There’s something wonderful about crocheting and knitting with chunky yarns (they’re so squishy and tactile), and it’s even better when the yarn is fully grown and processed in Australia.
Did you know that most “Australian made” yarns take a trip overseas during their processing?
When I discovered this I was mortified – I’d been buying Australian made yarns thinking I was supporting local farmers and makers, and it turned out what I was buying was using up a lot of resources going overseas and back. This seems so wasteful to me.
Since this time I’ve been researching yarns that met the following criteria:
- The fibres are grown in Australia, and
- The processing is done in Australia or New Zealand (our closest neighbour).
From all my research, these are my favourite Australian chunky yarns, from smallest to largest:
White Gum Wool Bouche Rope
White Gum Wool is so lovely and soft, and I was excited to discover that a chunky yarn had been added! Sustainably grown in Tasmania and processed in New Zealand, there are 58m in each lofty 150g hank.
Homelea Bliss
Made for making heirlooms that look good for many years, Homelea Bliss is a soft merino wool yarn that’s fully grown and processed in Australia.
The twist in this yarn means it doesn’t leave fluff all over you, and it’ll only pill a tiny bit after repeated use. Don’t be deceived by the rope-ish texture – it feels soft and squishy and you’ll love making with it. There’s 60m in each 300g skein.
Homelea Hug
You know all those arm knitting videos and photos of giant knitted blankets you’ve seen? This is the yarn you need to make your own!
Made from soft merino wool that’s grown and processed in Australia, the felted texture of this yarn means your giant blanket will look good for a really long time! There’s 30m of yarn in each 1kg ball.