We have been making hand-dyed yarn in West Cork for over a decade, and we have watched knitters of every level start, stumble, improve and eventually make something they are genuinely proud of. These are the yarns we always return to when someone asks where to begin.

01 — SPORT SW MERINO · FOR FIRST SWEATERS

A 2-ply superwash merino at sport weight — thin enough to make a light, wearable sweater, but thick enough to see your stitches clearly. Superwash means machine washable, which takes the pressure off as you learn. The stitch definition is beautiful.

02 — SINGLES SW MERINO · FOR SHAWLS

A single-ply SW merino that takes colour like no other. Singles drapes beautifully and is ideal for shawls — the most forgiving and satisfying of all beginner projects. One skein makes a generous shawlette; two makes a full dramatic wrap.

03 — FINE SOCK SW MERINO · FOR SOCKS

Once you are ready to try socks — and you will be, they are addictive — this is where to start. A 4-ply fingering weight, hand-dyed in our signature West Cork colours. There is genuinely no better feeling than wearing a pair of socks you made yourself.

04 — DK TWIST · FOR ACCESSORIES AND LIGHT SWEATERS

A tightly spun 2-ply that knits up into wonderfully structured fabric. Great for hats, cowls, and beginner accessories — the twist gives incredible stitch definition for cables and texture, even for beginners.

05 — OUR ARAN WEIGHT · FOR QUICK SWEATERS

For when you want something fast. Aran weight sweaters work up in a fraction of the time of a fine gauge, and the stitch size makes it easy to spot and fix mistakes as you go. A soft merino Aran with genuine tooth — the kind of yarn that teaches you to knit without frustrating you.

SHOP ALL YARNS →

Before you start: winding your yarn

Most yarn — including ours — comes in a hank (a loose loop) rather than a ball ready to knit straight from. Before you cast on you’ll need to wind it into a cake or ball, otherwise it’ll tangle the moment you start pulling from it.

You have a few options:

• Pop into your local yarn shop. Most are happy to wind a hank for you on the spot — especially if you’ve bought from them. It takes them two minutes and saves you the hassle.
• Buy a swift and ball winder. A basic umbrella swift (holds the hank open) and a cheap ball winder (winds it into a neat flat cake) costs around €30–€40 combined and makes the whole process satisfying and quick.
• Use the back of a chair. Loop the hank over a chair back to keep it open, then wind by hand into a ball. It takes a little longer but works perfectly well for the odd skein.

Whichever you choose, wind loosely — winding too tightly stretches the yarn and can affect your tension.