Loop - Yarns: Colinette

COLINETTE YARNS COME IN A FANTASTIC variety of colours, and have the most exquisite variety of textures imaginable. Chenilles, ribbons and chunky textures, as well as an amazing colour palette, distinguish them from other yarns.

Very much a family business, based in rural Wales for the past 17 years near the Banwy River, Colinette herself works very closely with all her spinners and dyers. ‘‘Right from the word go, I worked with the spinners. We sat down and designed the yarns together and now they commission spin for me. We have all the yarns spun in ecru, and we go from there’’.

Her husband, Geoff, an accomplished painter is involved with the colour blending. ‘‘It’s a bit like oil painting really. You layer on colour.’’

Freshly mixed each day, the three primary colours are blended to make a further hundred and sixty colours. They pour the paint, drizzle, turn and then steam the yarn to fix the colour. The results are just gorgeous.

Their colours are inspired by looking at old-master paintings, in fact some of her yarns are named after painters such as Giotto, Raphael and Monet. Further inspiration is drawn from the Welsh landscape, the quality of the light and how it plays on the land and the buildings.

Colinette was born in Argentina to British parents. Her grandmother taught her to knit when she was just four: she thought it was magic. Years later while travelling around Italy with her husband who was on a painting scholarship, she began a lifelong love affair with the country; she still spends two weeks a month there.

Colinette began spinning after her initial trip to Italy. The thick and thin qualities of a beginner’s spun yarn were probably the inspiration for Point Five, her signature yarn and the one with which she launched the business.

‘‘I like the colours and textures, and I’m more interested in making a piece of fabric than making a garment’’. She’s thrilled when people take the yarn and make their own creations with it. She looks for yarns with interesting fibres and for those that dye well. She’s all for experimentation, ‘‘knitting will only thrive when it is seen as a creative activity’’ she says.

Well, we at loop think that using any of the Colinette yarns will make it easier for anyone to create interesting knits, and to have fun experimenting with colour and texture. We’re always excited when new deliveries of Colinette arrive at the shop. Just taking them out and hanging them fills the shop with lots of “oohs” and “ahhs”!

www.colinette.com


Giotto	Graffiti	Jitterbug	Point Five

Colinette pattern books