Finally! The wait is over.
Izzy Knits is delighted to announce its first branded yarn — RUFF+TUMBLE DK.
When Izzy Knits first opened its virtual doors back in May 2018, it was with the idea that we would soon open a traditional LYS (local yarn shop) here in south Orange County, CA. However, after researching desirable locations and gasping over the associated rents, we shifted our focus to creating a virtual LYS known for its commitment to quality, thoughtfully curated products, and personalized customer service.
We're now a year+ into this adventure, and we are proud to introduce our first exclusive Izzy Knits yarn. It's made primarily in the USA, accessible to all, perfect for play, and comes with a charitable contribution to a cause that's near and dear to our hearts.
RUFF+TUMBLE DK is made largely in the USA. It's a delightful blend of 30% merino wool (sourced 100% from US sheep) and 70% acrylic (manufactured in Mexico, our neighbor to the south). The yarn is both dyed and spun on the east coast by families who have been in the business for generations. I had the honor of visiting both facilities this past spring and was humbled by the extent of the operations, quality of the end products, and attention to detail displayed by the staff, many of whom have been working at the same job for decades. They greeted me with warmth and hospitality, and it's been a pleasure to work with them over the last few months as RUFF+TUMBLE went from dream to reality.
As we determined exactly what RUFF+TUMBLE should be, we landed on the following qualities and characteristics:
• accessible to all
• enjoyable to knit/crochet
• soft yet durable
• all-purpose
• easy to care for
Though I drool over cashmere and exquisitely hand-painted skeins, I also appreciate a yarn that doesn't cost an arm and a leg when I want to knit a casual weekend sweater. Nor do I choose dry clean or handwash-only yarns when crocheting a baby blanket as a gift for a new mom. Thus, it was important to me that our first yarn be multipurpose and accessible to all.
We also had a very specific audience in mind for who would be wearing our yarn. Though by no means limited to these individuals, RUFF+TUMBLE is the perfect yarn for kids and … wait for it … canines!
It's no secret that we're dog people. Our whole business is named after our beloved schnoodle Izzy, who's image graces everything Izzy Knits (that's her in our logo). For us, catering to the fur-people in our lives (namely dogs, though I've seen cats wear sweaters too!) seemed the obvious choice. And who likes to play as much and as hard as dogs? Kids! That's how we came up with the name RUFF+TUMBLE…created "for people and pups who love to play!" Soon, we'll be publishing our Ultimate Dog Sweater pattern, which is currently in the testing phase, featuring … you guessed it … RUFF+TUMBLE.
Lastly, when we launched Izzy Knits last year, it was with the intent that the business could one day play a role in contributing to another cause that's near and dear to our hearts. Since 2012, Dave and I have been walking alongside Pastor Samuel Metelus of Torbeck, Haiti, helping him to realize the vision that God has given him for affecting positive change in his country. We've written about it in Our Story and on Our Passion Project page. With the introduction of our own-branded yarn, we are excited to announce that we will be donating 10% of the purchase price of every ball of RUFF+TUMBLE to Pastor Samuel's Collège Lumière.
We're confident RUFF+TUMBLE will become one of your go-to-yarns for soft and cozy, easy-care garments, accessories, blankets, and more. To learn more or to purchase, click here.
