bases and breeds
General info
All bases are natural – sheep to yarn – no nylon and no superwash treatment. I source high quality yarns and spinning wool in the UK and Sweden. Occasionally there will be visiting wool /yarn from other European countries as well. All regular bases are described below. Get in touch if you would like help to choose the right base or colour for your project: contact.
Mirja
bases
Jämtland
This is a very special fingering weight yarn sourced and spun in Sweden by a small mill with focus on supporting Swedish sheep breeds and the environment. They use vegetable spinning oil and natural cleaning detergents when producing their yarn. Being woolen spun the yarn is light and airy. The Jämtland wool has lots of fine crimp. It is rich in lanolin without feeling sticky and has a characteristic shine. With a micron count around 19, it is next to skin soft if you are not very sensitive.
SWEA
Is a rustic soft and bouncy woolen spun yarn also sourced from the same mill as the Jämtland. SWEA is spun out of Svea lambswool – a crossbreed between Texel and the Swedish breed Finull. This DK/worsted weight yarn has a handspun feel to it with heirloom qualities. It will keep you warm for many years to come.
SWEN
Is the base for you if you enjoy rustic soft! A blend of 75% Swedish Svea giving bounce and airiness and 25% Gotland adding shine, drape and silkiness as well as the characteristic grey shade to this amazing woolen spun yarn. It will keep you warm even knit on a loose gauge trapping lots of air making it perfect for winter garments.
Lush BFL 4 ply
100% Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) – a cream white base. Sourced and worsted spun in the UK. Provide the colours with shine and lustre. This yarn is perfect for shawls and light garments with drape.
BFL/Gotland 4 ply, DK and Aran
75% BFL and 25% Gotland mix gives a light grey base. Sourced and worsted spun in the UK (although I’ve heard that the Gotland is sourced in Sweden). The grey base gives the dyed colours depth and complexity. Knit up this base has a shine and drape with a light halo. I would use the 4 ply for shawls and light, but warm garments. The DK and Aran weights are great for warmer winter pullovers, hats and mittens.
BFL/Masham DK
75% BFL and 25% Masham mix gives a light brow-grey base. Sourced and worsted spun in the UK. The dyed colours get a really nice depth. This is the perfect pullover yarn – rustic soft, but sturdy.
Corriedale Sock
100% Corriedale, high twist, no-nylon, non-superwash white base. Sourced and spun in the UK. Gives bright and clear dyed colours. Through the high twist this yarn works for durable socks even without nylon. If you would like to strenghten your socks in certain areas such as heels and toes I recommend holding a mohair, silk or linen strand double in those spots. This yarn is just as great for shawls and light, but warm garments as for socks.
Corriedale 4 ply, Sport and Aran
100% Corriedale white base. Sourced and worsted spun in the UK. Gives bright and clear dyed colours.
Great for warm pullovers as well as for accessories.
sheep breeds
Bluefaced Leicester
This British breed is famous for its long, lustrous and fine wool. It is my favourite wool to work with in yarns for dyeing as it takes dye beautifully and gives a natural shine.
The yarn produces a wonderfully soft drapey fabric perfect for shawls, but just as well for garments. I recommend knitting with BFL if you prefer softer yarns.
Corriedale
This crossbreed between Merino and Lincoln sheep produces a dense fleece with soft wool/yarn of medium length with good crimp and a character. I find it soft yet sturdier than Merino and it takes dye beautifully for bright clear colours.
Masham
This British cross breed produces long and lustrous wool. In my BFL blend it gives character and depth to the colours.
Gotland
Famous for their beautiful, shiny grey locks the Gotland sheep originate from the island of Gotland in Sweden. They produce durable wool great for felting. The Gotland sheep is the only breed that has a blue tinge to their grey fleece and was bred particularly for this. As a part of some of my bases this wool gives a beautiful grey halo and depth to the colours as well as shine and drape to garments. If you are sensitive these bases are not suitable for next to skin garments as the hairs may tickle.
Jämtland
The Jämtland sheep is a cross breed between Merino and Svea – common in the part of Sweden called Jämtland. The wool has a fine crimp, is rich in lanolin and produces a next to skin soft yarn.
Svea
A cross breed between Texel and the Swedish breed Finull. It provides bouncy, lofty wool for warm staple yarns.
The following sheep breeds are part of a mix in some of the spinning wool I offer sometimes.
Helsinge
A Swedish rare breed sheep with often more than one colour in one individual. Their double-coated fleeces consist of a mixture of medium to long wool.
Gestrike
A Swedish rare breed sheep that vary in the colours white, brown, black, grey and everything spotted in-between. Their double-coated fleeces vary from very fine wool to coarser long wool.
Värmland
A Swedish rare breed sheep that used to be known as Woodland sheep. They are often spotted and have a wide range of colours. Their wool is fine to medium and double-coated. This sheep breed is part of a mix in some of the spinning wool I offer.
Leicester
The Swedish version of this breed produces white shiny locks that is often mixed with Finull for softness.
Swedish Finull
A Swedish breed with shiny soft wool with a fine crimp. Gives next to skin soft yarn in the natural colours white, black and brown. Often mixed with Gotland to improve the quality of the yarn. Crossbred with Texel it contributes these wool qualities to the Svea breed.