When The Fibre Co. set out to design a sock yarn, they stayed true to their guiding principle of harnessing the beauty that nature provides in a way that is gentle on our planet. They waited until a recycled nylon and an alternative to the standard chlorine processed washable wools became available. The end result is a soft yet durable yarn made from merino wool and alpaca fibres processed with an eco-friendly anti-shrinkage "Easy-wash" treatment. The recycled nylon adds strength and durability.

They named this yarn Amble to reflect the kind of slow relaxed walking they enjoy in the English Lake District. The shades are borrowed from the beloved palette in their Cumbria Fingering yarn, with the cream and all heathers using a natural ecru suri alpaca, whilst the others use a natural brown suri alpaca.

Famed sock designer Kate Atherley has designed the One Sock pattern specifically for The Fibre Co. Amble, a classic top-down pattern that comes with a guidebook full of ways to customize fit and design, on any needle type. Or feel free to use it in your favourite fingering-weight sock pattern, keeping in mind that if a pattern calls for a 400 yard or 400 meter skein, it would be safest to purchase 2 skeins of Amble.

Amble also comes in 25g mini-skeins, the perfect size for a contrast heel & toe on a pair of adult socks, or for adding colourwork to socks, shawls, and more.

We have collected our favourite Amble patterns for you here on Ravelry; socks, accessories, shawls, and even sweaters!

Made in Peru.

Content: 70% Easy-wash merino wool, 20% Easy-wash suri alpaca, 10% recycled nylon
Weight: 100 grams / 3.5 oz
Length: 325 meters / 355 yards
Gauge: 32 stitches per 4"/10cm on suggested needle size
Suggested Needle Size: 2.5mm / US 1.5
Care: Machine wash on delicate or wool cycle, or hand wash cool, air dry flat

What does Easy-wash mean and why do we use it?
Easy-wash is a trademarked name that refers to a process used to make the wool and alpaca fibres in Amble machine washable without shrinking. The Easy-wash method is chlorine-free and AOX-free, making it the best environmental choice for producing machine washable wool. The wool and alpaca fibres are treated with eco-friendly oxidants to remove the scales that ordinarily cause wool and alpaca to shrink when washed by machine. The oxidants used are sourced in Germany and are certified under the REACH, Oeko-tex and ZDCH (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemical) standards. This means that the Easy-wash treatment does not create hazardous chemicals in wastewater.

What is recycled nylon and why do we use it?
Nylon fibre is not easily biodegradable. However, it has strength qualities that give yarns and the socks made therefrom more durability. The recycled nylon used in this sock yarn comes from leftover industrial waste of processing nylon, thereby diverting waste from landfills, and using fewer production resources like water and fossil fuels than virgin nylon.