning wheel - Louët S17 Spinning Wheel

• Knitting needles - 5mm (US 8) circular needles (I used Chiaogoo Spin Bamboo Interchangables)

MATERIALS

From my stash:

• 50g, 21 micron Merino (yellow). Hand dyed by Created by Elsie B

• 250g, 26 micron Warooka Station Merino x White Suffolk. Hand dyed by Shepherdess (no longer trading).

PATTERN

The Nightshift shawl pattern was published by Andrea Mowry of Drea Renee Knits in October 2018. It is available for purchase on Ravelry or dreareneeknits.com.

PROCESS

FIBRE SELECTION

• Spinning for a shawl project, my prerequisite when choosing fibre was for something that had a next-to-skin softness. Colour-play was also going to be a big part of this project, so I narrowed the fibre selection down further to just hand-dyed braids with interesting colour repeats.

• Working from my stash, I pulled out hand dyed braids in Merino and similar fibres and started grouping compatible colourways.

•  I settled on a braid of Merino and several braids of a Merino X Suffolk fibre, approximately 300g in total. I had previously sampled the Merino X Suffolk. The resulting yarn was soft and bouncy similar in characteristic to Merino.

• Featuring heavily saturated shades of yellow, orange, red, purple and green, the resulting palette was definitely out of my comfort zone. Though, I considered the colour intensity and saturation of each shade would correspond well to the design elements of the Nightshift pattern.

THE SPIN

• The intention was to spin six, 2-ply yarns at a worsted/10ply weight to get a knitted gauge similar to what was specified in the pattern.

• To prep the fibre I broke the fibre down into six 50g lots, carefully distributing colours to ensure I would end up with six colour differentiated yarns:

  • Yellow

  • Orange/Red

  • Red/Grey

  • Red/Purple

  • Green/Purple

  • Green

• Then for my two plies I studied the colouring in each bundle and split each into two portions keeping the colour evenly distributed.

• For each colour bundle I spun one of the portions from the tip making the first ply. For the second ply I stripped down the remaining portions so the colours would repeat more frequently.

• Each ply was spun in the Z direction at approximately 28-30 WPI, then plied together in the S direction to create a 2-ply yarn.

• Each yarn was finished with a short soak in cool water, pressed in a towel to remove the excess and then hung to dry.

KNITTING

• I knit a mini swatch on 5mm needles. I was happy with the resulting fabric. I didn’t fuss about gauge as the pattern was quite modular and could be made larger or smaller if needed.

• The pattern was worked as written using Mowry’s suggested colour changes, with the exception of one colour repeat towards the end where I knit 10 extra rows.

• My colours correspond to the pattern colours as follows:

  • Colour A – Green

  • Colour B – Green/Purple

  • Colour C – Yellow

  • Colour D – Orange/Red

  • Colour E – Red/Purple

  • Colour F – Red/Grey

  • Bound off in C and D.

FINISHING

To finish, the shawl was immersed in a bath of cool water for around 10 minutes, the water was drained, and the shawl pressed between towels to remove the excess. The piece was pinned out on a blocking matt, attention given to the triangular shaping of the shawl.

Once dry the gauge measured at: 

• 20 stitches over 10cm (4'')

• 28 rows over 10cm (4'')

 Total yardage:

• I’m not really sure as I didn’t do any strict yardage calculations before I started. Though, think I have enough left over to make a beanie!

Final measurements:

• Wingspan - 65”/165 cm 

• Centre Depth - 31”/79 cm

INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

FIBRE AND COLOUR SELECTION

• The Nightshift was such a great stash buster, I was truly in my happy place mixing and matching fibres for this project.

• I was immediately drawn to the warm saturated shades of some of my most treasured braids, I was delighted when the final palette came together.

THE SPIN

• The worsted weight yarn spun up very quickly, I had everything spun up in under a month!

• I felt that it was important to complete all the spinning before I started knitting for this project in order to determine colour placement within the knitted shawl. 

FABRIC AND HANDFEEL

• I certainly wasn’t disappointed by the merino and Merino X fibres. They made for bouncy squishy yarns and a light and lofty shawl.

• From far away you could easily say it’s just a colour block shawl, but with Mowry’s clever repeating mosaic stitch pattern the resulting fabric is a kaleidoscope of colour with subtle gradients over every row that I could study for hours.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• There’s good reason why this pattern has 3800+ projects on Ravelry. The colour-play is highly engaging, and the piece works up quickly as you’re always itching to get to the next colour section.

• The modular stitch repeat makes for a forgiving pattern, handy when yardage or gauge is not always spot on.

• The colour shifting characteristics of hand-spun yarn make it the perfect substitution for the patterns suggested yarn.

