This is Daughter of a Shepherd yarn. If you've not already come across the story behind it (click here, here, here, here, and for a bit more background, here) it's very much worth reading, and if you have a liking for 'real' wool, then snap up a skein or two if you can*.
It's the colour of bitter chocolate, darkest peat, or good earth, it's soft but characterful, and it smells deliciously of sheep and hay and fresh air. I like it so much I've ordered more.
*As I write, Loop still has some.
(Apologies to Robert Frost for the post title)
The title made me smile as soon as it popped up ...I'm sure Mr Frost would forgive you :o)
Posted by: Val | 21 May 2016 at 08:10 PM
Oh I'm so glad to see you are a devotee of this yarn. One day I'll buy some too, I hope. What are you going to make with it, I wonder.
I've recently become very interested in using undyed British yarn and am having a great time finding supplies of it and today the postie brought a beautiful poster from the Shetland Sheep Society which shows all the different varieties of Shetland sheep with the names to describe their fleece colours. The whole thing is fascinating.
And to go back to the subject of the "pigs' eyes" at the gusset of socks - I follow the Sockmatician on Ravelry and have just watched his latest podcast where he is describing his sock recipe which, he says, totally does away with any holes at all. The recipe is for a toe-up sock, which I have never tried (and don't want to) but I thought you might be interested in his method. His website is here http://www.sockmatician.com/
Posted by: BRWombat | 21 May 2016 at 10:30 PM
I can spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to come up with post titles!
Posted by: Cornflower | 22 May 2016 at 02:46 PM
I'm thinking a shawl, BR, maybe Helen Stewart's Hill Top (this version by Tinkhickman is lovely: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Tinkhickman/hill-top-shawl ).
Love the sound of your Shetland sheep poster!
Many thanks for the link to Sockmatician. I've heard about his latest sock pattern, but didn't know about the 'no holes' aspect so I shall go and investigate straightaway. Like you, I've never made toe-up socks and haven't felt the need to try, but his method may be worth venturing off the beaten path for.
Posted by: Cornflower | 22 May 2016 at 02:52 PM
That's a lovely pattern. Do keep us updated! Spurred on by you, I've decided to make Louise Tilbrook's Hebridean Hap which is designed for the Daughter of a Shepherd yarn and I've bought some of the last few skeins from Loop. Thanks so much for giving me the prod I needed!
Posted by: BRWombat | 23 May 2016 at 11:04 PM
Great minds think alike! Thanks to your links I signed up to Daughter of a Shepherd newsletter. Seeing her new stock was in I immediately thought of the Hill Top shawl pattern for it. Later this year my sisters and I will be in the Lake District to scatter our parents ashes in a spot my father requested. I had already thought to make a shawl/ scarf/ neck warmer for the occasion and this would work perfectly.
Posted by: Fran H-B | 24 May 2016 at 09:30 AM
You are such a temptress, but fortunately this colour does not form part of my palette so I can save my money...
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 25 May 2016 at 07:57 PM