July brought plenty of excitement…we bought kayaks and took a family vacation in the lovely Wisconsin Northwoods. The excitement didn’t stop when we returned home…..a new yarn AND a new fiber were ready to greet me, begging for color.
My inspiration this month is a childhood memory. Generally considered a weed, my parents did allow one mulberry tree to grow in the fence row of our farm. It provided a bit of shade for the sheep, and was just the right size and shape for a little girl to climb in. I spent many summer days in that tree, contemplating life and staining my hands red and purple from the juice of the fruit.
I’m very excited to announce the triumphant return of Tiger Twist. Not just a return, but an improvement….now the yarn is completely American. The sheep live here, the superwash treatment is done in the US, and the yarn is spun in an American mill. I am proud to offer this tight twist two ply, perfect for socks and more.
Naturally, I needed to do a striping yarn for this debut. Our Mulberry Twist has a pattern of about 8 rows dark burgundy, four rows red, four rows pink, and 8 rows medium burgundy, then the pattern reverses.
I’m always excited when I find new wool, I want to try them all! This month is Gotland, straight from Sweden. It’s a courser wool with a nice wave to it and a long staple…about 6 inches. Gotland is very wearable, however. Just spin it worsted style to capture the ends, and be sure to keep your hands far apart if you have trouble drafting. A special breed of Gotland was used to make the elven cloaks for the Lord of the Rings movies. The natural grey color made a perfect background for the reds and burgundies of Mulberry.
Are you interested in receiving a lovely surprise every month? There are several spots open in Tiger Club. You can try it for a little as a month, and may stay as long as you like. We’d love to have you!
