Shearwater – 50g Hebridean 2 Ply

Description

Alice Starmore Hebridean 2 Ply Yarn is made from premium quality pure new British wool, dyed in the fleece and skillfully blended into unique shades. It is hand-washed and dried in the Hebridean air, and supplied in hand-made skeins which may vary in weight. It is priced per 50g at standard conditions. All yarn is weighed to order on balances that are checked daily to ensure that you receive the correct total amount.

Shearwater is part of the Birds range, which is inspired by birds of the Outer Hebrides.

Story

The Manx Shearwater is a very well travelled bird which will visit many parts of the globe throughout the year. They are also capable of great speed. One colony transported from Wales to Boston, USA were all back in their colony thirteen days later. Although they enjoy visiting many different climes, they choose remote coastal parts of Britain for their breeding grounds, and the Hebridean Isles have a healthy population of these birds. They are highly vocal during their courtship: strange screams and cackles emanate from the cliffs at odd hours of the night. The moon seems to have a calming effect on the courtship proceedings and the birds cease their weird cries whilst the moon is full. The Shearwater is very graceful when in flight and flips its body from side to side as it flashes past the cliffs, but on land they are an odd sight. In order to get airborne they have to scramble up rocks until they have enough height to hurl themselves into the air – a practice which can be a little undignified but well worth it for the effect they achieve once airborne.

My favourite place to see Shearwaters is from the deck of the ferry, Hebridean Isles, which plies between Tarbert in Harris and Uig on the Isle of Skye. The birds put on a spectacular aerobatic display over the waters of the Sound of Harris, sometimes clipping the waves with their wings. Our Shearwater colour is based upon these calmer coastal waters. Misty blues and greys blend perfectly with turquoise and lilacs to create a beautiful shade that mirrors the cliffside waters which are so much a feature of the Hebrides.

£8.00