Did you know we offer twelve different bases or types of yarn?
Did you also know that each base has different characteristics that make it special and wonderful?
We never add bases on a whim. It takes us months to make the decision to add one to our lineup. When we do it’s because we have spent hours and hours sampling, dyeing, and knitting to make sure that it fits in the Barker Wool family. We want to give you as many options as possible to meet just about any hand-dyed fine fiber need you may have. We hold to the highest standards of sourcing and quality so that you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible product when you purchase from us.
Finding the right base for your project is just as important as deciding on a color and a pattern. Let’s dive in and learn about what makes each one of our bases special.
FERN
$28
85% SUPERWASH MERINO / 15% NYLON
100G / 400M / 437YD
4 PLY FINGERING
Fern is our best selling sock yarn. It is soft, strong, and versatile. It is engineered for sock knitting but is terrific for any of your fingering weight fiber needs. It takes the dye well but does tend to show more tonality or differences in saturation than some of our other bases.
SOLO
$28
100% SUPERWASH MERINO WOOL
100G / 400M / 437YD
SINGLE-PLY FINGERING
Solo is soft and delicate with a beautiful drape. It is perfectly suited for shawls and boxy sweaters, but we wouldn’t use it for socks or close-fitting sweaters. It takes the dye well with lovely tonality. Flat color is never the goal, and this base displays nice differences in color saturation.
SILKY SOLO
$35
75% SUPERWASH MERINO / 25% SILK
100G / 400M / 437YD
SINGLE-PLY FINGERING
Silky Solo is light, soft, and smooth with an incredible drape. As with all single ply yarns, it is a bit more delicate, so we would recommend it for shawls and accessories where softness and sheen are desired. Merino and silk are less able to take the dye than other types of fiber, so colors dyed on this base are a little softer and gentler when compared to other bases.
SILKY QUATRO
$35
75% SUPERWASH MERINO / 25% SILK
100G / 400M / 437YD
4-ply FINGERING
Silky Quatro is everything we love about Silky Solo only in a 4-ply fingering weight yarn!
It is light, strong, and soft with incredible drape and stitch definition.
If you’ve always wanted to knit a sweater or socks in Silky Solo but were discouraged by the fact that it’s a single-ply, Silky Quatro is for you!
Merino and silk are less able to take the dye than other types of fiber, so colors dyed on this base are a little softer and gentler when compared to other bases.
GOSSAMER
$34
72% ULTRA FINE KID MOHAIR / 28% SILK
50G / 420M / 460YD
LACE WEIGHT
Gossamer has a lovely halo and surprising strength. It is beautiful knit on its own or marled with another base.
The colors are vibrant, but speckles look more like puddles because of its fuzzy nature.
ZEPHYR
$32
75% BRUSHED BABY SURI ALPACA / 25% MULBERRY SILK
50G / 300M / 328YD
LACE WEIGHT
Zephyr is lighter than air and undeniably soft and warm with a delightfully prominent halo. Colors dyed on this base tend to be more subtle and soft, and like Gossamer, speckles tend to bleed into puddles. It can hold its own when knit alone, but it is also divine when marled with other bases. It cannot be beaten for softness and warmth.
POLWARTH FINGERING
$28
100% SUPERWASH
NEW ZEALAND POLWARTH WOOL
100G / 400M / 437 YD
4 PLY FINGERING
Polwarth has it all. It has a woolier texture than Merino, but it is perfect for use in socks or sweaters where strength is important; and all without added nylon! Polwarth sheep were originally bred by crossing Merino and Lincoln sheep. The legendary result is a fiber that is both soft and strong with a beautiful sheen and terrific dye absorption.
POLWARTH DK
$28
100% SUPERWASH
NEW ZEALAND POLWARTH WOOL
100G / 225M / 246 YD
4PLY
Polwarth DK has everything that we love about Polwarth Fingering but in a heavier weight that is perfect for sweater knitting. The sheen and dye absorption make it a superior choice over Merino in our opinion.
BFL FINGERING
$30
100 % SUPERWASH
BRITISH BLUEFACED LEICESTER WOOL
100G / 400M / 437YD
4 PLY FINGERING
***Barker Family Favorite*** If you know Dawn at all then you know that BFL is her all-time favorite base. It’s her first choice for texture, drape, durability, stitch definition, and color absorption. It takes the dye like no other base, so colors are the strongest and most vibrant. It has a woolier texture than Merino, but it blocks like a dream and blossoms with a slight halo. BFL has a longer staple length than merino, so it resists pilling and lasts for years. If we had to choose only one base to use for the rest of our lives, well, the decision would be easy.
BFL DK
$30
100% SUPERWASH
BLUEFACED LEICESTER WOOL
100G / 233M / 255YD
4 PLY DK
Caution: you will probably need/want a sweater in every color.
BFL DK is everything we love about BFL in a DK weight. Dawn’s favorite 6-year-old sweater is knit in this base, and it keeps getting softer with age.
Secret fact: We also have an Aran weight available upon request!
MERINOLUX DK
$28
100% SUPERWASH DELUXE MERINO WOOL
100G / 200M / 219YD
4 PLY DK
This is the softest Merino base available. It has lovely loft and drape, but true to Merino wool, the dye absorption is less than with other breeds. Colors tend to be softer and more muted with high tonality.
MERINOLUX ARAN
$28
100% SUPERWASH DELUXE MERINO WOOL
100G / 166M / 182YD
4 PLY ARAN
Just like its DK sister, Merinolux Aran is hard to beat for softness. Its weight is just slightly heavier than worsted, but it can be substituted for worsted in most patterns. Colors tend to be softer and more muted with high tonality.