Knitting Magazine 256
McIntosh has teamed up with designer Kath Andrews to release the County Shawl, a slip stitch design in McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed 4 Ply. The shawl is available as a kit in three colour-ways all inspired by County Donegal in Ireland, the home of James McIntosh’s maternal grandfather.
Kits include Addi circular needles.
Yarn brand McIntosh has teamed up with designer Kath Andrews to develop a special shawl kit for knitters to enjoy. Kath has created her slip stitch ‘County Shawl’ in three different colourways reflecting the colours of County Donegal in Ireland, the home of hand-dyer James McIntosh’s grandfather.
Each knitting kit contains McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed 4ply yarn, plus Addi Premium Classic Lace fixed circular needles. The ‘Celtic Landscape’ colourway has cool tones of green, grey and cream, while ‘Northwest Ireland’ comprises warm yellow, red and cream and ‘Great Craic and Tall Yarns’ is a riot of fiery red, orange and navy.
The Knitter magazine have reviewed McIntosh FABULOUS DK in colourway Astounding in issue
“Create fantastic sweaters and accessories with Fabulous! This aptly named yarn is a joy to work with, and offers the softness, drape and excellent stitch definition of BFL wool along with the opulent gleam of mulberry silk. Spun in Peru and hand-dyed in London, it comes in a choice of semi-solid ice cream shades and vivid brights and is also available in 4-ply.”
McIntosh BFL DK in colour-way MY Ambition has been used in a design by Jo Allport for a hat as featured in Knitting Magazine issue 254.
Calm by McIntosh
Knitting with Calm will be a memorable experience, thanks to its luxuriously soft touch. Spun in Peru from cashmere and extrafine Merino, it feels wonderfully fine, providing a fantastic drape and excellent stitch definition. Each 50g centre-pull ‘cake’ is hand-dyed in a choice of 24 semi-solid candy and sorbet shades, and comes with a sew-on care label.
Featured colour: Sugared Almond
The Knitter Magazine Issue 201
Anniken Allis has designed a beautiful two-colour cowl using the brioche knitting technique and McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK for the issue 201 of The Knitter Magazine.
The pattern on this squishy cowl, knitted in shades of midnight blue and limestone, resembles rippling waves on the ocean.
Anniken Allis’s reversible design has an undulating upper and lower edge. She has used McIntosh’s hand-dyed Donegal Rich Tweed yarn, and the colourful neps complement the brioche pattern beautifully.
Yarn kits are available HERE
Christine Boggis the editor of Knitting Magazine has chosen to design a wrap in ffluff by McIntosh for issue 251 of her magazine.
It’s a delight. Super-soft and rectangular, the wrap is made in ffluff – a blend of brushed hand-dyed baby Suri alpaca and mulberry silk.
Knitted on the bias, this relaxing knit starts with a few stitches – increasing up to its full width incorporating two lacy panels, continuing for a straight garter stitch section before decreasing back down to a point via two more lace panels that mirror the first.
Yarn kits are available HERE
Simply Crochet Magazine Issue 147
In Simply Crochet Magazine Issue 147, Amanda Robinson looks at the wonders of wool from farm to yarn.
James McIntosh was interviewed by Amanda:
“Why do I use British Wool?” asks James McIntosh, founder of independent yarn brand McIntosh. “My late Dad was a farmer and money was scarce. I support British farmers. Their quality is something else, and if the shepherds that make up British Wool were as kind and gentle to their sheep as my Dad was to ours, well then, they will be loved and looked after.”
Knitting Magazine Issue 250
Designed for Knitting Magazine issue 25o is Macchiato by Anniken Allis.
Macchiato is a cardigan that features colourful tweedy flecks and wide batwing sleeves. The front is cabled.
Wool – McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK
Colour – Castlefinn
Yarn Kits are available HERE
Knitting Magazine issue 250
Bronagh Miskelly asks a selection of designers, writer and dyers about the oldest hand knits in their wardrobe for Knitting Magazine.
“My first knit, the one that I’m so proud of, reminds me that I am worth something an although it’s beige in colour, it’s so much brighter than the dark deep black of depression” – James McIntosh
In 2018 as I was lying in bed for a year with what was termed a ‘moderately severe depressive episode‘, I taught myself to knit. I remember finding a piece of string and two chopsticks, looking up on YouTube how to cast on, and starting to knit.
It was at that point that I ordered beige alpaca and 12mm needles. I found a jumper pattern and started to knit. I found that with each stitch I started to want to make another one, to heal. I could not read a knitting pattern properly at this stage so I just kept knitting. The resulting item is ever so shapeless and Knitting Magazine issue 191 called it a ‘godawful thing‘. It was through this jumper that I developed Knititation, a form of mindful knitting.
Today this shapeless item lives at the back of my wardrobe and will remain there as a trophy to my wellbeing – why do moths never eat thee ugly items? My first knit, the one that I’m so proud of, reminds me that I am worth something and although it’s beige in colour, it’s so much brighter than the deep dark of depression.
Knitting Magazine Issue 249
Sian Brown has designed a beautiful cushion cover in McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK for Knitting Magazine.
Trying out complex cables over a small project like a cushion cover is a great way to boost your knitting skills.
This gorgeous pattern combines a hollow oak cable with a twisted vine in a beautiful un-dyed tweedy yarn.
Wool used: McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK
Colour: Ardara
Knitting Magazine Issue 248
Christine Boggis – the editor of Knitting Magazine has designed a hat in McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK in the supplement that accompanies Knitting Magazine issue 248 called ‘Knits with a Twist’.
Wool used: McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK
Colour: Bluestack
The Knitter magazine 192
Lantern Moon’s gorgeous interchangeable knitting needles are now available from McIntosh.
There are nine different sets, each containing a selection of needle tips made from smooth, sustainably- sourced ebony wood, along with a range of cables with brass connectors, end caps, and stitch markers.
The needles are presented in an embroidered Khadi silk zip case.
The Knitter magazine 192
We chat with James McIntosh, whose gorgeous hand-dyed yarns from south London are now available around the world.
EMMA VINING’S lovely ‘Glenfinnan’ design is knitted in Fabulous, the hand-dyed British wool-silk blend from the artisan brand McIntosh, based in south-east London. Hand-dyer James McIntosh is the creative force behind the brand, and 2023 has been a busy year for him, and has included a TEDx Talk, and live knitting events on TikTok. We caught up with James to find out more about his recent work.
James, what’s so fabulous about McIntosh’s Fabulous yarn?
“When I received my test samples of the yarn, I knew as soon as I felt it that it was Fabulous! The long staple fibre of British Bluefaced Leicester together with grade A mulberry silk led to a very fine, high-quality yarn. The colour absorption from the hand-dyeing was superb, as was the stitch definition.
“I applied to British Wool for the use of its Shepherd’s Crook Mark to signify that Fabulous is a British Wool blend, and that the origins of the fibres have been traced back through every stage of the process to ensure the wool is 100% British – and I was granted use of the mark, proving the quality of the yarn.”
Can you tell us about your recent TEDx talk at Kings College London?
“Yes, I gave a talk entitled ‘Is hand knitting a mindfulness based intervention for fidgeters?’
“I am a self confessed ‘fidgeter’ who finds it really hard to practise mindfulness; my brain darts about all over the place! However, when I hold my knitting needles, my brain allows me to enter into a parallel world to traditional mindfulness that I call ‘Knititation®’. Instead of coming back to the ‘breath as my anchor’, as is called for in mindfulness-based stress reduction, I come back to the next stitch, and its sensations on my body as it’s created. My anxiety and fears subside, a sense of calm arrives, and as a stitch is worth something so too my thoughts and feelings are worth something – I am worth something.
“I called for research in my TEDx talk regarding this – as, sadly, there has never been any research using randomised controlled trials in any of the global high-impact academic journals regarding knitting and well-being. I also made a clear definition using the words of the World Health Organisation and Psychiatry Today between ‘health’ and well-being’ for this purpose.”
