10 Reasons to Love Wool
Wool is by far my favourite fibre, being so versatile and generous. There are many reasons to love wool, and today I want to share ten of those with you and take this opportunity to showcase some beautiful yarns from Scottish producers.
Wool is Infinitely Versatile
Detail of my "Hebridean Sands" Comfort Shawl.
When I look around my house and see how much wool there is in it, I marvel at the versatility of such a miracle fiber. My pillows, duvet, blankets, throws, shawls, scarves, gloves, hats and 90% of my wardrobe are made of pure wool in various shapes or forms. If at any point I was to build my own house, I would choose to insulate it with wool. Sometimes I receive insulated packages which are wrapped in wool instead of polystyrene— what an intelligent alternative! Wool is a powerful insulator, the best I have ever found, keeping me warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather. I use it year round and find it completely adaptable.
Wool is Completely Natural
Wool is completely natural. Sheep grow a fleece every year; once shorn, the fleece only needs very simple steps to turn it into a fiber that can be worked with in many different ways. Besides changing form, for example being transformed from carded wool to yarn, it undergoes no unnatural transformations that would make it impossible to distinguish the original essence of the fiber. Not too long ago, crofters used to rear a flock of sheep and it was common practice for people to wear clothes made entirely in their own home, from rearing and shearing their own sheep to wearing garments made from that wool, carded, spun, dyed, knitted or felted on the premises. Choosing wool to keep warm and insulated is one of the most natural and simple options available.
Wool Offers Incomparable Warmth
I made myself this fitted cropped jumper to keep extra warm while feeling elegant.
In spite of many modern inventions, wool remains far superior to any man-made fibers when it comes to keeping us warm and cosy. I tend to be cold most of the time so I have tried everything imaginable to try to keep warm. When I discovered the warmth available from multi-layering with 100% wool garments in various thicknesses and yarns, it was a life-changer! To me, the warming properties of wool are really magical and make a huge difference to my quality of life.
Wool is Incredibly Soothing
Detail from my blue mohair snood, extra light but extra warm, and so soothing.
Another way in which I love using wool is as part of my pain-relieving self-care. Wool is incredibly soothing and comforting. I love to wrap up in the pure wool throws and clothes I make, the warmth and comfort they bring really help me through very painful and exhausting episodes. There are many types of wool which can be worn against the skin without itchiness or discomfort, like merino, mohair and cashmere. If you have sensitive skin, you could try wool fibers that are usually advised for babies, as they are incredibly soft, soothing and exquisitely warm. I also find the smell of wool very soothing and comforting. There again, it is possible to find wool that doesn’t smell of sheep, but to be honest that would be a disappointment for me!
Breathtaking Depth of Colour
Detail from my ruby red mohair skirt, so warm, but feather light, and what a colour!
I never cease to wonder at the depth of colour in wool, which makes it such a joy to work with. Wool’s unique characteristics mean that it takes dyes in a specific way, resulting in incredibly rich and complex colours. As for the darkest, undyed yarns, they show many nuances and shades that change in different lights: for example this untreated, undyed wool from the beautiful Hebridean sheep has chocolate accents, peaty shades and sparkles with bronze and copper in the sun. In darker, greyer light, it looks like a rich dark slate grey. I love that in wool: because it is a natural fiber, its colour is always changing with the light and time of day.
Chocolate, coffee, peat, slate... incredible depth of colour in this undyed wool.
The Delightful Textures of Wool
My "Rocky Shore" throw is a delight to the touch.
There is more and more choice available now for textures when it comes to wool. As I work specifically with yarn, I continue to expand my experience of working different textures into my work by experimenting with various stitches and different yarn sizes. I love to see the infinite possibilities of textures and various options available to me. I love having soft wool close to the skin, but I also have great fondness for yarns that are more rugged and scratchy, so I tend to wear a mix of both in layers. As I type this I am enveloped into a delightfully raw wool throw which is very textured and really quite scratchy, but I love this aspect of it. It reminds me of beautiful rocks by the shore and the rawness of stone.
Wool Regulates Temperature
Detail from my very warm hat made with North Uist wool.
Wool is a very efficient aid to insulate and regulate temperature. For example, socks made of wool tend to keep our feet much warmer and much drier. When I used to climb hills or go kayaking, I noticed that man-made fibers made me sweat more without keeping me comfortably warm, and did not have the capacity to adapt to the changes of temperature in the weather or in my body. If the sun was hot, I would feel burnt, if it was cold the wind went right through, and any moisture was uncomfortable. When I switched to pure wool, I quickly saw that my clothed adapted to variable conditions very quickly and kept me much more comfortable, without any smell or moisture.
Wool is Sustainable
Wool is a sustainable choice when sourced from the right people. There are many producers who have wonderful businesses rearing sheep in the best conditions and producing their own wool which they then turn into superb yarns. Over the coming year, I will pivot my yarn art so that all my handmade heirloom pieces are made with yarn from these small producers who respect their animals, only use natural dyes, or leave wool undyed in its natural glorious colours. I am in the best place to find amazing treasures of yarn and so excited to deepen this most natural way to create while I support small Scottish yarn producers.
Enjoying the natural blends in colours from Balnahard yarn—all naturally dyed with Colonsay botanicals.
Wool is Environmentally Friendly
Detail from my hat made with Kirkibost yarn. This hat is so thick and warm, perfect for storms.
I love the fact that when a woollen article is spent, it can be composted. This is also the reason why I prefer to use wool that is undyed or plant-dyed, so that in many years, when what I make has lived a long and useful life, it can return to the earth and leave no nasty trace. Before composting any woollens, they can be upcycled or recycled in numerous ways. Use old blankets to rest and play in the garden, or to keep in the car, maybe make some new garments out of them or some craft projects, use them as insulating material or protective material for plants… woollen items have a very, very long life, it is an extremely durable fiber, and once it is tired it can still give so much before it finally gets composted. And when it does, it is packed full of amazing nutrients that feed and enrich the soil beautifully.
Wool is Self-Cleaning
Detail from my snood made with Uist Wool; I love the creamy colour.
To cap all the magical properties I have just listed, I am finishing with a bang! Most people do not know that wool is self-cleaning and actually very rarely needs to be washed. I wrote a blog post specifically about this topic, so feel free to have a look, I will put the link at the end of this post. It is such a fun characteristic of wool, and such great news: we don’t really need to spend too much time caring for it, contrary to popular belief. It is actually the easiest material to care for. That’s great news, don’t you think? The more wool you have, the less housework you need to do!
A stack of goodness. All they need to be kept clean is fresh air. So easy.
I hope you had a nice time reading about these amazing reasons to love wool. I am completely in love with that fiber and can never get enough :)
Scottish yarn suppliers featured in this post:
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