Wool Yarn FAQ
What actually counts as "wool" in this collection?
It's a mix, not just one fibre. There's plain sheep's wool (Cleckheaton Country), merino (several Heirloom, Patons, and Malabrigo lines), an alpaca blend (Patons Jet), mohair blends (Noro A La Mode, Rowan Kid Classic), a silk-merino blend (Katia Silky Lace), and a few wool-acrylic blends built for easier care and a lower price point.
Merino vs standard wool, what's the real difference here?
Heirloom Merino Magic 8-Ply is finer and softer against the skin, the one to reach for on anything worn close to the body. Cleckheaton Country 8-Ply is standard Australian wool, a bit firmer, and confirmed machine washable, a better fit for projects that'll take everyday handling rather than sit against skin.
Which of these can I actually machine wash?
Only two in this range confirm it on the label: Cleckheaton Country (100% Australian wool, machine washable) and Katia Silky Lace (superwash merino with silk). For everything else in the range, treat it as hand-wash or wool-cycle only unless the ball band says otherwise, most pure and merino wools aren't superwash treated by default.
Please note that wools that are machine washed have a tendency to shrink- handwashing is recommended.
What are the alpaca and mohair blends actually good for?
Patons Jet (70% wool, 30% alpaca) is a soft, warm blend for blankets, jumpers, and hats. The two mohair blends do different jobs: Noro A La Mode has a thick-and-thin texture built for a rustic, one-of-a-kind look, while Rowan Kid Classic is a smoother Aran-weight yarn suited to cabling and classic jumper shapes.
What's the silk blend suited to?
Katia Silky Lace (80% superwash merino, 20% silk) is built for drape, autumn jumpers, lightweight jackets, and shawls where you want warmth without bulk, and it's machine washable despite being the more delicate-looking option in the range.