Tell us a little bit about your recent activities on TikTok.
“I’m loving the TikTok – there’s so much to see, so much to laugh at and to learn from, and the creativity through the videos brings me joy. The UK Fashion and Textile Association is working with McIntosh and TikTok for my ‘Mindful Knitting®’ Live events. I love them: hundreds of knitters from all over the world join me at 10:30am every Wednesday morning (UK time) and we chat and knit together. My goal is to make the world’s largest knitting group.”
How excited are you that McIntosh yarns are now available to North American knitters via LoveCrafts.com?
“I actually had tears in my eyes when the LoveCrafts buyer told me. I’ve worked so hard to grow my business, having started three years ago with only £20. My Mum had just passed away, my mother-in-law nine months before that, and I had recovered from a year in bed with depression a few years earlier. All McIntosh yarn is hand-dyed by me in my flat in Peckham, southeast London. I’m grateful and humbled by the fact that McIntosh is now available worldwide.”
– www.knitmcintosh.com
The Knitter magazine issue 192
Emma Vining has designed an eloquent jumper in FABULOUS DK by McIntosh.
Yarn Kits available HERE
Knitting Magazine Issue 244
Spotlight on Barbie Core – with Warner Bros set to release Barbie the movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan gosling, fashion is in the pink – hot pink.
McIntosh Yarns – is in the pink with BFL and silk blend FABULOUS in shade Outrageous, Suri alpaca and silk Ffluff Cherry Lips, Merino and Cashmere CALM in Dragon Fruit and BFL in MY Passion.
Simply Crochet Magazine issue 136
Emma Leith’s floaty wrap is as soft and weightless as a breeze.
Yarn: McIntosh ffluff in colourways Cherry Lips and Candy Floss.
Knitting Magazine Issue 243
Christine Boggis the editor of Knitting Magazine has designed some beautiful adult mitts in McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed 4-Ply.
Featured Wool: McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed 4-Ply in colour way Glenties.
Let’s Knit Magazine issue 196
Author and yarn dyer James McIntosh feels so strongly about the importance of knitting as a tool for wellbeing, he recently gave a TEDx talk at King’s College, London, discussing this very subject.
“Life experience has taught me the hard way that the only thing I can change is myself. That’s all I have control over in this world,” says James. “Diagnosed with a ‘moderately severe depressive episode’ I was confined to my bed for a year. I was prescribed anti-depressants, and self-medicated with alcohol. A year of psychodynamic psychotherapy left me confused. I needed to do something. It’s at this point I learnt to hand knit.
My fiancé Thomas and I started to notice a huge change in both my mood and my want to do things on the days I would knit. And in the middle of my personal darkness, light had started to arrive.
“Hand knitting, for me, is what ‘mindfulness’ is for others,” he explains. “I am a fidgeter. I fail at mindfulness, I cannot embrace the present moment without judging, analysing or changing it. Hand knitting takes time. It’s a slow, creative and rhythmic process, allowing the knitter to deal with thoughts and emotions stitch by stitch. I call it ‘knititation’, a mindful approach to hand knitting. It allowed me to enter a parallel world to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and my body and soul started to heal.”
Knit for Peace’s 2017 report entitled The Health Benefits of Knitting highlighted the positive impact many knitters experience when knitting but the studies within the report weren’t published in the high impact
academic journals. “In a time of increased media awareness of mental health issues and increased popularity of the concept of ‘social prescribing’, which enables medical professionals to refer people to local, non-clinical services like a knitting club, I feel we need to generate an evidence base for interventions which broadly fall into this category,” says James. “My hypothesis would be that a mindful approach to hand knitting has similar benefits compared with the well-established evidence base of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. I’m under no illusion; knitting does not solve the world’s problems. Rather, it has allowed me to find my answers, for myself, by myself – one stitch at a time – as someone who has a fast head and is unable to access other interventions. Because of its therapeutic value, hand knitting simply just works for me.”
Under his brand McIntosh, James sells beautiful, natural fibre yarns that are hand dyed to order and support his ethos of Mindful Knitting. “The essence of McIntosh is natural fibres, pure wools for wellbeing. Wellbeing not just for ourselves but fibres that use as few fossil fuels in their production as possible, caring for the environment, our mental health and in turn our physical health.”
Knitting Magazine Issue 242
Hand dyer, designer, author and broadcaster James McIntosh explored this question in a TEDx talk at London’d King’s College.
Knitting Magazine Issue 241
We reviewed Donegal Rich Tweed DK a couple of months ago and this 4 ply has all the same credentials: a high quality hand-dyed tweed yarn. The Donegal nep is spun with the wool so the neps stay in place and don’t come off while you are knitting or after washing. It holds textured stitches well and would make fabulous fine cables.
Donegal Rich Tweed 4 Ply knits to a standard tension and would make an excellent substitute yarn for hats, gloves, shawls and small accessories. It has a semi-solid finish and is is available in the same 11 vibrant colours as the DK version.
Donegal Rich Tweed 4 Ply is hand-dyed to order, so please make sure you order enough for your project as dye lots will vary.
Composition: 87% wool, 13% Donegal nep
Weight: 100g
Length: 400m
Rec needle size: 3mm
Tension (10cm): 28 sts x 36 rows
Let’s Knit Magazine Issue 194
Are light and fluffy knits your thing?
Then you’ll love McIntosh ffluff, a lace weight yarn with a gorgeous halo and super soft fibres.
This 75% baby Suri alpaca yarn is hand-dyed, so each batch is unique, and it creates an eye-catching marled effect in your knitted fabric with beautiful shade variation throughout. Not only that, but the resulting fabric will keep you warm in the cooler months while this bright yellow shade provides the sunshine!
The Knitter Magazine Issue 185
Celebrated knitwear designer Jacinta Bowie was commissioned by The Knitter magazine to design a beautiful jumper in ffluff® by McIntosh – the yarn that is a blend of baby suri alpaca and grade A mulberry silk.
The jumper is called Adeliza and is gorgeously ffluffy with lace panels and light as air and warm to wear.
Yarn kits available HERE in sizes to fit bust 82 – 139cm / 32 in 1/2 – 54 1/2 inches.
ffluff in image colourway Parma
Let’s Knit Magazine Issue 193
The classic Woolly Pully from McIntosh has had an upgrade, and now comes with a whole host
of cables to challenge your knitting skills!
The central honeycomb cable draws the eye, and the travelling cables feature on the front, back, and sleeves. This intermediate pattern can be made in six sizes, and is the perfect knit for a cable fanatic.
Let’s Knit Magazine issue 193
Featured Product: ffluff shade Cherry Lips.
The Knitter Magazine Germany Issue 62
GARNVORSTELLUNGEN – MCINTOSH YARNS Fabulous
Abgebildete Farbe: Unbelievable
Farbkarte: 24 Farben
Lauflänge/Strang: 225 m/100 g
Nadelstärke: 3-4 mm
Maschenprobe: 22 Maschen x 28 Reihen = 10 cm x 10 cm
Zusammensetzung: 55 % Schurwolle, 45 % Seide
Pflege: Handwäsche
Internet: www.knitmcintosh.com, www.lovecrafts.com
Das luxuriöse Naturfasergarn aus britischer Wolle vom Bluefaced-Leicester-Schaf und Maulbeerseide der Güte- klasse A ist handgefärbt. Daher erscheint das Maschenbild leicht Ton in Ton meliert mit schöner Farbtiefe und fan- tastischer Maschendefinition. Es zeigt einen sanften Glanz und fasst sich herrlich weich und geschmeidig an. Mit jedem Strang wird ein Stofflabel zum Einnähen mitgeliefert, das die kostbare Fasermischung nennt und die Pflegean- weisung vermittelt. Die große Farbpalette zeigt leuchten- de, brillante Töne mit Strahlkraft.
