Already 3 weeks ago, I introduced you to our new wool partner: the Fonty spinning mill! 

We share similar values and it was really great to find this partner to offer you a beautiful range of quality wool. 

I told you, it took me several weeks to choose the range... the samples and color charts lingered a lot on the dining table... until I was happy with my selection and the colors chosen. It wasn’t an easy task but today, given your feedback, I can say I’m super happy with my choice based on all your positive responses! 

So I’m taking you on a journey to discover the different ranges and animal sources of these beautiful wools! 

Here we go! 

Let's start with a winter classic for men’s, women’s, and children’s wardrobes, but it’s also one of Fonty’s iconic yarns: super tweed! 

The Super Tweed range 
The super tweed range is made of:
- 95% fine wool, which provides softness, warmth, and elasticity
- 5% Mohair fiber which gives a slight shiny look and loft to the yarn

SUPER TWEED is a carded yarn; this means that to produce this yarn, the wool goes through the carding process. It is treated by machines (the carder) containing rotating wire brushes that separate the fibers. The fibers are then well separated and aligned in the same direction. The product obtained after carding contains a variety of fiber lengths and lots of air. Once the spinning process is finished, you get a light and airy yarn, a bit fluffy and above all very warm! 

What Gaetan and I really appreciated about Fonty is that the SUPER TWEED is unique on the market, as it is the only one made of 100% natural fibers! Indeed, these colored buttons are made exclusively from naturally dyed wool. The main fiber is dyed in fleece form before being spun into yarn, and the buttons are added to an already pigmented material. This dyeing process of raw material rather than yarn pigmentation also allows creating 3 subtly shaded colors for each dye batch by diluting the dyed fleece with undyed fleece. This deliberate choice of a more demanding manufacturing method reduces dyeing operations and thus their ecological impact, while ensuring coherent color combinations—and we all love that!

How to knit the super tweed?

SUPER TWEED is a 2-ply yarn with medium twist, of medium thickness, knit with size 5 needles.

It’s an ideal choice for Aran sweaters, ribbing, and winter accessories like hats and scarves. It’s a "master choice" for sweaters, hats, and cardigans for men in my opinion, but ladies will also love it given the wide range of beautiful colors; no wonder we chose this wool for our circular knitting sweater courses! SUPER TWEED is therefore a quite versatile yarn, suitable for all kinds of projects. 

The 50g ball has a length of 105m; this means you’ll need about 12 balls for a women’s size 40 sweater.
The 10cm x 10cm swatch measures 17 stitches x 25 rows.
Knitting Type: Worsted • Aran 

A very important piece of information: this comfortable and classic yarn is machine washable (30 to 40°); that’s really convenient. Of course, avoid machine spinning and prefer flat drying to prevent any deformation of your project.

Still among the great classics, we had to offer you a finer yarn of truly beautiful quality, and for that I chose the BB merinos range

Indeed, the BB MÉRINOS yarn is one of Fonty’s great classics. This light, fluffy, and very soft yarn is made of 3 slightly twisted plies, composed exclusively of extra-fine combed merino sheep wool fibers. 
Combed wool, unlike carded wool, undergoes an additional step before being spun. You guessed it, this is the combing step! 
What is it used for?
Wool fibers are carefully combed after carding. During this process, all shorter and disordered fibers are removed, leaving only the long fibers aligned in parallel, with little air between them. This step produces a smoother, firmer, and more uniform yarn. Combed yarns are often finer and denser than carded yarns. While less fluffy, they have the advantage of a certain shine. 

The BB merinos by Fonty has the advantage of coming in a very wide range of beautiful colors! I had a hard time choosing; in fact, I took almost everything 😂 as you can see in the shop, there is plenty to choose from!

How to knit BB MÉRINOS? 

BB merinos is knitted with needles size 2.5 to 3. Of course, it can be blended with other yarns like Ombelle or Saperlipopette to add fluffiness or knitted with thicker needles. It is recommended for baby clothes but is also suitable for all types of fine and delicate projects like beautiful women's or men's sweaters, children's cuddly toys, blankets... and why not lovely crochet dolls? BB MÉRINOS can be machine washed at 30°, without spinning; flat drying is recommended. The 50g skein has a length of 200m. To make a size 40 women's sweater, you will need about 7 skeins. The 10cm x 10cm swatch measures 30 stitches x 39 rows.

I mentioned earlier that you could add mohair and fluffiness to BB merinos... so let's talk about Ombelle, a Fonty classic! 