• Knitting with your hand spun yarn and feeling every bump and seeing every colour change is so satisfying. I would highly recommend all skill levels giving it!

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Would you like to save this project for later? Add it to your Ravelry favourites HERE.

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Explore Spinning…

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Combining shiny viscose, hardwearing polyester, and a metallic filament, Kremke Soul Wool brings you Stellaris - a soft and fine metallic thread for textile crafting.

Stellaris can be worked on its own at a fine gauge but the real excitement begins when the metallic thread is stranded with other yarns and fibres to create unique textures and visual elements in your creative pieces.

The thin thread is easily worked alongside your base yarns to give your final fabrics - whether woven, knit or crocheted - a flicker of glitter when worn or admired.

Use it with exuberance to add an all over shimmer or just sparingly for a pop sparkle.

With its generous yardage and exciting metallic colour pallet, Stellaris by Kremke Soul Wool offers a new glittery world to explore.

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THE FIBRE

FIBRE CONTENT: 47% viscose, 41% polyester, 12% metallic filament
NET WEIGHT: 25g (0.88 oz) per reel
APPROX. YARDAGE: 560m (612 yards)
YARN WEIGHT EQUIVALENT: Lace / 2 Ply
CONSTRUCTION: Plied
CARE: Cold hand wash, dry flat / can be dry cleaned

Colourways Available

WORKING THE YARN

Stellaris is suitable for but not limited to knitting, crochet and weaving. It can be worked as a single thread or stranded with other fibres to create unique contrast and texture.

We suggest experimenting with this yarn using your chosen tools and techniques to develop a fabric that best suits your needs.

When using a single strand, the manufacturer suggests a knitted gauge of 40 stitches over 10cm (4'') on 1.5mm (US000) needles.

ABOUT KREMKE SOUL WOOL

Kremke Soul Wool are known for their selection of natural fibres and extensive colour palettes, bringing together a carefully curated range of ‘yarns with soul’.

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Louët have masterfully distilled their commitment to quality, design, and craftsmanship to bring you the S95 Victoria spinning wheel. Arguably, the lightest and most portable upright double-treadle spinning wheel on the market today.

Weighing in at just 3.6 kilos, the S95’s ultra-light and compact folding design is delivered fully assembled with a maintenance-free clear lacquered finish.

Though small in size the double treadle and centred orifice ensure an ergonomic spinning experience. While having utilized the standard Louët flyer and bobbin range, there is no compromise on bobbin capacity.

With its Scotch tension drive system geared for three speeds, customizable orifice diameters, and optional high-speed kit, the S95 will suit everyone from the novice spinner to those seeking the ultimate in precision spinning.

With its classic minimalist styling and compact design, the Louët S95 Victoria spinning wheel is the ideal companion for travel spinning, spinning with friends or just solitary contemplation at your wheel.

FEATURES YOU’LL LOVE

• Comes fully assembled, use it straight out of the box!

• Scotch tension (flyer led) drive system for precision spinning.

• Geared for three speeds to help you expertly manage the forming yarn.

• Flyer with sliding guides for fuss-free yarn management.

• Hassle free bobbin changes, it’s as easy as releasing the bobbin brake and pulling the flyer and bobbin away from the pully.

• Customizable orifice diameter, handy when spinning finer yarns.

• Maintenance free clear lacquer finish that coats every surface and prevents the timber from drying out.

• Light and compact folding design that can be discreetly tucked away when not in use.

• Classic minimalist design with a contemporary feel that will stand the test of time.

PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION

We’ve put together a short video to demonstrate all the best features of the S95.

Take a look to see how easy it is to fold/unfold the wheel, connect the footman, assemble the flyer, and begin spinning on the Louët S95 Victoria.

LOOM & SPINDLE’S S95 KIT INCLUDES…

• S95 Victoria spinning wheel

• 3 Scotch tension bobbins

• Scotch tension flyer with sliding guides

• Black poly drive band

• A Lazy Kate for two bobbins

• Loom & Spindle Leader Yarn 3 Pack

• Loom & Spindle Yarn Gauge

See complete specifications - HERE

CUSTOMISATION AND ACCESSORIES

The S95 spinning wheel has a range of optional accessories. This range includes:

• High-speed set with three bobbins (ratio 1:20)

• Art yarn flyer with Irish tension mother of all

• Third shaft to extend the lazy kate for three bobbins

• Bobbin racks and a stand-alone Lazy Kate

• Padded storage bag, which can be used as a backpack or shoulder bag

For custom order enquiries please get in touch to discuss your needs. We would love to help you out!

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LOUËT S95 VICTORIA