Tell me about Isle Royale yarn

This is one of my newest yarns. It did visit the last New York Sheep and Wool show in Rhinebeck NY in 2019 before the pandemic. But, really in the grand scheme of things not lots of folks have seen and held it yet in their hands. So, if you’re a long distance client, let me tell you a little bit about it.

It gets its name “Isle Royale” for a reason. Isle Royale is a little USA island at the very top of Michigan between MI and Canada. And, it’s history is ancient! This very special island is and has been one of the worlds best, purest, and most significant sources of copper since ancient times. It actually is, perhaps, re-writing some of the history books as it is now thought to be the important source for copper for the “Bronze Age” even though historians have not all reconciled how this was accomplished as far as the journey, mining, trading, and making about the world. But, clearly the copper from here is treasured.

Our yarn has a very tiny copper thread running through the center. If you know anything about hand spinning, this is what’s known as a core spun yarn. In this case, the copper thread is the core and the superwash merino wool is spiral wrapped around the outside – like a Barber’s pole. It gives it, and most core spun yarn, a slightly wiggly look.

The details are: Its a fingering weight, 490 yards on a 4 ounce skein, #1 super fine, suggested needles would be US size 1 – 3, with stich count about 27 – 32. AND it knits just dreamy! I love working with it. It’s really soft, and I think, perhaps because of its construction, very bouncy and squishy knit up. I have found thus far that a pattern knit with the Pendragon fingering also works with the Isle Royale. I’ll await more customer feedback, but thus far so good. I have several patterns that were designed just for the Isle Royale.

Most notably by Kristen Januck of MediaPeruana, the Mandame Flores sweater, click here for pattern

People often ask me questions about why the copper and is this like the athletic gear and joint pain gear that is so popular right now. I must be honest, I myself, do not market it or make any claim about that aspect of having some copper content inside the yarn. However, it is there, and I think it is fun. If people find that it is soothing, stress reducing or healing in some way, I’m very glad for their experience. However, to be clear, I’ve not done the research on this topic, and do not assert it.

For me what is artistically and poetically attractive in the arena of copper in the yarn, is the elements that connect the yarn to the earth. Everything about the sheep to shawl experience is about a deep connection to our roots and our ties to this planet, and having a bit of the copper in with that more biological chain, to me, just increases those ties and bonds.