Black Isle Yarns

13/05/2026

Website is working 😅. Stock is loaded! I’m so sorry, that has not been a good way to have my last update. I hope you’ll still take a wee look now if you tried earlier and didn’t get anywhere. 🙈

13/05/2026

SORRY - I’m afraid I have a website problem and can’t access it (front or backend) to add in stock for tonight’s update. I’ll keep trying and will add as soon as I’m able to. I’ll post here once it’s all updated. Huge apologies 😬

11/05/2026

Popping in with a daft cheesy grin to show off my Noctua Cardigan, designed by . It’s knit in my Darach Sport (undyed) and I love it! I finished it quite a few weeks back and have worn it loads since. It’s light but cosy and, with a roomy fit, feels like a real gentle hug of a cardigan.

I knit size 3 which took 4 skeins of Darach, around 380g in total. I’m really tempted to knit another in a dark indigo (and have some set aside to do so 😊).

If you’d like to knit one too there’s lots of sweater quantities of Darach Sport, both undyed and naturally, dyed going into Wednesday’s shop update, 7pm BST. In case you’ve missed my most recent post and newsletter- this is the last ever Black Isle Yarns update.

08/05/2026

I’m very delighted to say that I finally have everything lined up for one last shop update- it’s taken a while but hopefully it will have been worth the wait!

I’m planning to send a newsletter over the weekend with all the details, in case you’d like a bit more information. There will be sweater quantities of Darach Sport and limited quantities of a few other yarns (including a little Auchen Sport).

You can see the various yarns and naturally dyed colours which will be available over on my website now - yarns will be ‘in stock’ from 7pm BST on Wednesday 13th May. Photo shows Darach Sport.

Juni and I hope you have a wonderful weekend 😊

24/12/2025

It’s a glorious day here on the Black Isle with the sun shining and a crispy cold frost. I just wanted to pop in to send wintery best wishes, peace, light and hope to one and all.
✨ I’m finding so much joy in (slowly) knitting this Noctua Cardigan, a beautiful design by Orlane Sucche . ✨ I’m knitting with Darach Sport (my last but not least) yarn - a special blend of 60% Shetland and 40% Bluefaced Leicester, woollen spun and a soft fawn grey undyed. ✨ There will be one last update, some time in the New Year and as always I’ll send a newsletter first. In the meantime, sending the warmest woolly wishes xx

28/05/2025

08/05/2025

Yesterday I took a skein of yarn on my morning walk. Ever since I opened the first sack of this yarn I've had a thought in my head, one of those that keeps popping back. Taking it out to the woods confirmed my feeling that the yarn's undyed shade - a pretty, soft fawn - is very reminiscent of oak bark.
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Which is why, if you'd joined me in the woods yesterday, you'd have seen me balancing yarn on various oak boughs! It probably doesn't come as too much of a surprise that I love oaks. So, having a yarn the colour of gnarly oak bark makes me very happy indeed!
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I'm absolutely delighted with this yarn and am looking forward to sharing more details soon. Any guesses which breeds of sheep are involved (there are two, approximately 60:40%)?

30/04/2025

Just over a week until our Crochet with Natural Colour workshop on Saturday 10th May! I had a lovely morning yesterday with Sophie going over the final details and checking the room we'll be using (the old stables at Brodie Castle, an amazing property). The stables are tucked in behind the castle and we'll have easy access to the grounds and gardens - we're hoping for good weather so we can eat lunch outside (I spotted several favourite dye plants nearby). If not, we have a lovely room to stay in!
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We still have a few spaces available and are really looking forward to this day. In the morning I'll introduce natural plant dyeing, with readily available local plants, and we'll dye several mini skeins for you to take away. I'll cover all that's needed so you can continue your own dye adventures at home.
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In the afternoon Sophie will teach her specially designed crochet scarf pattern - beginning with colours I'll have dyed in advance and then continuing at home with the yarn shades we'll dye on the day.
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All the details are on Sophie's website and there's a link to it from my website (you can follow through from my profile). If you have any questions please just ask!

14/04/2025

Just popping in to let you know that Wilkhaven Sweater Sets have been listed on the website for pre-order. I'll make up sets with just enough (plus a little extra for safety) for each size and (as I've done previously) sizes 3-5 are discounted. There's a lot of yarn involved in each set - but this is a very special sweater!
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Sets are made in my Shetland Heavy 4ply, a buttery soft, plump and smooth, pure Shetland worsted spun yarn. The latest batch, from 2023 and 2024 fleeces, is on its way north to me from the mill. As always, I'll be naturally dyeing the Harvest Gold and Dark Indigo, to work alongside natural grey and white for the four beautiful colourwork shades.
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The wonderful pattern is by my very talented friend Emily and is designed to suit a wide range of bodies (in sizes from 39.75" to 66.25"). My own Wilkhaven, shown in this photo, is my absolute favourite knit, has been worn very regularly for several years and still looks as good as new.
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I updated the website on Saturday night - my newsletter subscribers had first dibs at the update but there's still some lovely yarn there. There's more details about the Wilkhaven sets online but lf you have any questions please just ask!
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The link in my profile will take you to yarn and Wilkhaven Sweater Sets on my website.

02/04/2025

I'm really chuffed to be introducing dyed Gotlandish Alpaca Light DK for .
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It has been such a pleasure coming up with a set of colours which I hope will work well with the four undyed shades.
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From top left:
- Mulberry (dyed with cochineal)
- Harvest Gold (dyed with walnut and fustic)
- Natural Grey
- Rockpool (dyed with pomegranate and indigo)
- Natural Cream
- Dark Indigo (dyed with indigo)
- Shivelight Cowl Mini Skein Set, all four undyed shades x 35g each
- Brocade (dyed with walnut and lac)
- Natural Charcoal
- Indigo (dyed with indigo)
- Natural Silver
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I have the car all packed up and ready to set off tomorrow morning. See you in Edinburgh!