Which Base Is Right For You?

Did you know that I offer eleven different bases or types of yarn?

Did you also know that each base has different characteristics that make it special and wonderful?

I never add bases on a whim. It takes me months to make the decision to add one to my lineup. When I do it’s because I have spent hours and hours sampling, dyeing, and knitting to make sure that it fits in the Barker Wool family. I want to give you as many options as possible to meet just about any hand-dyed fine fiber need you may have. I 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 me.

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 my bases special. You can access a quick guide and see close-up photos of each undyed base along with their personal stats under the BASE tab above but read on to learn how they compare with each other in softness, drape, and color absorption.

FERN
85% SUPERWASH MERINO / 15% NYLON
100G / 400M / 437YD
4 PLY FINGERING
Fern is my 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 my other bases.

SOLO
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 I 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
75% SUPERWASH MERINO / 25% SILK
100G / 400M / 437YD
SINGLE-PLY FINGERING
Silky Solo is the newest base to join the family. It is light, soft, and smooth with an incredible drape. As with all single ply yarns, it is a bit more delicate, so I 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. See the photo below for a great illustration of this principle.

GOSSAMER
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
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
100% SUPERWASH
NEW ZEALAND POLWARTH WOOL
100G / 400M / 437 YD
4 PLY FINGERING
Polwarth has it all in my opinion. 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
100% SUPERWASH
NEW ZEALAND POLWARTH WOOL
100G / 225M / 246 YD
4PLY
Polwarth DK has everything that I 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 my opinion.

BFL FINGERING
100 % SUPERWASH
BRITISH BLUEFACED LEICESTER WOOL
100G / 400M / 437YD
4 PLY FINGERING

Listen carefully. Can you hear the angels singing? If you know me at all then you know that BFL is my all-time favorite base. It is my 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 I had to choose only one base to use for the rest of my life, well, the decision would be easy.

BFL DK
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 I love about BFL in a DK weight. My favorite 5-year-old sweater is knit in this base, and it keeps getting softer with age.
Secret fact: I also have an Aran weight available upon request!

MERINOLUX DK
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
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.

L: Boheme on Silky Solo, R: Boheme on BFL Fingering

Here is a perfect example of how one color recipe can look different on two different bases. Silky Solo on the left is much softer and less vivid than the same colorway dyed on BFL. Both are beautiful but not in the same way. Each type of fiber responds differently to the dye process, so results can vary depending on the base you select.

I hope this guide helps clear up any questions you may have about the different characteristics of each base. As always, I am here to answer questions and help you choose not only the right color but the right base as well for your next project. Happy knitting!