Clinton Hill Cashmere, Oh My!
A skein or two of Clinton Hill Cashmere yarn is an indulgence that you will treasure for years to come!
Getting cashmere off of the goat and onto your needles is quite a process and involves a world-wide trip. The term ‘cashmere’ indicates the downy underfiber that goats generate as insulation in the winter. Then they shed it in the summer. Cashmere does not mean a certain breed of goat!
This is a Toggenburg goat which is a cashmere producer
Some cashmere farmers shear their goats and then dehair the fiber which isn’t easy. For true, high-quality cashmere, the fiber cannot have any guard hairs in it. Clinton Hill’s goat farmers carefully comb the underfiber when the goats begin to shed in the spring. Each goat produces approximately the equivalent of three 50g balls of yarn that meet the standards Rebecca, owner of Clinton Hill Cashmere, requires. She only uses the finest fibers that are from the underbelly or the newest ones that are closest to the skin of the goat.
Most cashmere has a micron count ranging from 14 to 19. Clinton Hill’s is 15.5 microns. The smaller the micron count, the softer the fiber. Only a few cashmere fibers have micron counts lower than 14. Merino wool, known as the softest wool, usually has a micron count of 20 to 22 with some being as fine as 18. This little bit of technical information tells us that Clinton Hill’s cashmere is softer than soft!!
This yarn will not pill under normal use. Pilling is caused by short fibers and only the longer ones are used in the production of this sumptuous yarn!
Shik’is Hat, designed by Jennifer Berg uses two skeins of worsted weight.
Northern China, Mongolia, Tibet, and Afghanistan are producers of a large portion of the world’s best cashmere. Goats produce more cashmere when they live in cold climates, which makes sense! Clinton Hill’s cashmere comes from China and Mongolia.
The mill that Rebecca uses to process her cashmere into yarn is in northern Italy. Not every cashmere yarn or fabric is created equal; there are different qualities. It’s safe to say that cashmere from Italy is of high quality because of its strict regulations. This mill also has representatives on the ground who monitor the care and treatment of the goats and also advocate for the goat herders who are learning to use the land in a sustainable way.
The Inclination cowl, designed by Scott Rohr, takes one skein of either the DK or worsted weight.
We searched Ravelry for some one-skein projects using the DK weight and came up with several. There is a list of them at the shop. There are fingerless mitts, cowls, and hats. We are so excited for you to treat yourself to a skein of this deliciousness, revel in every stitch, and then have something to wear that you won’t ever want to take off!
We hope to see you in the shop soon!