schiehallion

Morning, everyone! First up, I should let you know that the KDD shop is once more up and running, and subscriptions to the 10 Years in the Making club are now open!

Next, I can finally tell you about our new flagship yarn, Schiehallion

This is a yarn that’s been a long time in the offing, which we began developing as a replacement for the old dyed shades of Buachaille. Like Buachaille, it’s a UK sourced and manufactured 100% wool, DK weight yarn (with a “standard” gauge of 22 stitches to 4 inches) and, like Buachaille, it is named after one of our favourite Scottish mountain peaks.

But Schiehallion is also a yarn with its own distinctive character!

Schiehallion has a really lively, bouncy hand and a plush softness that I think you’ll find suprising. This springy softness comes from the wonderful Corriedale fleeces we chose as its base. The Corriedale is carefully mixed with some top-quality Cheviot fleeces (forming a 70% Corriedale, 30% Cheviot blend) and then batch-dyed and spun for us by worsted spinning experts, Laxtons of Yorkshire.

Schiehallion is a Woolmark accredited yarn. It’s available in one natural and seven dyed shades whose softly muted palette reflects the distinctive character of a yarn that’s as gentle as it is hardy.

Crowdie (named for the mild Scottish cheese) is a natural fleece shade.

Eileen – a mid, matt grey.

Faded overalls – a deep, saturated, dull blue.

Rhubarb – a muted red, whose shade reminds me of the rhubarb jam I ate when a child.

Mooring – an interesting green with blue-ish, grey-ish tones

Doris – a light, pale pink, named for a favourite variety of Dianthus

Daunder – a complex pear-ish yellow, takes its name from the familiar Scots word for a stroll or wander.

And Alto – a rich and mellow purple.

I have lots to say about Schiehallion itself (a mountain that, because its summit marks the longitudinal and latitudinal centre of Scotland, is often known as Scotland’s heart, and the place where, decades ago, I first fell in love with Scottish mountain walking) – but I’ll save that for another post.

Schiehallion yarn, Schiehallion gift samplers (all eight shades) and Schiehallion shade card sheep are now available in the shop. We have lots of exciting plans for this yarn – and I can’t wait to share the new designs with you!