Breed: North Ronaldsay
Category: Naturally Coloured
Brand: Blacker Breeds
Form: 50g ball, DK weight
Preparation: Woollen Spun

Skein Squish: Firm, medium soft but a bit tickly against the skin due to very fine fibres escaping from the twist. My skein is a lovely greyish-brown with very dark brown loose fibres

What It Is Like to Knit With: It definitely sheds while knitting, just short fibres that escape and end up on your clothing. The yarn flowed smoothly though, and was not irritating against the hands. It gives a very rustic texture and look that I really like.

Breakability: Can break with your hands with a solid tug but definitely not likely to come apart while working with it.

The Unwashed Swatch: I cast on 51 stitches with 4mm needles. The pattern is called A Little Bit of Scotland and is taken (with a few modifications) from the book, Knitting Counterpanes by Mary Walker Philips. The pattern basically consists of knit and purl stitches with a cable in the middle and moss stitch borders. Unblocked, the finished square measures 9.75 inches wide by 10 inches high. It feels dense and substantial but still has a good spring to it.

After the First Wash and Block: It kept its shape quite well although I think some of the stitch definition has softened. There is a slight halo. It feels about the same in terms of softness. I wore it against the skin of my hip as I went on an eight mile walk and surprisingly (because I quite enjoyed the feel of knitting with it), it really was quite prickly. I thought it would just be an initial scratchiness, but it lasted throughout most of the walk; I definitely was aware of that swatch against my skin.

After the Second Wash and Block:
Shape still good, stitch definition hasn’t changed. I tried another wearing test, but it’s still a bit too prickly to wear with comfort against the skin. The final swatch measures 10.25 inches wide by 10.5 inches high, so it has bloomed and settled. It feels fairly pill-resistant, and although up-close it looks as if there’s quite a lot of loose fibres, from a distance, the stitch definition is quite distinct although stockinette is not quite as crisp.

Final Notes:
I love the natural colours in this yarn. It was very easy to knit with, with no discomfort in the knitting process, but surprisingly, I didn’t like it against my skin - it was just a bit too prickly for comfort, even after the second wash/block. I would use this for warm jumpers and cardigans and would wear a layer underneath. I think cables would work well and also textured stitches. It would work well for home accessories that don’t go against the skin - for example, I definitely would knit up a mug cozy or a table runner. I would be interested to see how it works in weaving.