Unsung Hero: Merino d'arles

Picture it - The year is 1806.

You're in the French Alps.

The meadows around you are lush and wild.

The yonder mountain range is breathtaking and magnificent.

The air is cool and crisp. Maybe a touch of morning frost lingers on the fields before you.

Perhaps you catch the scent of bread baking in a nearby cottage.

And there you are, guiding your flock of lovely, content sheep as they graze away on the sweet grass and dainty flowers before them, happily growing some of the softest fleece Europe will ever see.

Now fast forward 215 years.

Some of that wool sits in a little cubby in our adorable yarn shop, as soft and pliant today as it was more than two centuries ago.

That's because Rosy Green Wool hasn't really changed up the process behind the creation of Merino d'Arles. It is still cultivated using heritage techniques and breeds first introduced by Louis XVI. It's a beautiful fingering weight yarn that just happens to be our Unsung Hero for November. That means that Merino d’Arles is 15% off from Nov 19 to 26, 2021. The discount is applied to your cart automatically.

Those happy sheep are still brought to the Alps for grazing, and today the company is recognized for its environmentally friendly practices and ethical treatment of animals.

The wool is spun loosely with a soft hand and uses a traditional process that compliments the wool's strong natural crimp, making for a yarn that's voluminous and airy.

Some of you may recognize the yarn from a line of shawls by internationally renowned knitwear designer Melanie Berg created, when she partnered with Rosy Green-done specifically to celebrate Merino d'Arles.

Shawls aside, Merino d'Arles is also perfect for colour work. Skeins come in an incredible range of tones, from muted neutrals to bright yellows, greens and purples.

Still not sold? Try it for yourself! We’ve curated a list of potential projects on ravelry. Here are some of our favourites.

For a quick project we'd suggest Underwing Mittens, or any fingerless glove by Erica Heusser. One skein in each colour needed will do the trick! These photos are my version in merino d'arles - Look at that eye-popping stitch definition.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/underwing-mitts

For Medium sized project, give Rosi by ANKESTRiCK a try. This generously sized shawl has a cute cable pattern with lots of squishy rib.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rosi-3
5 skeins

For a bigger project, we'd suggest Tamaris by Katrin Schneider https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tamaris
6 to 14 skeins, available to fit chest sizes 30” to 62”. Positive ease built into the pattern.

Of course, we almost feel we need to send this wool off with a warning-be prepared to fall in love with it!