OMBELLE belongs to the mohair yarn family with a composition of 75% mohair fiber, which provides a light, fuzzy, and fluffy quality, combined with a binding fiber ("yarn core") made of 20% natural wool and 5% polyamide; the latter adds strength and elasticity while helping create the loops.

Mohair fiber is the fleece of this particular breed of goats originating from the Caucasus.
Fonty selects fine, long, and uniform fibers from herds of young animals.
OMBELLE can be knitted alone, doubled, even tripled, or blended with other yarns to achieve subtle combinations that pair the visual effect of mohair with the properties of other materials (softness, shine, elasticity, durability).
The range of OMBELLE colors is incredible, mixing very bright tones with more classic shades. 
The yardage of the 50g skein is 145m
The recommended needles are size 3.5 to 4, which means for a size 40 women's sweater you will need about 8 skeins.
The 10cm x 10cm swatch is 24 stitches x 26 rows.
This yarn is preferably hand washed, with mild soap, no wringing, dried flat.

For those who want to go fast or who are beginners in knitting, we have also selected a slightly thicker yarn for quick and efficient projects! So we will talk about the felletin range.

The FELLETIN yarn is also made of 100% long and fine merino fibers (21 microns) that give it an exceptionally soft touch.

It is characterized by a double ply of 18x2 strands, with a relatively strong twist and medium tension, which give it strength, elasticity, and loft.

It is a thick, dense, and sculpted yarn, knitted with needles size 8 to 10; it’s really a great product for beginners in knitting and crochet!

Whether for hats, scarves, sweaters, or plump granny squares, felletin will accompany you in your creative projects! 

We chose the range of bright colors to make accessories that catch the eye. The yardage of the 100g skein is 80m; which means that to make a size 40 women's sweater, you will need about 9 skeins.

The 10cm x 10cm swatch is 11 stitches x 15 rows.  

After a detour to sheep and goats, I will take you to discover the alpaca, that funny animal which belongs to the camelid family.
We have selected 4 yarns containing alpaca: saperlipopette, alpaga, pole, and polaire! 

Why did we select alpaca wool?
1. Alpaca is a relatively eco-friendly wool. Indeed, the alpaca lives in perfect harmony with its environment on the Andean plateaus where it has been domesticated (and highly respected) by humans since the Incas. The alpaca fiber has always been considered a noble fiber there. It was already used during the Inca era and reserved for high-ranking people.
2. Given the natural environment of the alpaca, located at altitudes between 3000 and 4500m in the heart of the Andes mountain range, the poor animal must face significant temperature variations of about 30°C between day and night. As a result, these animals have developed over time a fleece whose fiber has exceptional thermal properties. Its thermal properties are superior to those of mohair, cashmere, and of course sheep wool. So if you dream of a very warm wool, alpaca can be your ally! 
3. Like the sheep, the alpaca is an animal that is shorn (without harm) once a year to harvest about 3kg of wool per animal. Unlike the sheep, its fleece does not contain suint, which is the grease secreted by the sheep's skin that mixes with the wool. Because the wool does not produce lanolin, some people intolerant to sheep wool in general may find this fiber suitable. 
4. Alpaca wool is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs ambient moisture very slowly. 
5. It does not pill
6. It retains neither odors nor dust 

So convinced? We are! Let's go discover the Alpaca range

The two other yarns that contain alpaca are pole and polaire.

POLAIRE is a very soft and very warm yarn, made from a blend of 50% wool and 50% Baby Alpaca fibers. POLAIRE is a medium-thickness yarn, with a remarkably soft touch thanks to the intimate blend of these two fibers. It is made up of 3 fine, lightly twisted strands and is knitted with size 4.5 needles.
The colors of POLAIRE are the classic large shades typical of Fonty's color charts.
The 50g skein has a length of 100m.
For a women's size 40 sweater, count about 8 skeins.
The 10cm x 10cm gauge is 20 stitches x 26 rows.

POLAIRE is the little brother of POLE... since Pole is a bit plumper! 
POLE is a yarn made of a blend of 70% wool and 30% Baby Alpaca fibers.

It is a thick yarn, with a remarkably soft feel. It is also made of 3 loosely twisted strands and is knitted with needles size 7 to 8. It is the perfect ally for knitters who want to "go a little faster" to knit their first projects or quick gifts for the holidays.

The colors of POLE are soft and slightly faded shades, suitable for warm and cozy winter projects.

The 50g skein has a length of 50m. 
For a women's size 40 sweater, count about 16 skeins
The 10cm x 10cm gauge is 12 stitches x 16 rows.

