Wave blue is a medium blue naturally dyed with indigo. Stunning on its own or in colourwork projects.
The Yarn
This wool blend is sourced from 100% Canadian raised sheep. Soft and squishy, airy and bouncy, it's great for outerwear, and has beautiful definition when cabled. Ooh or make a pair of the coziest thrummed mitts. Or a giant cabled circle scarf. So many possibilities.
Specs
Worsted weight. 2 ply.
113g, ~240 yards (219m)
5sts= 1" using 4.5 mm needles (US 7)
The Dye
Indigo dye has been used around the world for many centuries, as it's one of the few plant based sources of blue. With a bit of coaxing (to make the blue pigment water soluble), indigo plants can make a wonderful range from pale sky blue to the deepest navy.
Fibre naturally dyed with indigo tend to have some "rub off" of colour. It's not at all harmful and will wash off your hands. Indigo is one of the mostlightfast of all dyes, but like a good old fashioned pair of jeans, it may fade slightly with repeated washing.
A Note of Natural Dyes
Natural dyes are sources of colour derived from plants, minerals, and in some cases insects. Not only is natural dyeing a fascinating and magical experience, but it the process can have a lesser impact on the environment than dyeing with synthetic dyes, many of which contain petroleum derivatives. All skeins of Westlake yarn are dyed with natural dyes, some foraged, some grown in my backyard garden, some grown for me by local farmers, and some purchased as ground powder.
I use several methods in my dyeing process to ensure the yarn is colourfast (will not fade with washing or exposure to light), including using mordants, and carefully selecting my dye plants. That said, the colour may change slightly over the years. I see this as part of the evolution of an heirloom quality product that is ultimately biodegradable.
As with all hand dyed yarns, there will be variation in colour and variegation between skeins, especially for the hand painted colours. If your project requires more than one skein, I would recommend knitting them both at the same time, alternating one row of each, to make sure the colours are distributed more evenly.
Other Notes
Each Westlake Fibres yarn is hand dyed with care in a smoke- free environment.
Please note that colours may appear different on different monitors. I've made every attempt to photograph the colours accurately, however they may be a slightly different shade than your monitor shows.
Shipping
All items are shipped from Canada by Regular Air Mail. This is the most economical shipping option, so it does not include tracking. If you would like to upgrade your shipping to Express Mail (tracking and insurance included), please send me a message and I'd be happy to set that up for you.
