Rambouillet

Most knitters know Merino. Fewer know Rambouillet — which is a shame, because this American-grown fine wool has a character all its own.

Rambouillet shares some of the qualities knitters love about Merino, including softness and fineness, but it brings plenty of loft and resilience of its own. The yarn feels airy and springy in the skein, then settles into a fabric with good memory, warmth, and crisp stitch definition. It's wool that feels like wool, without crossing over into particularly rustic territory.

That combination of loft, spring, and structure gives Rambouillet a lot of range. Cables stand up instead of flattening out. Texture stays visible. Lace blocks beautifully while the wool's memory helps it hold its shape. And for colorwork, the slightly woolly surface helps neighboring stitches settle together while keeping the pattern clear.

It's also a particularly good sweater wool. Rambouillet has the elasticity to help a garment bounce back and hold its shape through repeated wear. Hats, mittens, cowls, and other accessories make equally good use of its warmth and structure.

The palette runs from useful neutrals and natural-looking shades to saturated color, and the wool takes those colors with enough depth to make even simple stockinette interesting.

Rambouillet is non-superwash, which means heat and agitation can felt it. That's useful when felting is the plan; when it isn't, hand wash gently in cool water and lay flat to dry.

Juniper Moon sources the Rambouillet wool from American farms licensed with American Wool, connecting the yarn directly to the sheep producers raising the fiber here in the United States.

If Merino is the fine wool you already know, Rambouillet might be the one you've been overlooking.

Pattern Ideas

• Buttercream Ruffle Scarf (crochet)
• Ilha
• Jethro (crochet)
• Lake Reed (free)
• Ranunculus
• Sheep Camp Sweater