Look, I’m gonna start by saying that as someone perpetually cold, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with knit season. Love that I can dive right into my queue of winter knitting projects I need to make and wear, like, instantly; hate that it’s so blimmin’ chilly my toes feel like they’re gonna fall off. I guess you could say my hobby (read: obsession) of choice is rather fortuitous!
But when the temperatures drop and knit season descends, there’s nothing I love more than a cosy evening under a blanket with a hot water bottle (knitted cover, obvs), probably watching a crappy Hallmark Christmas movie, knitting up my latest project.
Since you’re here reading this, I figure we’re on similar wavelengths, so in a bid to inspire your winter knits, Janice and I have rounded up 6 of our favourite yarns for your cosy winter knitting projects this season, plus a few ideas of what to knit with them.
It’s woolly, it’s eco-friendly, and boy, is it luxurious. Sheepsoft DK by Laxtons is a beautiful blend of Bluefaced Leicester and Masham fleece that feels quite wonderful. The combination of crackin’ British wool hits that sweet spot between softness, durability and sustainability, making it an easy choice for winter knitting projects. It’s soft enough so you can wear just a t-shirt under your knit as winter starts to thaw into spring, but sturdy enough to withstand the love and wear from becoming your new favourite handknit piece.]
For me, though, it’s the colour palette that I instantly fell in love with. Laxtons have combined the natural colours of Masham fleece with dyed Bluefaced Leicester to produce a glorious muted collection with a lovely heathered look that knits up beautifully.
Anything and everything! This gorgeous British wool is ideal for hand-knit sweaters, cosy cardigans and a whole array of lightweight knitted accessories. A staple yarn when it comes to all your winter knits.
Find Laxton’s Sheepsoft DK here
Find Laxton’s Sheepsoft 4ply here
A yarn that’s as quintessentially British as tea and biscuits. World of Wool’s Isle Aran is a no-nonsense blend of wonderfully warm Shetland wool and sumptuously soft Bluefaced Leicester you can’t help but fall in love with – and I know this because I have. ‘Proper’ yarn at its finest, it’s reliable, durable and most importantly, wonderfully cosy and irresistibly soft.
I’ve already got my fair share of this British wool in my yarn stash, in fact it’s on my needles right now, slowly becoming a second Tendreil sweater for my handmade wardrobe. That being said, don’t let my lack of winter knitting time deceive you – Isle is an aran weight so it makes light work of cosy hand-knit sweaters and glides off your needles effortlessly.
As I said, this aran yarn makes knitting up a sweater a dream. Personally, I am a rather simple knitter, but this yarn just calls for classic colourwork and textured stitches that pop.
Find World of Wool Isle Aran here
If you’re after a yarn that’s about as lovely as its eco credentials, the Merino 4-ply by Along Avec Anna has your name all over it. This fingering-weight beauty is incredibly soft, lightweight and, well, to be honest pretty damn versatile when it comes to choosing a new cast on.
Knit solo for easily washable knits for baby or lightweight garments for summer, hold double for warmer winter knits or pair it with the Along Avec Anna Silk Mohair for a hand knit that’s a little bit more ‘spesh’.
The Merino 4ply has been superwash treated so it’s probably a yarn I’d recommend more for baby knits as it can handle being chucked into the washing machine on a wool setting every now and then. However, if you’re knitting for yourself i’d pair that baby with mohair for the softest, silkiest knits for the ultimate cosy knit.
Find Merino 4ply by Along Avec Anna here
Find Silk Mohair 4ply by Along Avec Anna here
A bit of a special one, this – Kremke’s Lazy Lion Sock yarn is one of Janice’s favourites for some beautiful winter knitting. Made from super soft South African Merino wool, it’s soft, smooth, and downright indulgent.
And it’s practical, too! With a superwash treatment that makes it easy peasy to care for, plus a smidge of nylon for extra strength, you get all the benefits of a standard sock yarn just with a little added luxuriousness.
This may be sock yarn, but its speckled and self-striping colourways are so pretty that you won’t want to limit yourself to just knitting socks! This self-striping sock and speckled yarn, however, is so pretty you won’t want to only knit socks with it! I personally love using sock yarns for baby knits, but this would also work beautifully for shawls that will be so soft, you’ll never want to take them off.
Find Lazy Lion Sock by Kremke Soul Wool here
Perfect For Knitting:
At Baa!, we can’t get enough of this wildly colourful yarn! It’s a brilliant choice for all sorts of knitted accessories thanks to its playful hues. Knit alone, it’s ideal for a jazzy shawl with easy peasy colourwork, but I love the thought of pairing it with a plain, solid colour yarn so that those textures and colours really pop!
Bonus points – it’s washable, making it a fabulous choice for playful children’s knits too.
Find Zauberball Crazy by Schoppel Wolle here
They say save the best for last and Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift is exactly that. For those of you familiar with Baa! you’ll know that Spindrift is our hands-down, all time, absolute fave yarn which is why we proudly stock all 200+ shades. A not-so-small feat in our not-so-big knitting shop!
Made from 100% pure Shetland wool, Spindrift offers the best of British wool: warmth, durability and that wonderfully traditional woolly feel. It’s is a woolly wonderful choice yarn for traditional fair isle knits, but, if we’re honest, we’re recommending this for any and all of your winter knitting projects ’cause it’s the best.
Knitted up, this Shetland wool produces a wonderfully light and warm woolly fabric, even with the double layer of stranded colourwork. It blooms beautifully when blocked and only gets better and better as you wash and wear, developing a softness and worn-in feel that will have you reaching for your handknit over and over.
Alright, we’re a little biased, but we reckon Spindrift is perfect for all your cosy winter knitting projects. If we have to narrow it down, though, with its excellent stitch definition and cute 25g ball size, this yarn was made for stranded colourwork. Plus its slightly sticky texture helps lock stitches together, which is especially helpful for knitters who enjoy steeking.
What to Knit:
Find Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift here
I don’t know about you reading this, but my Ravelry favourites list (not to mention my shopping basket) is certainly looking a lot fuller than when I sat down to start writing this guide to our favourite yarns for winter knitting projects. With a bit of luck I’ll achieve at least one finished object this side of Christmas!
Admittedly, I cannot claim to be a confident colourwork knitter, unlike Janice, but I’m officially in love with Wool and Pine’s Voyage mittens. Now I just need to narrow down which of the 200+ colours of Spindrift I want to combine in order to cast on…
What about you? Have we inspired any new additions to your Ravelry queue? Whether you prefer the warmth and durability of British wool, the luxurious softness of Merino, or the playful colours in self-striping yarns, we’d love to see what you knit up this winter. So, please do give us a tag @baawool on your Insta posts so we can have a nosey.
