HI, MY NAME IS BLUE FACED LEICESTER, BUT YOU CAN CALL ME BFL…
Have you ever found yourself among a gang of knitters discussing wool, like a meeting of Picsous bathing in their golden crown?
I'm talking to you about true fiber gourmets. Those who whisper in the ear of skeins and look at a ball of wool like others at a Pierre Hermé tartlet...
If you attended these meetings of fibrophiles, then, you will surely have heard "It's BFL"!
It's "The" trendy wool, putting Merino in the "Soooo 2016" box...
" So who are you, Mister Blue Faced Leicester?"
– You can call me BFL . My breed appears in the county of Northumberland (England, breeding ground for many sheep breeds), from the beginning of the 20th century. And, no, I don't have a blue face! Short white hairs cover the black skin of my muzzle. Depending on the light, some see blue reflections…
– How do you explain your great popularity among our community?
- Where to start ? My fleece comes in long curls (about 7.5 to 15 cm long). Compared to my cousin, the Merino, my curls are more like wavelets than a spring. If I lose elasticity, my wool gains fluidity. This quality gives the knits a beautiful drape. People often think of me for shawls or clothing that will emphasize curves and movements.
I catch the eye with the shine of my yarn, my silky “lustre”. I imagine that's the reason for the Kid Mohair and BFL mix from Maison Tricotée (Rosie, on sale from August 1, 2018). Mohair is a fiber with which I get along very well, I give it solidity, it surrounds me with its halo.
Plus, we both absorb dye easily and our colors are very bright.
– You are criticized for being less soft than Merino…
– If Merino has a great softness (because its circumference is 17 to 22 microns), it is also accompanied by a certain fragility as well as a bad tendency to felt.
I don't compete with this "cashmere" feel because my hair is a little bigger (24 to 28 microns). But, I remain pleasant on the skin, resistant and less quick to pill. Sweaters made with my wool will have a longer life expectancy without the need for a "Superwash" treatment which softens the fiber.
– On behalf of fiberaholics, we thank you! We will lie down on our pile of wool more enlightened tonight!
You can find the BFL at Maison Tricotée with:
- Hedgehog's BFL Lace (for great shawls)
- and from August 1st in store and in our online store!