Crafts Beautiful Issue 380
Experts Corner
Dr Thomas Ernst FRCP a senior consultant physician in a central London teaching hospital, shares his expertise on the wellbeing benefits of mindfulness “Stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, lead to a faster breakdown of the body and ultimately to faster ageing, poor sleep and a sense of restlessness and hyper-vigilance. Generally, this is associated with feeling unwell. After practising Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on a regular basis these hormones decrease, bringing about a greater sense of balance and wellbeing. This would include positive changes within the metabolism, digestion and sleep, as well as in the quality of skin, hair and nails.
MBSR also improves insulin sensitivity which means that type 2 diabetic control is improved. Blood pressure is also known to be lower and less variable with MBSR, which brings with it reduced vascular ageing and reduction in age-related cognitive decline. Though we don’t know how strong the link between crafting as a mindfulness based intervention and MBSR actually is, our experience and feedback from crafters suggests that the link is reasonably strong.”
James McIntosh, founder of McIntosh, the wool company for wellbeing, offers
his top tips on how to craft mindfully
• Practice mindful crafting regularly and often. Mindful knitting – what I call ‘Knititation’, is something I consistently dedicate time to.
• Find yourself a quiet craft space, away from distractions like the TV, radio, mess and clutter.
• Never rush your crafting, it really is a treasure to enjoy.
• Notice the feelings of your fingers as you craft, your bum on the seat, your back on the chair and your feet on the floor. Acknowledge these feelings and don’t judge, analyse or change them.
• Enjoy this time and see it as valuable and key to your own wellbeing.
Knitting Magazine issue 239
This gorgeous loop cowl, is knitted in two colour brioche, and is a great opportunity to practise brioche increases and decreases as well as playing with the beautiful colours in this lovely tweedy yarn.
Designer: Anniken Allis
Featured Yarn: McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed DK in colour ways Errigal and Ardara
Knitting Magazine issue 239
Donegal Rich Tweed is a high quality tweed yarn that is hand-dyed to order. The Donegal nep is spun with the wool so the neps stay intact and remain an integral part of the knitted fabric. I was really impressed with how smoothly and evenly this yarn knits up, and although it looks great in stocking stitch, it is crying out to be twisted into all sorts of cables. With its standard tension this would make an excellent substitute yarn for any of your favourite DK knits.
There are 11 vibrant semisolid colours to choose from, including Bluestack (pictured).
A couple of shades that caught my eye are a fabulous on-trend emerald green called Glenties and a punchy magenta called Mountcharles.
There are two kits available online: a shawl and a balloonsleeve sweater with textured cuffs. Care instructions are inside the yarn band.
Composition: 87% wool, 13% Donegal nep
Weight: 100g Length: 225m
Rec needle size: 4mm
Tension (10cm): 22 sts x 28 rows
Contact: knitmcintosh.com
Let’s Knit Magazine Issue 192
Designer: Siân Brown
This neat design is all the vs: vibrant, versatile and very, very chic.
It can be dressed up or down depending on what you choose to layer it with. It’s made in a sumptuous blend of silk and British wool and hand-dyed too.
It is also a good option if you’re looking for your first lace knit as the pattern panel is unaffected by the raglan shaping. Don’t forget to block your finished garment to even out your stitches and help them look their best.
Featured yarn: McIntosh FABULOUS DK colour-way Incredible.
Knitting Magazine Issue 238
Ffluff, pronounced ‘floof’, is the perfect description for this new light-as-air yarn from McIntosh.
Alpaca is wrapped around a silk core, then brushed to make it soft, with a pronounced halo. This versatile yarn can be used on its own as a 4 ply or light DK, or combined with other yarns to add warmth and texture without extra weight.
This yarn has good stitch definition in spite of the brushed effect. If you make a mistake, knit back to avoid tearing at the fibres.
Ffluff is available in 10 mouthwatering shades inspired by sweets, including Bonbon (pictured). There are
two kits in this yarn on the website: bolero Wisteria and the Lupin Wrap.
I would block projects in this yarn by pinning them out and covering with a clean, damp towel. Leave to dry before removing pins.
Composition: 75% baby suri alpaca, 25% Grade A mulberry silk
Weight: 100g Length: 420m
Rec needle size: 3-5mm
Tension (10cm): 25-18 sts x 34-23 rows
Contact: knitmcintosh.com
The Knitter Magazine Issue 183
The new Mindful Knitting® kits from McIntosh offer everything you need to relax and knit. Using McIntosh’s fluff yarn – the luxury laceweight baby suri alpaca yarn, spun with 25% mulberry silk – the range includes the lightweight ‘Woolly Pully’, lacy ‘Lupin Wrap’ and ‘Wisteria Bolero’, and an elegant poncho. Included in the kits are a downloadable PDF pattern, the correct quantity of ffluff yarn in the hand-dyed colourway of your choice, a cotton project tote bag, and a sew-in label with care instructions.
There is also free UK postage, and you can store your PDF pattern to your Ravelry library. £45 each.
The Knitter Magazine Germany Issue 61
Hochwertige Naturgarne und handgefärbte Farben, die der Seele gut tun, sind der Markenkern des Labels von James McIntosh. Er hat die positive Wirkung des Strickens auf Körper und Geist selbst kennengelernt und propagiert heute Knititation, Meditation mit Maschen, als moderne Achtsamkeitsübung.
„Ein Jahr lang konnte ich kaum das Bett verlassen – eine Depression und Panikattacken machten es mir unmöglich, aktiv am Leben teilzuhaben“, erzählt James McIntosh. Der Grund für seine psychische Erkrankung war die Homophobie, mit der er in seinem Heimatland Nordirland konfrontiert war, und das vor knapp zehn Jahren. Davor lag eine erfolgreiche Karriere in China. Dort war der studierte Hauswirtschafter „James in China“ und präsentierte eine Koch-Show, die wöchentlich bis zu 100 Millionen ZuschauerInnen erreichte. Er schrieb preisgekrönte Kochbücher und hatte ein florierendes Unternehmen rund um seine kulinarische Popularität in Fernost aufgebaut. Jetzt wollte er seinen Lebensmittelpunkt wieder nach Großbritannien verlegen. Was den gebürtigen Nordiren aus der Bahn warf, war die strikte Ablehnung durch britische Institutionen in seiner Heimat wegen seiner Homosexualität.
Sein Partner Dr. Thomas Ernst riet ihm zur Meditation als Weg aus der Depression. Der Oberarzt an einem Lehrkrankenhaus in London meditiert selbst drei Stunden täglich und ist einer der wenigen Mediziner innerhalb des britischen Gesundheitssystems, der Achtsamkeitsübungen als Therapie einsetzt.
„Ich bin ein Zappelphilip, mein Geist ist schnell und sprunghaft. Mir war es unmöglich, meine Gedanken zu beruhigen, die von einem Thema zum nächsten hüpften, ich konnte einfach nicht in die Stille kommen“, beschreibt James McIntosh, warum es ihm unmöglich war, dem Rat seines Freundes zu folgen. Aber er fand Strick-Tutorials auf YouTube, etwas Garn und ein Paar Essstäbchen. Sehr schnell ersetzte er die durch richtige Stricknadeln und Wolle, denn Stricken funktionierte für ihn: „Eine Masche war für mich ein Atemzug, die nächste Masche stand für ein Gefühl und einen Gedanken, und genauso, wie dieser Gedanke und dieses Gefühl für mein Wohlbefinden wichtig waren, so war es auch die nächste Masche. Reihe für Reihe strickte ich mich aus der Depression heraus. Es war ganz erstaunlich, wie schnell und wie nachhaltig Stricken mir dabei half, wieder aktiv und voller Energie mein Leben zu gestalten. Bis heute stricke ich mindestens zwei Stunden täglich und hatte nie wieder eine depressive Phase“, erklärt er seine Genesung. Gemeinsam mit Dr. Thomas Ernst schrieb er ein Buch, das Strickanleitungen, Kochrezepte und ein neues Konzept vorstellte: Knititation, Stricken als Meditation. Dr. Thomas Ernst lieferte dabei den wissenschaftlichen Hintergrund, da er den Wert von Achtsamkeitsübungen für Stressreduktion und Wohlbefinden aus der medizinischen Praxis kannte. Rezepte für sü.e Köstlichkeiten sowie Strickprojekte vor allem für Männer steuerte James McIntosh bei. Jeder Anteil überzeugte: Das Buch „Knit and Nibble“ (deutsch etwa: Stricken und Naschen) gewann internationale Kochbuch-Preise und wurde 2019 als innovativstes Strickbuch Großbritanniens ausgezeichnet.
