Breed: Herdwick
Wool Category: Naturally coloured
Brand: Hannalin crafts
Form: 100g skein
Preparation: Unknown, aran

What does the wool or fibre feel like?
The hand-squish-grab:
Very rustic and fairly coarse. Lots of coarser fibres. Very hairy. Not much yarn stretch. Nice variations of greyish-white colour throughout.
Initial thoughts on use:
Outerwear. Feels like it may not be very nice close to skin. Seems fairly hardy so may be good for over socks or jumpers when worn over another layer. Maybe lined accessories eg hats and gloves.

Cast on:
How many stitches:
32st on 5mm metal needles
What does this yarn feel like to knit with?
The yarn sheds freely. Feels very rustic and coarse through the fingers. It somewhat sticks to itself when it comes into contact with itself.
Size of unwashed swatch:
7.5in x 7.5 in
Describe the feel/observances of the unwashed swatch:
Extremely rustic. Very hairy with very apparent coarse fibers. Looks like good stitch definition. Thick garter ridges. Without the coarse thick fibers I think it would actually be fairly soft!

Washing & Blocking & Wearing –Test One:
How did you block it and to which dimensions?
Blocked in cold water without any soaks or washes so I could see how the yarn itself acts without anything else affecting it. Blocked at 7.5in x 7.5in.
How has the swatch shrunk or changed/observances after test one?
It hasn’t changed size. It has become a lot more rustic, the kempier white coarse fibres are a lot more pronounced and are also a lot clearer to feel. Extremely hairy.
What is the feel and look of the washed blocked square?
It feels very rustic and hairy. Causes itching. Good bounce in the yarn. Stitch definition very good. Holds the points where it was pinned in blocking. I think it would definitely benefit from being worsted spun to remove the coarser fibres, I think it could soften the yarn considerably.
Wear test for a day:
Itchy and not good against skin.

Washing & Blocking & Wearing –Test two:
How did you block it and to which dimensions?
Blocked to same dimensions using eucalan soak.
How has the swatch shrunk or changed/observances after test one?
Slightly more bloom.
What is the feel and look of the washed blocked square?
As first test.
Wear test for a day:
As first test. Unwearable against the skin.

Rubbing against itself vigorously – has it piled, felted or changed?
A little fuzzier but that’s about it

Final and Overall Assessment:
Describe the swatch and fabric now: include size of swatch
7.5in x 7.5in. Coarse and hempy.
Thoughts on the life, longevity and uses of this wool:
Do these differ from your initial thoughts? Hardy but I wouldn’t use it for knit items really.
Would you consider using this breed wool again? No
What else have you learned or observed from this test drive?
Sometimes the grab is close to the finished item!