Yearn-worthy Yarns: Farmhouse American Wool
Another day, another new series premiere here on Crafting a Green World. I’ve already begun work on the next installments of the “Top 5 Must-Have Tomes …” series, but one on-going project is never enough (I’m sure my fellow crafters can relate to that).
This new series of posts, entitled the “Yearn-worthy Yarns” collection, is for all the knitters and crochet-ers out there (myself included). I took up the hobby for the first time two years ago and my crafty resolution for 2008 is to finally move past scarves and knit my first sweater.
Of course all of the yarns we’ll be featuring are organic, all-natural, fair trade or a combination of the three. In honor of this new series, I am featuring Farmhouse Yarns in this first post. From the previous sentence, you might think that I’ve been a fan of Farmhouse for years, but I just heard about them for the first time last month.
What drew me to Farmhouse Yarns was not only the fact that they buy wool directly from local, American sheep farmers, but they also hand-dye the brushed fleece themselves, in a menagerie of color combinations no less!
Personal service is another thing that you will notice if you contact this Connecticut-based company. “I try to get to know my customers so that I learn their likes and dislikes. When you phone me, I answer the phone personally. You will not have to navigate through a computerized menu with a robot voice to find me,” says owner Carol.
Also perfect for felting, 2 of Farmhouse’s 10 available yarns are sold on Purl Soho’s website, including their “I Am Allergic to Wool” offering, which is comprised of 85% cotton and 15% rayon (yes, I wish it was organic cotton too). Personally, I often find wool to be too itchy to wear, but the colors offered in “Andy’s Merino II” are too vivid to resist. For a listing of other online and brick-and-mortar stores that sell Farmhouse Yarns, simply visit their website.
[Image courtesy of Purl Soho: Farmhouse Yarns' Andy's Merino II in Zinnia]Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?
Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo … etc.)
Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-worth Yarns!
I just started knitting earlier this year. I’ve only been to the local commercial craft store to buy yarn, so this is great to hear. I have the same goal of trying to knit something more than a garter stitch scarf in the next year. So good luck to you!
Oh great, now I have to take up knitting!
I don’t really see that as a bad thing, Skye.
VE
Sigh, this stuff is gorgeous. If there really, really (really?)is such a thing as stunning, non-itchy wool I would use it in my line of kids’ clothes–wool is hands-down my favorite, most supple knitting medium!
My sister, Sandy, has the most amazing wool yarns from Icelandic sheep. I have not found them to be itchy at all. She’s at Chickweed Farm and has a web site - for anyone interested.
Russ - it is wonderful to meet more male knitters. When I first learned how to knit, my boyfriend wanted to give it a shot and turned out to be even better than I was. Since then, he hasn’t made anything, but I’m going to give me a bit of a nudge this year (wink wink).
A warm ahoy and hello to you Happy Tomato
Wool is very easy to work with, that I can never deny. Finding truly soft wool that babies can handle is a challenge … gives me something else to explore. 
VE
Betsy - you’ve peaked my curiosity; feel free to email me the link and I’ll check them out!
Have been wanting to go back to knitting (did it when I was a teen) and I have been going to stare at very tempting yarns but the thing is that being where we are (with no winter), I dunno what I’m going to do with my finished products! ….although the designs in those Japanese craft/knitting books are so so adorable…;p
Betsy–Yes, I will be thrilled to takea gander at Chickweed Farm (love the name alone:)). Thank you for the cozy (knitted, surely) welcome, Victoria! Speaking of male knitters…the first knitter in my life was a boyfriend (the family still refers to him as “The Knitter”)–he’d be lounging on the couch in a silk smoking jacket, knitting. It’s a contagious, wondrous activity, for certain!
Bam - You make a good point as far as choosing what to make. The Japanese books do have a great deal of unique ideas. Of course, when it comes to knitting, the kinds of things you can make are limitless. If you don’t have a winter, then gloves, scarves and sweaters are out of the question, but what about tank tops, light jackets for the evening and baby goods?
Happy Tomato - I’m a friendly person, so the least I could do was give you a warm welcome
None of my significant others have knitted, but it sure runs in their family … you know, I like creative folks.