„Ich wollte nicht mehr mit Plastik stricken“, erläutert James McIntosh, wie es zur Gründung seines Woll-Labels kam. „Wer strickt, soll stolz auf sein Werk sein, das geht nur bei hervorragender Garnqualität. Die fertigen Projekte müssen mich oder mein Zuhause schöner machen. Eine gute Wollqualität und ansprechende Farben sind dafür die beste Voraussetzung.“ Zum Wellness-Aspekt des Strickens passen Naturfasern, reine Wolle und Handfärbungen. Denn nicht nur die Haptik des Garns soll Wohlbefinden vermitteln, auch die Farben spielen dabei eine wesentliche Rolle: „Ich liebe Farbe. Ich kann davon nicht genug bekommen. Ich glaube, Farbe ist Leben, Farbe ist aufregend und eine Inspiration. In allen meinen Kollektionen gibt es als Basis Blau-, Grün-, Gelb- und Rottöne, dazu Pastellnuancen und sowohl gedämpfte als auch ein paar leuchtende, starke Farben. Es hängt immer davon ab, wie ich das jeweilige Garn sehe – es fällt mir viel schwerer, die richtigen Garnqualitäten aufzuspüren, als Farben zu kreieren. Alle meine Garne sind handgefärbt. Dabei nutze ich eine Technik, die zu Ton-in-Ton melierten, leicht ungleichmäßigen Färbungen führt. Das verleiht dem fertigen Gestrick sozusagen optische Textur mit fein nuancierten Flächen und einer faszinierenden Farbtiefe“, sagt er über seine Vorliebe für Handfärbungen. BFL war das erste Garn, mit dem James McIntosh 2020 sein Label begründete: 100 % zertifiziert britische Wolle vom Bluefaced- Leicester-Schaf, einer seltenen Rasse, die besonders langstapelige Fasern produziert. Es wird in zwei Stärken (4-fach mit einer Lauflänge von 400 m/100 g und DK mit 225 m/100 g) und 24 handgefärbten, leicht Ton-in- Ton melierten Farben angeboten. Sie tragen Namen wie MY Courage, MY Wanderlust (tatsächlich auf Deutsch!) oder MY Triumph, denn sie wurden alle nach positiven Gefühlen und Empfindungen benannt. Das MY zeigt nicht nur an, um wessen Emotionen es sich dabei handelt, sondern ist auch die Abkürzung für McIntosh Yarns.
Im Frühjahr 2021 kam als zweite Qualität Calm ins Programm, die James McIntosh speziell für ein besonders achtsames, behagliches Strickerlebnis ausgewählt hat. Sie kombiniert Kaschmir und extrafeine Merinowolle mit einer Feinheit unter 16 Micron. Daher ist das Garn sehr weich, zeigt aber auch eine klare Maschendefinition. Es wird handgefärbt in 20 Farben von leuchtenden Beeren-Nuancen bis zu kreidigen Pastellund klassischen Neutraltönen angeboten, die allesamt nach etwas Essbarem benannt sind, dessen Farbe sie tragen.
Dritter und bei weitem noch nicht letzter Neuzugang ist Fabulous. Die Mischung aus 45 % Maulbeerseide und 55 % Bluefaced-Leicester- Wolle aus zertifiziert britischer Herkunft ist ebenfalls in zwei Stärken verfügbar (4-fach und DK) und in 24 handgefärbten, tonig melierten Farben erhältlich. Benannt sind die leuchtenden Farbkreationen nach James Lieblingsadjektiven, die allesamt erfreuliche Eigenschaften beschreiben.
Alle Zeichen stehen bei James McIntosh auf Wellness – Farben, Materialien und Namen sind darauf ausgelegt, positive Gefühle zu vermitteln. Geprägt von seiner persönlichen Geschichte ist es seine Mission, Stricken als Rundum-Wohlfühl-Erlebnis erfahrbar zu machen und wertzuschätzen.
The Knitter Magazine Issue 182
Spun in Peru and hand-dyed in London, this DK-weight yarn is a lovely choice for autumn and winter sweaters.
There’s a range of 11 semi-solid shades, each packed with cheerful flecks of colour and inspired by the landscapes of Donegal.
It’s a treat to knit with, and provides a warming fabric.
Each skein comes with a McIntosh cotton bag and sew-on label.
Colourway shown: Clarcam DK
Simply Knitting Magazine Issue 231
McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed
Luxury tweed could be at your fingertips with this gorgeous new yarn from McIntosh.
Every skein of McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed is individually hand-dyed to order, this results in attractive semi-solid shades that add an undeniable death to your projects.
Available in 11 wonderful colours, you could treat yourself to deep Raphoe (burgundy), glorious Rossnowlagh (gold), neutral Ardara (cream) and many more. Each shade makes the perfect addition to your winter wardrobe. Donegal Rich Tweed makes a luxe fabric which converts easily into garments that are soft and warm, with a well-defined stitch.
Illustrated Sample: Rossnowlagh DK
Knitting Magazine Issue 236
From the vintage-style nipped-in waist to the textured epaulette details at the top of the puffed sleeves, this cardigan in a hand-dyed tweed yarn is a piece of fibre art you’ll love to make and wear.
This cardigan is designed in McIntosh Donegal Rich Tweed 4-Ply in the colour-way: Clarcam
Kits for the cardigan can be found HERE.
The Knitter Magazine Issue 181
Tweed yarns – tempting textures for your autumn projects.
Donegal Rich Tweed by McIntosh.
Featured Colours Pettigo and Castlefinn
Let’s Knit Issue 188
WE CHATTED TO JAMES MCINTOSH OF MCINTOSH YARNS ABOUT HOW MEDITATIVE KNITTING CHANGED HIS LIFE.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I live in Peckham, South East London with my fiancé Thomas, who is a senior consultant physician in a large central London teaching hospital. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with what is termed as a ‘moderately severe depressive episode’. The depth of darkness and sadness was very difficult to bear. I spent a year in bed.I did not know what to do, and if I did, I didn’t have the energy to do it. Thomas loved me through it, and he knew I was extremely ill.
When did you first pick up your needles?
I remember when I was so ill that all I could do was lie in bed and watch Netflix. One day I found two chopsticks and some string in the flat, watched YouTube and learnt to cast on. When Thomas came home, he was over the moon that I had managed to do something, so he bought me some beige alpaca and chunky needles. I managed to knit a jumper! It was an awful thing – completely too large but I remember putting it on and feeling good about myself. It was at this point that Thomas and I realised there must be something more to this knitting malarkey. We researched and wrote a book about it called Knit and Nibble – it went huge for us. We were invited to speak all over Europe and I regained my life. Thomas is the only NHS consultant that we know of who uses mindfulness to treat chronic illness and pain, and he meditates for three hours every day.
How has knitting helped you to cope with negative feelings?
I learnt through ‘knititation’ (meditative knitting) that I am worth something. It allowed me to regain my life and learn to love and respect myself. I learnt that a stitch becomes a breath. As I knitted the next stitch, I realised that I was feeling something. I realised that each stitch is worth something and is integral to the knitted item so I am worth something too. If that stitch is not there, then the item unravels. My feelings are integral to me and if not there, nurtured nor appreciated, then I fall apart. Thomas and I were very surprised to find next-to-no peer reviewed published research on knitting and its meditative qualities. However, there is very clear published research relating to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – knititation may be seen as a MBSR intervention.
What long-term positive results have you seen?
