Yarn Test Kitchen – September 2024. Fat Sheep Fiber Yarn.
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber Officer
Welcome to our September Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen!
There have been a few days of late where the mornings have been slightly cooler and we have had some rain – reminders of fall days that will soon follow. So, this month’s yarn is a perfect match for our Autumn vibes in the yarn test kitchen – Fat sheep Fiber, from Carnation Farms.
I was lucky enough to meet Alex the Shepherd from Carnation Farms earlier this year, and to spend some time at the farm during sheep shearing. I fell in love with this beautiful, natural and rustic worsted weight yarn immediately, and I am happy to report that my friends in the yarn test kitchen did too. If you would like to give this lovely yarn a try, you can buy it via Fat Sheep Fiber website.
Here are our makes that we hope will inspire you to cast on.
Our September Baked Treat:Blueberry and Lemon Loaf by Love & Lemons.
I urge you to give this delicious cake a try! Summer is not quite over yet and this delicious bake is evocative of the warmer months we have enjoyed recently. This is the perfect time to bake with blueberries and their sweet flavor fuses perfectly with the tartness of lemon. I’m a fan of a straightforward bake, and this fits the bill perfectly. You can serve it simply, just wait for it to cool, or serve with a lemon drizzle over the top and whipped cream. Great for sharing with friends at any time of the day!
Tester: Keeley – Pattern: Owl Coffee Cup Cozy by Sabrina Thompson and Owl Mitts by Amanda Jones
I love a pair of fingerless mitts and these owl mitts are so very cute without being too cutesy. Perfect for early morning dog walks when there is a slight nip in the air! Fat Sheep Fiber has a natural, almost rustic feel to it on the skein, but once blocked it softens and feels soft and warm next to the skin. I love the warm tones of this undyed yarn and the little pops of darker toned fleece that you will find in your skein – perfect for creating owl themed projects that just feel right for fall.
I had enough yarn left over from the generous 200yd skein to knit a matching coffee cup sleeve (coffee is always necessary following a brisk morning walk).
Both of these patterns are free on ravelry and are perfect if you have small amounts of leftover worsted weight yarn ready for a quick and fun project. A good time to begin holiday knitting? Absolutely!
Yarn Tester: Jennifer- Pattern: Gro Hat by fiber Tales
Jennifer in her own words: “Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I learned early the importance of a good wool hat. Local wools are very interesting to me right now. Their rustic qualities are perfect for outdoor adventures. I take knitting with me just about everywhere I go. Say “Hi!” if you see me out knitting in public.”
Having read Jennifer’s bio, you won’t be surprised to hear that Jennifer fell in love with this yarn. She felt that is a great durable yarn that would be perfect for a robust, hard working, sweater to keep cozy while enjoying outdoor activities the PNW’s cooler months.
The natural 100% wool of Fat Sheep Fiber and the nature inspired Gro Hat pattern are a match made in fiber heaven! The yarn enabled the pretty design to shine through – once blocked this yarn really blooms, resulting in an elegant hat. It’s a great pattern that makes for an engaging knit and the results are beautiful. Jennifer is excited to wear this hat during the coming fall, and we are all inspired to cast on!
Yarn Tester: Heather
Heather in her own words: “My daily schedule has changed a lot this year, and since I have less time for my favorite pastime I’ve become more purposeful with my knitting projects. I’ve been knitting for 6 years and I’m still fairly slow. Factoring that with not having as much time to knit as I’d like, this project was a nice fit for me right now. “
This is the kind of yarn that Heather absolutely loves! Worsted was the first weight of yarn that she learned to knit with, so it holds a special place in her heart. Any kind of natural, 100% wool yarn is always going to become one of her favorites and Fat Sheep Fiber totally fits the bill!
This is great yarn to make items for the home, and Heather wanted to explore this idea. This fabulous pillow was Heather’s own design. She worked out the gauge required to knit the width of a pad that she already had at home, and took things from there. The skein was weighed to make sure that there was sufficient yarn for the back and front, and then she began work on the back, knitting a garter stitch. For the front of the pillow cover, Heather took inspiration from her Stitch Dictionary book, and chose the lovely diamond design. The neutral color means that this is a perfect pillow to bring a natural texture to home decor. Gorgeous!
Yarn Tester: Laura – Pattern: Keziah Beret by Lily Kate France
Laura in her own words: ” While I’ve spent several decades making a life in the various arts, somehow I never really tried my hand at fiber until the Covid lockdowns hit. I was bored. I bought some cheap knitting needles, sat down in front of YouTube, and haven’t looked back since. One thing, of course, has led to another, and now it’s not just knitting: I can barely move for looms, spinning wheels, bags of fleece, and oh my the lovely bins of yarn…”
Laura wanted to knit a beret, and the lace pattern in the beautiful Kezia Beret makes this one very special indeed. This relaxed and slouchy style beret looks so great on Laura, and suits her creative personality!
Like all of us, Laura loved knitting with Fat Sheep Fiber, and was delighted with the stitch definition that she achieved. A little extra yarn was added in when she felt a game of “yarn chicken” may be on the cards, and Laura found that Harrisville Highland paired perfectly to complete her beautiful beret. She is also considering adding a few more bobbles in the contrast color to add a personal touch to the design.
We all thought that maybe Harrisville Highland would be a good yarn to add in for a color work project with Fat Sheep Fiber? There is always lots of fun to be had with color work!
Yarn Tester: Caitlyn – Pattern: Snowberry Mittens by Kalurah Hudson
Caitlyn in her own words: ” I love exploring new fiber projects. Knitting and crochet always capture my interest.”
This beautiful pattern has been on Caitlyn’s “to knit list,” for some time, and when she was introduced to Fat Sheep Fiber yarn this mitten project immediately sprang to mind. The “berries” add interest to the design and to the knitting process, and are a good opportunity to learn a new technique. Caitlyn felt that this was a great yarn to use in projects where you want to highlight texture – the light natural color lends itself perfectly to this type of knitting, and the results are stunning. Caitlyn can’t decide yet whether she will keep them for herself or gift to a special person. They would certainly make a wonderful gift, but oh my, it would be hard to part with them!
Coming next month in The Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen: Beautiful Hand Dyed DK from Jadawoo Designs. We can’t wait to show and share our makes with you!
Yarn Test Kitchen
Your Monthly Yarn Review
One of my all time favorite knitting activities is a “show and share”, with friends – it’s a perfect way to seek ideas, gain inspiration and get helpful advice. This is the idea behind the yarn test kitchen – I hope our projects will have you reaching for your needles as we bring you our ideas on how to turn those neglected single skeins of yarn in to “One Skein Wonders”, and inspire you to try new yarns that are produced and sold across the Puget Sound Region.
Oh, and I’ll also be sharing monthly baking recommendations as we go. After all, who doesn’t love a slice of cake or baked good? Yum!
Happy reading!
Keeley