Not Quite Tyrian
5-ply/Sport
Not Quite Tyrian
5-ply/Sport
This lovely pale purple is named for the ancient Tyrian purple, which I have never seen in person but have ogled in photographs. Tyrian purple was the colour of royalty, created from the glands of small mollusks. It took 45kg of mollusks to make 1 gram of dye! The glands had to be harvested by hand, and then left to ferment before being used as a dye.
Luckily, this not quite Tyrian shade was somewhat easier to make from a combination of indigo and cochineal. However, I don't plan to work with cochineal in the future, so all colours made with it are part of the Special Babies collection.
Dyes and modifiers used to create this colour
Fibre content
100% Eri Silk ethically produced in Northeast India
Skein Length / Weight
~350m (380yd) / 100g
Knitting Needles and Stitch Gauge
3.25-3.75mm; 23-26 st / 10 cm (4")
Crochet Hook and Stitch Gauge
3.5-4.5mm; 16-20 st / 10 cm (4")
Weaving
Suitable for warp or weft.
Suggested Uses
Sport weight yarn has a bit more heft than fingering weight, and is good for light- to mid-weight garments. Fabric density can be adjusted by using smaller or larger tools, making this a very versatile yarn overall.
The cotton-like hand of the Eri silk means it will drape less than a reeled silk fibre (Mulberry silk).
The Eri silk is less elastic than wool, but still cables well with strong stitch definition.
Please consider before you buy
This is an artisan product, brought to life in small batches at every step of production. Each skein is utterly unique, rich with nuance and character arising from both the fibre and the natural dyes.
Alternate by row or round when using multiple skeins. Repeatability between dye lots cannot be guaranteed.
Please also understand that the colour you see on your screen may not exactly match what you seeon the yarn in real life. I've made every effort to capture colour as true to what I see when I take the picture, and have made some minimal adjustments to photos when necessary.
I highly recommend you purchase at least as much yarn as required for your project. I always suggest purchasing a "safety skein" - one more than you think you might need - because finishing a project should be a joyful experience, not worrying that you're going to run out of yarn.
If you need more yarn than I have in stock, please reach out to see if a custom order can be arranged. I always recommend ordering the quantity you need to ensure all skeins are from the same dye lot.
Tool and gauge recommendations are based on publicly available industry resources and are offered only as a guide. Each maker is unique and has their own creation style and resultant gauge. Please also consider skein length and weight when determining whether this yarn is suitable for your project.
Do not use iron-treated yarn for items likely to be placed in a child’s mouth; small amounts of iron may be released when the yarn gets wet.