Description

Blacker Swan is Blacker Yarns signature yarn that was launched in 2012. It is made from the fine white fleeces of Dohne sheep, residents of the Falkland Islands.

The fleeces are sourced from local/small businesses and Blacker Swan was created as a partnership arrangement with Andrez and Ali Short of Swan Inlet Farm on the Falkland Islands. Andrez and Ali retired and handed on their flock to Mike and Donna Evans at Spring Point Farm.  The Evans shear these specialist Dohne merino sheep, sort and grade the fleeces and send them by ship to the UK, where it is turned into luxurious worsted spun single flock yarns.

In order to enhance the base shade and reduce the tendency of Merino to pill, there is also add 8% Shetland or dark Blue-faced Leicester wool to the Pale Maiden base yarn and 15% to the Stone and Sand bases.  The small amount of dark fibre increases the depth of dye shades and enhances the special Swan palette. Dusty Miller is pure Merino.

The handle is very smooth, soft and luxurious: possibly the best knitting yarn in the world!  Being worsted spun, the yarn has a bulky, drapey quality and good stitch definition, which will work well for structured and flowing garments and also for textures.