Let's move on to the last yarn containing alpaca... it's one of my favorites; I call it the little cloud of softness... I'm talking about SAPERLIPOPETTE!

Saperlipopette is a pretty, downy, precious, and delicate yarn.

Although it contains no goat fleece (mohair), by its look and feel it complements the mohair and angora yarn families.

SAPERLIPOPETTE is a soft and lofty yarn, with a gentle and fluffy feel, which actually belongs to the alpaca yarn family; it is also an extraordinary alternative for people allergic to mohair. Entirely natural, it consists of a subtle blend of three exceptional fleeces:
- 65% baby suri fibers provide a misty, cloudy, and fuzzy look.
- 20% silk adds qualities of strength and elasticity and a shiny, silky appearance.
- 15% extra-fine merino fiber enhancing its loft, volume, and softness.

Suri is one of the members of the alpaca family (species of llamas, branch of camelids), raised semi-wild in the Andean high plateaus. Its fleece is finer, more wavy (a bit rasta, like dreadlocks), and shinier than that of the common alpaca (huacayo).

As I mentioned earlier, SAPERLIPOPETTE can be knitted alone, doubled, or combined with another yarn. When knitted alone, SAPERLIPOPETTE is recommended with needles size 3.5 to 4.
The 25g ball has a length of 125m; for a women's size 40 sweater, you would need about 11 balls.
The 10cm x 10cm swatch measures 20 stitches x 30 rows.

I still have to introduce you to 3 slightly more luxurious yarns... we hesitated to select them because you know I like to offer products accessible to as many people as possible... but the quality/price ratio of these 3 yarns finally tipped the balance, so here they are: Moustache, Gengis Khan 2, and 3! 

Let's start with Moustache! 
Entirely natural, it is made from a precious blend of three exceptional fleeces:

- 30% super kid mohair fibers provide the airy, cloud-like, and fuzzy look typical of mohair yarns.

- 20% silk adds strength and elasticity with its shiny and even finish.

- 50% extra-fine merino fiber completes the blend, giving it loft, volume, and softness. 

The super kid mohair fiber is harvested from the youngest goats of the so-called "angora" breed.

MOUSTACHE can be knitted alone or doubled.

When knitted alone, MOUSTACHE is recommended for needles size 3.5 to 4.

The MOUSTACHE color range is oriented towards soft and warm tones of ochres and pastels. 

The 50g ball has a length of 225m, which means a women's size 40 sweater will require about 8 balls. The 10cm x 10cm swatch measures 28 stitches x 36 rows.

Finally, let's move on to the last animal in this nature review 😂: the yak! 

The yarn GENGIS KHAN 2 and 3 is made exclusively from yak down sourced from the “Cooperative of the Khangai Mountain Breeders” supply chain, an eco-responsible and fair trade supply chain set up by Fonty in Mongolia with technical support from AVSF (Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders). The yaks are combed in spring by Mongolian breeders, and after sorting, just under 100g of down per animal per year is collected and spun into yarn by Fonty. 

For Gengis Khan 3 the yarn is made of 3 plies; for Gengis Khan 2 it is two plies. Besides its exceptional colors and feel, these yarns are particularly warm; entirely natural and without any chemical treatment, it comes in 3 colors (gray, brown, dark brown) which are the 3 colors of yak fleeces, and in 4 variegated versions, combining these 3 colors in different compositions.  GENGIS KHAN 3 is knitted with size 3 needles and GENGIS KHAN 2 is knitted with size 2 to 2.5 needles. It is hand washed and has the particularity of softening with successive washes. Their composition is 100% yak down The specification of Gengis Khan 3 is for the 50g ball of 200m with a 10cm x 10cm swatch: 24 stitches x 33 rows. For a women’s size 40 sweater, count about 7 balls. The specification of Gengis Khan 2 is for the 25g ball of 150m with a 10cm x 10cm swatch: 30 stitches x 39 rows. For a women’s size 40 sweater, count about 10 balls. 

Here you go, the whole range! 

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading to the end; it makes me very happy to know that my articles interest you 😊

Feel free to come and discover in person all these beautiful incredible balls of yarn from this really great French brand called Fonty! 

The range is only available in our Woluwe Saint Lambert store located at 328, avenue Georges Henri. 

If you don’t want to come in person, we offer shipping of our products to Mondial Relay points or home delivery, as well as product pickup at our Ixelles store (357, avenue de la Couronne).

We will be delighted to meet you and advise you,

Get your knitting needles and crochets ready! 

See you soon,

Eugénie