I’ve managed to get ‘better’, get out of bed and be able to function again. Knitting saved my life. I have a wonderful new career with McIntosh. In just two years I’ve managed to start and develop my company which is now growing internationally. Knititation has allowed me to stop smoking after 23 years, and after losing my mum to cancer, it allowed me to put my grief into something creative by putting my pain, love, and tears into knitting a grief blanket.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to try knititation?
It’s not a race, it’s a journey. As you knit from one needle onto the other your future is literally in your hands, one stitch at a time.
Simply Knitting Magazine 229
McIntosh FFLUFF – Delicate and featherlight
McIntosh ffluff is described as, ‘Light as air, warm to wear,’ and that’s easy to imagine from knitting just the very first few rows of a swatch. Comprised of baby suri alpaca and grade A mulberry silk, ffluff is as luxurious as it feels. Delicate and featherlight, it makes delightful scarves and shawls with its decadent lace weight. But the luxury doesn’t stop there, each individual skein is hand dyed to order, so each package of ffluff you received from McIntosh will be truly unique to you and your knitting. The shade range for ffluff is a true candy shop, featuring Lemon Sherbert, Peppermint and Candy Floss.
Featured yarn: FFLUFF in Cherry Lips
Simply Crochet Issue 127
Featured Yarns: FABULOUS by McIntosh in colour-ways Glorious and Surprising
Designer: Lucy Croft
Keep warm with a striking patterned hat in contrasting bold and neutral colours.
It’s simple to make and easy to customise.
Simply Crochet Magazine Issue 127
McIntosh: Meet an indie dyer and indulge in a design with their skeins.
After James McIntosh, the eponymous founder of indie yarn company McIntosh, used mindful knitting® to successfully treat his own depression, he and his fiancé, Dr Thomas Ernst, decided to spread the word about a mindful practice they called ‘Knititation®’ – a combination of knitting and meditation. “We wrote a book called Knit and Nibble,” says James. “And then I wanted to start my own wool brand to spread the well-being aspects of crafting that Thomas I had discovered. Hence, McIntosh, the natural fibre, pure wools and well-being brand was born!”
KIND WORDS
James, who currently hand-dyes all the yarn himself from his London flat, lets pure positivity shine through in all aspects of his brand, including in the names he chooses for his yarn. “I love this bit!” he says. “McIntosh British Bluefaced Leicester is named after positive feelings and emotions; FABULOUS is named after words I personally find ‘fabulous’; CALM is named after edible items that are the same colour as the wool; FFLUFF is named after sweets in a sweetie shop… When I write the marketing plan and brand vision for each of my ranges, it all comes together at that point.”
LIVING IN COLOUR
McIntosh’s huge range of yarn shades is also an expression of James’ passion for craft and wellbeing. “I love colour. I can’t have enough of it,” he explains. “I always have a range of blues, greens, yellows and reds in each of my ranges, and then I have pastels and muted tones or bright and (very) bold, too! It all depends on the vision I have for the fibre.” This love of colour carries through to his own crafting – he prefers projects that “adorn my body and home in colour and visual texture.”
PRIDE OF PLACE
The hat on the following pages is made from James’ personal favourite yarn, FABULOUS. “Coincidentally, it’s also my most popular,” says James. “It’s deliciously smooth… I like the DK, but my customers seem to love the 4ply. Crafters always comment that McIntosh never has any knots.”
And that’s not all James is proud of when it comes to the calibre of his yarns. “Quality wool or yarn makes so much difference. McIntosh is plastic free… [our] yarns are bought from small farms and our BFL has been accredited as 100% British Wool and FABULOUS as a British Wool Blend by British Wool. We are one of very few brands to be able to claim our supply chain like this.”
@knitmcintosh on all social media
Knitting Magazine 235
This super-lightweight bolero is warm as toast and features Fisherman’s Rib bell sleeves and a gorgeous lacy frill that make it delightful to knit.
Designed by Jacinta Bowie for Knitting Magazine.
Featured Yarn: FFLUFF by McIntosh in colour-way Candy Floss
Knitting Magazine Issue 235
McIntosh Yarn has released a tweed, hand-dyed yarn in shades inspired by owner James McIntosh’s Irish heritage. Donegal Rich Tweed is a blend of 87% wool and 13% Donegal nep.
It is available in DK and 4 ply weights, in 10 hand-dyed semi-solid colourways and in undyed ecru.
James’s maternal grandfather William Bustard grew up in Clarcam, just outside Donegal Town, and learnt his trade at textile manufacturer Magee of Donegal in the 1920s, before moving to what is now Northern Ireland to set up a chain of shoe shops with his brother.
The Knitter Magazine Issue 180
For delicious, downy softness that’s as light as air, check out ffluff, the newest yarn from McIntosh. It has a gorgeously luxurious feel, thanks to the blend of baby suri alpaca and grade A mulberry silk. It’s hand-dyed in a choice of 10 sorbet shades. Use ffluff alone for a gossamer-like fabric, or combine it with other yarns to create special garments and accessories.
Knitting Magazine Issue 234
Dr Thomas Ernst, a consultant physician, fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and part of the team at McIntosh, has told a global health conference that mindfulness-based stress reduction helped his patients to reduce stress, anxiety and fainting attacks, and that he recommends mindful knitting as a starting point for those who can’t practise mindfulness. He called for more research into mindful knitting.
Brand owner James McIntosh says: “To have knitting mentioned at this level is huge.”
Simply Crochet Magazine Issue 126
Donegal Rich Tweed is the latest yarn from indie yarn company McIntosh, and it’s a beauty.
Choose from ten hand-dyed semi-solid colourways, each named after a town or mountain in County Donegal, or grab the undyed ecru version to enjoy the yarn in its natural state.
As it turns out, London-based McIntosh founder James McIntosh has a deep connection to the yarn’s namesake location, too – his grandfather lives in Clarcam, just outside of Donegal Town, and worked for famous textile manufacturer Magee of Donegal in the 1920s.
Made from 87% wool and 13% Donegal Nep, the yarn is available in both DK and 4-Ply 100g skeins for £22.50 each at knitmcintosh.com and comes with free UK postage, a McIntosh tote bag that’s great for carrying your projects and cute sew-on label.
The Knitter Issue 179
Hand-dyer James McIntosh has taken inspiration from the landscapes of County Donegal and his family’s Irish heritage for his brand-new range, Donegal Rich Tweed. His semi-solid colourways reflect the heathlands, beaches, bogs and mountains of this beautiful region, and the palette is filled with warm greens, blues, yellows and brown. There is also an undyed ecru option.
Donegal Rich Tweed is spun from 87% wool and 13% Donegal neps, which give the knitted fabric lost of character and visual interest – ideal for cosy sweaters, cardigans and accessories. It’s available in both DK and 4Ply weights; the DK version offers 225m per 100g, and the 4ply has 400m per 100g.
The yarn costs £22.50 per skein, which includes free UK postage and a tote bag.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 187
Introducing new Donegal Rich Tweed, a stunning pure wool from McIntosh!
We just adore these vivid shades, all dyed by hand to create a wonderful depth of colour.
The range is inspired by founder James McIntosh’s family connections as his grandfather was from Clarcam, just outside of Donegal Town.
The yarn is available in DK and 4-Ply weights.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 187
Celebrate the season’s most vivid colour.
McIntosh CALM – Cashmere and Luscious Merino shade Nasturtium
Simply Knitting Magazine Issue 227
Can you think of anything more irresistible than a lace weight yearn that’s as light as air, and warm to wear?
Say hello to ffluff (pronounced flu-u-u-u-u-f!), a luxury yarn made of 75% baby suri alpaca spun with 25% grade A mulberry silk. It comes in 10 gorgeous candy colours, every skein is hand-dyed to order for a completely unique finish to every garment. Go on, treat yourself!
Simply Knitting Magazine
Issue 227
This wonderful yarn has been accredited as British wool by the British Wool organisation – an organisation which champions British wool and farmers who create this natural fibre – and we can easily see why!
