Canach 4ply by Uist Wool

C A N A C H  COTTONGRASS

Canach cottongrass, spun from Scottish Merino fleece in a 4-ply (equivalent), sold in 50g skeins.

Scottish Merino is originally a cross breed of Shetland and Saxon Merino sheep, creating a sheep hardy enough to withstand the Scottish weather with an incredibly soft and fine fleece. The breed was developed in the 1990s by the Macaulay Institute (Now the James Hutton Institute), and you can find more about the project here.

Whilst Scottish Merino sheep are bred to be tougher than pure Merino, the Hebridean winters would still be too much for their fine fleeces, and so the UIST Mill source this special fibre from an established flock in Aberdeenshire.

For UIST, the bonus of Shetland sheep in the breeding means that they get the variety of gorgeous natural colours that they have blended into these fantastic yarns. Each of their yarns has extra texture, neps are a result of the combination of the fine fibres and their unique machinery set-up.

Each of the Canach colours are spun in individual quantities according to the raw fleece available. This means that not only are the yarns in small batches, but that the quantities vary from one colour to the next. As such, some of the colours won’t be around for long, so don’t wait!

The Shades available

GEAL WHITE 

Natural white which extra thick/thin texture.

OSNA SIGH

Palest grey with darker neps and specks. (170 meters per 50 grams) 

CORCA OAT

Pale faun with ginger and white neps.  (170 meters per 50 grams)

GLAS GREY 

Rich steely grey with light and dark neps. (170 meters per 50 grams)

SANAS WHISPER

Deep moody warm dark grey with lighter grey neps. (165 meters per 50 grams)

BREAC SPECKLE

Rich deep brown with ginger and white speckly neps. (165 meters per 50 grams)