The first yarns.

Here’s a little introduction to the three first Sägen yarn bases. There are numerous undyed yarns available for hand dyers, but I’m pretty particular in what I like and wish to use and put out in the world - as a lover of all things wool, I want yarns that have as much of the natural properties of the materials left, and use non-superwash treated, protein fibres, like wool, alpaca, silk and other exciting blends.

All skeins are dyed using GOTS-certified dyes, and as all pigment from the dye bath is absorbed into the yarn, the only waste this practice produces is water. The skeins are washed using an organic wool detergent. Some of the darker colours may bleed even if they’ve been rinsed thoroughly here, so if you’re making a high-contrast project, steam blocking is a great way to finish it.

Let’s move on to the yarns! Those of you who have been following my plant dyeing journey know them well - Mermaid, Light Fe and Basilisk. Let’s start with the oldie in the game, Mermaid.

Mermaid was one of the first bases I fell in love with dyeing because every colour looks spectacular. It’s a fingering weight yarn (400 m/100 g) spun from 50 % merino and 50 % Mulberry silk. It’s ultra soft, definitely suitable for even the most sensitive, and has a beautiful shine from the silk. The yarn is round and very even, creating a smooth and fine fabric. Since it’s so soft, it’s also prone to pilling so be prepared to go over your sweaters with a wool comb every now and then, especially in places where there’s friction, like where the sleeves and body touch. Scarves and other projects that you don’t use in the exact same way day after day are less prone to pilling - I made a small version of Vertices Unite last winter and it still looks very good even after a year of use.

Mermaid is perfect for things you want to wear next to skin, like cosy shawls and soft, light sweaters worked on needles 3-4 mm or thereabout. Here are some pattern ideas:

Vertices Unite by Stephen West
Open Edge Tee and Shorts by Jessie Maed
Mount Pleasant Tee by Pip&Pin
Luna Tee by cl.knits
Kuutar Top by Sari Nordlund

Think soft, smooth fabrics with lustre for Mermaid - it’s cool enough to wear even on warmer days and behaves very well both in lace patterns and for colourwork.

Next up is Light Fe!

Light Fe

Colourways Martallen, Askafroan and Ursus

Light Fe is also a very, very soft yarn, spun from 70 % baby alpaca, 20 % silk and 10 % cashmere. It doesn’t have the lustre of Mermaid, and uses light grey baby alpaca so all colours are slightly heathered and muted, which I love. The depth of the shades is just beautiful! Light Fe has 400 m/100 g but behaves like a slightly thinner yarn so look for patterns that call for a fingering to light fingering weight yarn, on needles 2.75-3.5 or so, with a gauge of 23-26 sts/10 cm.

Some patterns I think would be a perfect match for Light Fe:

Suolaulu Sweater by Jonna Kostet (also available in her stunning book Knitted Kalevala)
Woodfolk by Weichien Chan
Ziggy Shawl by Joji Locatelli
When The Rainbow Is Enuf by Mara Licole
The Twigs by Junko Okamoto

Last but not least we have the fluffy halo hero Basilisk:

Basilisk is a classic silk mohair yarn with 420 m/50 g. It can be used on its own to create very light and airy garments, but is more commonly held together with another yarn to create a warm and very soft fabric with a beautiful halo. Basilisk pairs well with everything from Mermaid and Fe and other finer yarns, but also with heavier wool yarns like Cumbria.

Old Shell Cowl by me

Snow Crocus by Midori Hirose

By using Basilisk together with another yarn you can get almost any gauge you aim for - I’ve made things with a gauge of 16 sts/10 cm, as well as 24 sts/10 cm depending on what I used it together with. Here are some ideas:

Old Shell Cowl by me (originally designed with Basilisk together with Nutiden, but you can also use Lore, Cumbria or another DK/worsted weight yarn)
Snow Crocus by Midori Hirose (I got perfect gauge with Basilisk and Cumbria)
Elton Pullover or Cardigan by Joji Locatelly would be a lovely match for Basilisk and either Mermaid or Light Fe
Augustins no 14 by Anne-Sofie Velling would also be perfect for Basilisk and either Mermaid or Light Fe
Ingrid Mohair Sweater by Anna Strandberg
Fireflies jumper by me, in Basilisk and either Mermaid or Light Fe (I’ve made one in each combination and they’re both lovely!)

I hope this helps a bit on the quest for the perfect pattern for these yarns!

The release will take place on February 1st, right here: https://elkmarketyarn.com/collections/sagen

The first colours.

LOTTA H LÖTHGREN