Each skein is individually hand-dyed to order, and is created to show off its semi-solid colourways, which add a visual ‘texture’ to your garments. Natural and tactile this 4-ply yarn comes with shimmery mulberry silk and a soft sheen that slips easily over the skin leaving your garments feeling luxurious. Your yarn skein comes in a 100% cotton tote bag and once your garment is finished, you can insert your complimentary label too!
Let’s Knit 186 August 2022
FLUFF LOVE
Could this brand-new release from McIntosh be any fluffier?
Combining cloud-soft baby suri alpaca and grade A mulberry silk, this luxury yarn is hand-dyed in ten semi-solid colourways, and we can’t help but think of mouth-watering candyfloss when we look at them!
As with all McIntosh yarns, you can expect the purest natural fibres, and even the yarn band is biodegradable!
MCINTOSH FFLUFF LACE, shade Cherry Lips, £22.50 per 50g (420m) skein.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 232
McIntosh has launched a laceweight baby alpaca and mulberry silk blend – Ffluff.
Pronounced ‘floof’ – not fluff – Ffluff is made up of 75% baby suri alpaca and 25% grade A mulberry silk. It comes in 10 hand-dyed semi-solid shades inspired by sweeties, including Cherry Lips, Peppermint, Lemon Sherbet and Sugar Mice.
It comes in 50g skeins of 420m, priced at £22.50 each, and is hand-dyed to order so each batch is unique.
Brand owner James McIntosh says: ‘It is a perfect yarn for summer projects or those requiring an alternative to mohair. Ffluff knits and crochets up easily on a variety of needle and hook sizes from 3-5mm, producing a halo effect. Scarves, wraps, sweaters, cardigans and boleros will all look stunning.’
Simply Crochet
Issue 124
We’re obsessed with the luxurious new Ffluff (pronounced ‘fl-u-u-u-uf’) from McIntosh!
This lace weight yarn is 75% baby suri alpaca and 25% mulberry silk, making it, as the tagline goes. ‘light as air and warm to wear‘. With it’s frothy halo and fine strands, it’s an excellent substitute for mohair. The yarn currently comes in ten semi-solid colourways (each named after a different treat from a sweetie shop) and it hand-dyed to order. That means each skein will have slight colour variations throughout, giving some added depth to any project made with this yarn. Each 50g skein costs £22.50 and comes with a sew-in label with care instructions. Get yours when you visit knitmcintosh.com.
The Knitter
Issue 177
Light as air McIntosh ffluff is a laceweight blend of baby suri alpaca and mulberry silk in delicious hand-dyed colours. knitmcintosh.com
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 185
Ffluff is the newest addition to the fantastic range of hand-dyed yarns from McIntosh and is a luxurious mix of silk and suri alpaca. “I use a technique called ‘semi-solid’ which produces darker and lighter areas across the item once knitted”, says founder James McIntosh. “It’s beautiful and creates ‘visual texture’. I love seeing the transformation from cream to colour and finding new fibres for my ranges. My new yarn celebrates the return of the ‘retro’ halo yarns of the 1980s when I was growing up – and the shades are named after the sweeties that I would have enjoyed then!”
Visit knitmcintosh.com to stock up on this brand new yarn.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 185
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
If you’re looking to treat yourself, McIntosh has got just the thing to really upgrade your stash. A blend of 55% British bluefaced Leicester and 45% grade A mulberry silk, this natural yarn is beautifully tactile and comes in a range of 24 vibrant shades, lovingly hand-dyed in both DK and 4ply weights.
Featured Yarn: McIntosh Fabulous shade Surprising
Knitting Magazine
Issue 231
Knitting Magazine commissioned revered knitwear designer Anniken Allis to design a loose-fit lacy top in FABULOUS by McIntosh.
Yarn kit are available HERE (comes with a free copy of Knitting Magazine containing pattern)
Featured yarn: FABULOUS 4-Ply by McIntosh colourway – Wonderful
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 184
Featured Yarn: McIntosh BFL MY Time DK
Live in Luxury
Known for its long staple and unrivalled stitch definition, McIntosh’s Bluefaced Leicester fibre is purchased from small farms via a co-operative at British Wool auctions before being expertly spun into the irresistibly tactile skeins we know and love. Each of the 24 glowing shades of this sumptuous yarn is hand-dyed in a semi-solid colourway and comes with a sew-on label with care instructions.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 230
McIntosh yarn is 100% natural fibre, and Fabulous is no exception. It is an incredibly luxurious blend of BFL and Mulberry silk – one might describe it as ‘absolutely fabulous’!
If you have come across McIntosh yarns before you will know that founder James McIntosh is passionate about sustainability and a mindful approach to our craft. I found myself really slowing down with this yarn because I wanted to appreciate the quality of the fibres and the subtle nuances the hand-dyeing technique brought to the texture of the stitches. The resulting fabric has a beautiful drape and a gorgeous lustre. James’ enthusiasm for colour is evident in all 24 shades in the range, including Magnificent (pictured). Two 4-ply shawl kits are available on his website, and lots of one-skein projects would look glorious in this yarn.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 229
Knitting Magazine commissioned knitwear designer Brian Smith to design a one skein shawl in FABULOUS 4-Ply colour-way Phenomenal.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 228
McIntosh Yarn is lovingly hand-dyed by James McIntosh in his Peckham flat, and he sources his award-winning British Bluefaced Leicester wool from small farms across the UK via British Wool. James says: ‘McIntosh BFL is accredited as British by British Wool, is all hand-dyed to order and is plastic free.’
Let’s Knit
Issue 181
Let’s Knit magazine commissioned knitware designer Anniken Allis to design a top full of sunshine and spring flowers in FABULOUS 4-Ply by McIntosh.
Pattern and kit are available HERE.
50 Tips & Tricks to treasure for life
Let’s Knit Issue 181
It’s safe to say that James McIntosh loves colour! Here, he tells you how to succeed in introducing it into your knits.
35 – Don’t be afraid of colour. If you like a colour you WILL, in turn, have the confidence to wear it. Live a more colourful life!
36 – When knitting stranded colour work like Fair Isle, choose a neutral base (black, white, grey, navy, cream) before choosing the colours. Doing this will make your colour choices shine.
37 – Steer away from solid commercially dyed one-tone colours, if you can. They are heavy on the eye. Choose tweeds or semi-solid dyed wools (like McIntosh) as these give a visual texture due to their mottled look.
38 – Play with colours by swatching. Red can look more ‘brilliant’ against a black background and duller against a white background. Red with an orange background can leave the red looking lifeless. Colour strength is what makes a garment – blue or green with red exudes strength.
39 – If you’re struggling for colour ideas, walk into the garden. Nature combines colour perfectly.
See James’ fabulous collection of exclusive yarns at knitmcintosh.com
Knitting Magazine
Issue 227
Knitting Magazine explore texture and 3D knits in issue 227. Front cover shows a cardigan knit with 2 McIntosh wools – CALM and FABULOUS DK as designed by Anniken Allis.
Pattern and kit are available HERE
Knitting Magazine
Issue 227
Featured Yarns:
BFL – MY Tenderness
FABULOUS – Wonderful
CALM – Sweet Violet
Let’s Get Crafting Knitting and Crochet
Issue 138
James coined the term ‘knititation’ – a combination of knitting and meditation – and runs his own yarn company, McIntosh Yarns “I’ve been knitting for about five years now, and I love it! I learned with YouTube. I simply googled ‘how to cast on’ and with a bit of practice, 12mm needles and a chunky yarn I kept going. Knitting is more than the sum of its parts. From adding colour to my life, to making something that I actually want to wear or decorate my home with, to knitting for my partner or my niece. But most of all, it’s the mindfulness of knitting that I call ‘knititation’ that I love. It’s me-time and it’s how I practise my wellbeing. It got me out of depression, keeps my mind healthy and more recently has allowed me to stop smoking!”
See James’ selection of fibres at knitmcintosh.com
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 180
Designer: Charmaine Fletcher
Yarn: McIntosh British Bluefaced Leicester DK
Colour: MY Sincerity
Simply Knitting
Issue 220
James McIntosh
Founder of luxury yarn shop
First Job of the day?
