Bijou Basin Ranch Yarn

I first heard about Bijou Spun Yarn while listening to the Yarn Thing podcast and was quite interested in finding out about it. I received two skeins of the Yak Down SF Merino yarn and one skein of the new Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn. Both are in a creamy white, but most of their yarns are also available in brown. The two colorways are the natural colors of the yak down which is harvested each year during the shedding season. The ranch has their own herd of yak but they also purchase down from other locations around the world. See the podcast for more details.

The yarn is loosely plied, so be aware of that when choosing your hook. It is also softer than most wool yarns I’ve tried. I have sensitive skin and have to be careful about the roughness of the yarn I use, but I had no issues with this yarn. I truly enjoyed working with it and look forward to someday being able to get enough to dye.

My swatches came out sturdy, and once washed, they softened up even more. That being said, I did find that when I was fastening off the yak/merino yarn, if I pulled the yarn more than gently, it would break. This is probably because of the short lengths of the down, but once crocheted or knitted, the yarn is as strong as…well…a yak. The sock yarn took much more strength to break, so being careful while fastening off shouldn’t be an issue.

The yarn takes dyes well and the brown version can be overdyed to dramatic effect. In addition to the two yarns listed above, there are five other types available, from pure yak to bamboo blends. If you spin, down clouds and roving are also to be had. They also have 16 patterns available that were specifically designed for use with this yarn.

Bijou Spun Yarn is not cheap, but the results can be stunning and the items made using it are extremely warm. Below is a listing of the products available and their current prices (which are subject to change):

100% Pure Yak Yarn, Lace Weight – 200 yds / 1 oz – $36.00
100% Pure Yak Yarn, Fingering Weight – 100 yds / 1 oz – $36.00
50/50 Yak / Cormo Wool Blend – 150 yds / 2 oz – $25.00
75/25 Yak / Merino Blend – 200 yds / 2 oz – $30.00
75/25 Yak / Bamboo Blend – 180 yds / 2 oz – $36.00
50/50 Yak / Alpaca Blend – 250 yds / 4 oz – $68.00
Tibetan Dream Sock Yarn – 440 yds / 4 oz – $65.00
100% Yak Down Clouds – 1 oz – $24.00
100% Yak Down Roving – 1 oz – $30.00

As part of this review, I created a mitten pattern specifically for the yak/merino yarn (or fingerless mitts if you prefer) – check out the “Let it Snow Mittens” pattern in this issue!