Marie Wallin - British Breeds - Cave

The beautiful, soft, bouncy 4 ply ‘British Breeds’ yarn from Marie Wallin took her two years to develop in conjunction with John Arbon and his wonderful team in Devon. The worsted spun yarn is now available in thirty gorgeous colours,  that not only work well together in Fairisle knitting, but also look fabulous as individual shades on their own.

‘British Breeds’ yarn is made up of the fleece from  four different British sheep breeds each adding their special characteristic and quality. Bluefaced Leicester adds the beautiful softness. Exmoor Horn adds softness as well as it’s white fibre adding a ‘cleanness’ to the blended tops, making for successful dyeing. Romney adds the strength and slight lustre. Zwarbles adds the bounce or springiness.

The yarn is produced by blending the Bluefaced Leicester, Exmoor Horn and Romney fibres  together and then dyeing them into the various  coloured tops. The coloured tops are then blended using a ‘recipe’ to create the base colours that are then blended with the undyed Zwarbles fibre  to create the melange effect. After the yarn is spun it is sent to be steam relaxed and balled into 25 gram balls at Edward Hill’s Ltd in Bradford. The steam finishing ‘opens up’ the yarn creating the full, light appearance and handle.

Description

Cave is a beautifully grounded, mid grey with soft, earthy undertones that echo weathered stone, slate cliffs, and shaded moorland rock faces. It’s a natural, understated neutral that feels organic rather than stark — never flat, never cold. The subtle variation in the wool gives Cave a gentle depth and texture, making it especially striking in colourwork, cables, and traditional Fair Isle designs.

This shade works effortlessly as a grounding contrast alongside lighter naturals or brighter heritage tones, while also standing confidently on its own for timeless garments and accessories. Cave is a classic, versatile colour that suits both modern and traditional knitting, offering quiet sophistication and enduring wearability.

Brand: Marie Wallin – British Breeds

Weight: 4 ply

Texture: Blended Melange

Ball Weight: 25 grams

Yardage: 85 metres – 93 yards

Gauge: 28 stitches, 29 rows to 10cms or 4 inches in Fairisle

22 stitches, 34 rows to 10cms or 4 inches in Stocking Stitch

Recommended Needle Size: 3.25 mm Fairisle.  3mm Stocking Stitch

Recommended Hook Size:  3mm - 3.25 mm

Content: 100% British Wool - Made in the UK

Care: Hand wash in cold water using a mild liquid detergent, suitable for delicate woollens and reshape whilst damp..

Use: Garments, accessory,  fairisle, colourwork, striping and cable work.