Knititation – one hour of ‘mindful knitting’ with no TV or radio on, to allow myself to centre and focus on the day, one stitch at a time.
Mid-morning pick-me-up?
A walk to the Post Office to send out all the lovely hand-dyed McIntosh wool that has been ordered.
Fav lunchtime yarn squish?
It has to be CALM by McIntosh – the quality of the cashmere and extra-fine merino blend is so, so, so soft!
Evening knitting project?
Tension squares – they never end! Either for a new yarn range or to send samples to my retail shops.
What’s on your needles?
I’m currently knitting a top-down sweater. I’ve never knitted a top down before but I’m loving it – no sewing up!
Simply Knitting
Issue 220
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, editor Kirstie McLeod is falling for blush-coloured yarns and hearts.
McIntosh Yarns in red and blush.
The newest McIntosh Yarns come in rich shades, including Valentine’s Day-worthy BFL in DK and 4-ply. CALM DK and Fabulous in DK and 4ply!
From £22.50 per 100g. knitmcintosh.com
Let’s Knit
Issue 179
Soft and delicate, these gentle tones will mellow out your wardrobe.
MCINTOSH FABULOUS 4PLY, shade Astounding. £25 per 100g (400m) skein from knitmcintosh.com
Let’s Knit
Issue 179
Here at Let’s Knit, we hop that 2022 is the year we really harness the positive impact knitting has on mental health. Luxury yarn brand McIntosh is a trailblazer in this regard. The therm ‘knititation‘ was founded by James McIntosh back when the craft helped him through depression, and he and the brand continue to champion knitting as an unrivalled way of practicing mindfulness.
“Knititation is mindfulness for fidgeters! The difference between knitting and knititation is that for the latter you must be conscious of your thoughts and feelings as you knit without judging, analysing, changing or evaluating – knitting while watching the TV or during other distractions is sadly not knititation”
Absolutely Fabulous
Check out McIntosh’s newest yarn, FABULOUS, a luxury blend of BFL and grade A mulberry silk. Visit knitmcintosh.com
Simply Crochet
Issue 118
McIntosh and Deramores are proud to announce an exclusive online partnership. McIntosh is the award-winning and highly celebrated natural-fibre, pure wool and yarn brand that promotes well-being through the joy of mindful making.
James McIntosh, the founder of McIntosh, started the brand after realising fibre arts could help with his depression. In fact, every yarn in his BFL range is named after a positive thought or emotion. There is also FABULOUS, a blend of British Bluefaced Leicester and Mulberry silk. Both ranges are in both DK and 4ply, made from British wool, hand-dyed in the UK, and come with sew-on care labels. Find out more at lovecrafts.com and knitmcintosh.com
The Knitter
Issue 172
Get ready to be wowed by this sumptuous new yarn from hand-dyer James McIntosh!
FABULOUS is a blend of BFL and grade A mulberry silk, so it has an incredible gleam and a luxurious feel, yet also offers good structure and drape.
It’s available in a range of intense, saturated sem-solid colours.
Choose FABULOUS for special shawls, cardigans and sweaters.
Colour Show: FABULOUS – Stupendous DK
Let’s Get Crafting Knitting and Crochet
Issue 137
The latest soft and gorgeous collection from McIntosh Yarns has us feeling super excited to make garments that are cosy and colourful – our favourite combination!
Fabulous is a blend of pure British Bluefaced Leicester wool and luxurious mulberry silk. Together these fibres create a smooth and strong natural yarn that works up beautifully. Hand-dyed in 24 glorious shades and available in DK or 4-ply, the crafty possibilities are endless!
The Knitter Magazine
Issue 171
James McIntosh has big ambitions for his hand-dyeing business, McIntosh Yarn, and he has been busy expanding his yarn range and exploring new opportunities
James McIntosh credits knitting with helping him to regain his life and happiness after suffering from depression, and he has long been working to raise awareness of the positive mental health benefits of knitting and its use as a mindfulness practice – a process he likes to call ‘knititation’. After catching the knitting bug, he began designing patterns for himself, and later branched out into dyeing yarn, setting up his own business in 2019 called McIntosh Yarn. Its mission is to offer gorgeous fibres and colours that will bring joy to everyone who knits with them.
He launched his new business with a 100% British Bluefaced Leicester wool in 4ply and DK weights, which he called BFL. It quickly won fans thanks to its wonderfully soft feel and lustre, and the spectacular palette of saturated colours created by James. Back in the spring of 2021, as the UK emerged from yet another Covid-19 lockdown, James introduced a choice of fresh new colours to the range, including a coral pink, a light cream, a muted green and a lilac, along with four saturated greens inspired by Ireland – expanding the palette to 24 colours. And he is rightly super-proud that BFL now holds the coveted British Wool ‘Crook Mark’, proving it is 100% British wool.
It’s certainly proving to be a busy year for James – earlier in 2021, he introduced a second fibre blend to his range, which he chose specifically to offer a mindful, comforting knitting experience. Called CALM, it’s a luxurious DK-weight blend of cashmere and extrafine non-mulesed merino, spun in Peru with Z and S twists for more stitch definition.
“CALM has been a tremendous success,” James reports. “We called it CALM as an acronym for what we have produced – Cashmere and Luscious Merino. It’s 20% pure cashmere and 80% extrafine merino in DK – extrafine means less than 16 microns. Now, that’s so so soft and and so so fine…”
It’s a delightful yarn which feels incredibly luxurious to knit with, and has a fantastic drape and softness, making it ideal for special knits. CALM comes in centre-pull 50g ‘cakes’ which have been individually hand-dyed in semi-solid colourways including chalky pastels, berry brights, and classic neutrals.
This autumn, James has introduced even more deliciousness to his range, with FABULOUS. Spun from a blend of British Bluefaced Leicester wool and Grade A mulberry silk, it’s available in DK and 4ply weights, and the glowing, attractive colourways we’ve come to expect from this creative hand-dyer. Shades to put a smile on your face include vivid yellows and greens, hot pinks and warm blues. And, like the BFL range, FABULOUS has also been accredited by British Wool and sports the Crook Mark.
To top off an exciting year for James, he was delighted to team up with online yarn retailer Deramores, who will be stocking his FABULOUS, CALM and BFL ranges in an exclusive partnership and helping them to reach a wider audience. “We are thrilled to be working with James, his ideas and values align so well with our own – it’s a very natural partnership!” says Clowance Lawton, Head of Digital Operations at Deramores. “We love that each skein of McIntosh yarn has been hand-dyed in the UK, creating a yarn range that is as unique as our customers, allowing them to live a more colourful life.”
Looking at the extensive shade palettes James offers, it’s clear he has a passion for colour, and he always encourages his customers to explore the hues that make them happy. “When knitting in colour – be it Fair Isle, intarsia or any other stranded technique – choose a neutral base colour that you like, such as a grey, white, beige, black or charcoal – and then opt for colours that make you shine! Style is about the confidence the wearer has, not what is fashionable, so if you like the colours you knit with, then you have confidence and this translates into style.”
Despite being super-busy dyeing yarns, James still makes time to knit every day. “Knitting for two hours a day, every day, is key to my personal wellness. Knitting as a mindful practise prevents my relapse into depression. And lately, I have been knitting a lot, but what I have been knitting, is squares. Lots of tension squares. All I seem to knit is tension squares, and I am desperate for a new sweater! However, I insist at McIntosh that customers can always see what our wool looks like when knit in stocking stitch. As McIntosh is hand-dyed in semi-solid colourways, I like customers to see the ‘visual texture’ that is produced when knit – remembering that each skein of McIntosh is as unique as you are!”
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 178
Indulge in the brand-new McIntosh Fabulous yarn, made from an opulent blend of British Bluefaced Leicester and grade A Mulberry Silk. This luxurious new release comes at the same time as McIntosh partners with Deramores, which will also stock the yarn, the two brands hoping to help their customers to live a more colourful life. FABULOUS is DK and 4-Ply costs £25 per 100g skein from knitmcintosh.com
The Knitter
Issue 170
The new BFL-mulberry silk yarn from McIntosh, called Fabulous, is now available at Deramores.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 224
Independent yarn business McIntosh has teamed up with online retailer Deramores and launched a new line – Fabulous, a blend of Bluefaced Leicester wool and mulberry silk.
