Made in the UK from sheep to skein
We are thrilled to bring a new hand-dyer into our community...currently only available in three shops in the US! RiverKnits, created by Becci and Markus on their riverboat in the UK (hence the name), maintains a strong focus on empowering creativity, promoting sustainability, and inclusion. We met Becci and Markus (virtually) in 2021, and immediately fell in love with their story and process.
Becci and Markus hand dye all of their yarn in their Royal Ordnance Depot, Weedon studio by the Grand Union Canal. They hand-dye their yarn in small batches, and while the color consistency is very good, it's not guaranteed. We recommend that you buy enough skeins for your project. If your project uses more than one skein, we also recommend that you alternate / stripe the skeins throughout.
- Fiber: 100% British BFL Wool
- Unit weight: 50g / 1.75 oz
- Yardage / Meterage: 213 yds / 195 m per skein
- Weight: Fingering
- Texture & drafting method: Plied, worsted spun
- Care: Hand wash and dry flat (see additional details below)
- Gauge: 27 sts = 4"
- Needle/hook size: US0-US5 (2.00 - 3.75mm) / F
Note: This yarn is not superwash wool, so it has the potential to felt. See below for care instructions.
Chimera is a magical hand-dyed marl unique to RiverKnits. This smooth, worsted-spun 2ply yarn has a beautiful luster and amazing softness. For those who aren't familiar with Bluefaced Leicester wool, it's strong, next-to-skin soft, and ideal for a wide range of projects from accessories to garments. The multi-colored marl adds fun and color to every project. You'll create some wonderful effects by combining skeins, pairing it with a solid, holding it together with a mohair/brushed suri, in mosaic and stranded colorwork, or just held on its own. (Our favorite pairings for it so far are Garthenor Organic Preseli for wool, and Julie Asselin Anatolia for mohair.)
When it comes to blocking or washing your project, use lukewarm water with your favorite wool wash, and lay flat to dry. Do not machine wash or tumble dry this yarn. We take great care to thoroughly set the dye and rinse the yarn afterwards, but differing water temperatures and chemicals can cause some dye to bleed. If you’re using it in a multicolored project, we recommend washing a swatch first to test for color-fastness.
Images courtesy of RiverKnits UK.