Deramores is also stocking McIntosh’s pure British BFL wool. Both the fibres are available in DK and 4-ply weights, and have been accredited by British Wool and hand-dyed in the UK. Each skein comes with a sew-on label showing the care instructions.
Brand owner James McIntosh says:
“to have been approached by Deramores is humbling. I started McIntosh after realising hand knitting could get me out of depression and allow me to regain my life again, a process I call Knititation. To be able to partner with Deramores to spread the word about good mental health through hand knitting and crochet is an honour.”
Deramores digital operations head Clowance Lawton says:
“We are thrilled to be working with James, his ideas and values align so well with our own – it’s a very natural partnership! We love that each skein of McIntosh yarn has been hand-dyed in the UK, creating a yarn range that is as unique as our customers, allowing them to live a more colourful life.”
The Knitter Magazine
Issue 163
Yarn: CALM by McIntosh
Colour: Honeydew Green
McIntosh Yarn – CALM
Blending indulgently soft cashmere and smooth merino, this delightful yarn feels luxurious to knit with, and has a fantastic drape and softness, making it ideal for special kits. It offers excellent stitch definition, too, thanks to a combination of plies spun with Z and S twists. CALM is hand-dyed to order, and the wide palette includes chalky pastels and berry brights.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 209
Yarn: MY BFL
Colour: MY LIFE
MY McIntosh DK
From the moment you pick up a skein of this glorious hand-dyed yarn, you sense it is going to be beautiful to knit with. Everything about this brand is thoughtful, from the soft and lustrous Bluefaced Leicester wool to the sew-in care label. Even the yarn bands are biodegradable, because founder James McIntosh is passionate about the need for a sustainable, mindful practice like knitting in our lives. Visit his website knitmcintosh.com to discover more about mindfulness and knitting.
MY McIntosh DK knits up evenly on a 4mm needle and delivers superb stitch definition. Each skein has a highly mottled effect, which enhances the stitch work. It would be great for cables, and it’s partner 4 ply would work well for lace. Each of the colours in the range is inspired by notions of self affirmation.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 219
Yarn: CALM by McIntosh DK
Colour: Raspberry
McIntosh CALM
James McIntosh has recently introduced CALM to his clan of hand-dyed yarns. This blend of Merino wool and cashmere is buttery-soft to knit and feels silky against the skin. It is spun with Z and S twists for enhanced stitch definition, making it an ideal choice for lace, textures and cables.
Our swatch was knitted on the recommended 4mm needle, but if you are a loose knitter you might like to move down a size. The wool in CALM comes from free-range farms in Uruguay with traditional shepherding practices.
CALM is sold in cakes and comes in 20 colours including Raspberry (pictured). The semi-solid appearance of the hand-dyed yarn shows up really well after blocking. There are two kits available on the website, and a two-cake shawl featured in Knitting 218. Each cake comes with a sew-in cake label. Hand-wash, dry flat.
The Knitter
Issue 160
Yarn: CALM by McIntosh
Calm Moments
McIntosh Yarn has launched a wonderful new yarn called CALM, which has been developed to offer a mindful, comforting knitting experience. It’s a luxurious DK-weight blend of 20% cashmere and 80% extrafine non-mulesed merino, spun in Peru with Z and S twists for more stitch definition.
CALM comes in centre-pull 50g ‘cakes’ which have been individually hand-dyed in semi-solid colourways. The palette of 20 shades includes soft pastels, fruity brights and neutrals such as almond and liquorice.
This wonderfully soft yarn will be idea for special knits to treasure, and each cake comes with a McIntosh sew-on label with care instructions. A knitting kit for a Fair Isle scarf using four shades of CALM has been designed for McIntosh Yarn by Jo Allport.
Knitting Magazine
Issue 219
Designer: Pat Strong
Yarn: McIntosh CALM DK
Colour: Sugared Almond
Featured Yarn: McIntosh CALM DK Sugared Almond
Knitting Magazine
Issue 217
Designer: Jo Allport
Yarn: McIntosh CALM DK
Colour: Granadilla
Featured Yarn: McIntosh CALM DK Granadilla
Simply Knitting Magazine
Issue 213 – August 2021
Yarn: CALM by McIntosh DK
Colour: Pineberry
Featured Yarn: CALM by McIntosh Pineberry DK
AIRY & FEATHERLIGHT
Cast on with this light, marl-effect yarn and you’ll soon realise your knitting is going to be as light as a feather. As its DK weight moves through your hands, words like ‘lace-weight’ come to mind. With up to 150m per 50g ball, this is a unique offering from McIntosh, all possible because of the yarn’s unique construction – spun with Z and S twists for more stitch definition. Its smooth, airy finish makes CALM particularly satisfying for luxury knitting. Choose from 20 bold, neutral, pastel and vivid shades – the perfect complement to your needles, not to mention your wardrobe.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 172 – July 2021
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 169 – April 2021
Yarn: McIntosh CALM DK
Colour: Pineberry
Featured Kit: CALM Vine Lace Scarf
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 174 – September 2021
Yarn: McIntosh Bluefaced Leicester DK
Colour: MY Passion
Featured Yarn: BFL MY Passion DK
Stupendous Staple
Bluefaced Leicester is a British rare-breed sheep, boasting a fabulously long staple and stunning stitch definition. McIntosh’s award-winning BFL yarns come in a choice of 24 eye-popping colours, each lovingly hand-dyed to order using repeatable dyed. Beautifully tactile with eco-credentials, each skein has a biodegradable laminate and comes with a sew-on label highlighting the care instructions and fibre quality.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 168 – March 2021
Featured Yarn Collection: CALM by McIntosh
Cakes of CALM
The award-winning British hand-dyed yarn brand McIntosh is truly celebrating colour in its new CALM collection. A colour palette designed to make everyone shine, these gorgeous fibres are made from a blend of 20% pure cashmere and 80% extra fine merino. McIntosh describes these yarns as ‘bright little cakes of CALM’, wanting to highlight the place of relaxation knitting takes us to. The brand even coined its own word for this magical peace-bringing quality of knitting: ‘knititation’. This is defined as a mindful approach to knitting, where a stitch becomes a breath and the next stitch becomes a feeling. This is exactly the state of mind we hope you’ll enter into when making your next rainbow knit…
Let’s Get Crafting Knitting and Crochet Magazine
Issue 131
Yarn: McIntosh Bluefaced Leicester DK
Colour: MY Achievement
Featured Yarn: BFL MY Achievement DK
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 176 – Christmas 2021
Designer: Anniken Allis
Yarn: McIntosh Bluefaced Leicester 4-Ply
Colours: MY Heart and MY Innocence
Featured Yarns: BFL MY Heart 4-Ply BFL MY Innocence 4-Ply
Knitting your sweater in a quality yarn like this one [McIntosh MY BFL] ensures that it will look and feel beautiful, and also last forever.” – LK Content writer, Jodie Sheehan
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 176 – Christmas 2021
Yarn: McIntosh Bluefaced Leicester 4-Ply
Colour: MY Ambition
Featured Yarn: BFL MY Ambition 4-Ply
Live in Luxury
This exquisite yarn from McIntosh is made with 100% British Bluefaced Leicester, making it a truly opulent choice for the festive season. Treat yourself to the impressive stitch definition, irresistible softness and any of the 24 fabulous shades, from bright vivids and bolds to delicate pastels and neutrals. Hand dyed to order, this yarn should be hand washed in cool water and laid flat. – Stunning Shades.
Let’s Knit Magazine
Issue 174 – September 2021
Designer: Jo Allport
Yarn: McIntosh Bluefaced Leicester DK
Colour: MY Energy
Featured Yarn: BFL MY Energy DK
