Naturally Fabulous – The Grumpy Merino
Just over a year ago we introduced you to Sarah Reed and her innovative brand, The Grumpy Merino . Fast-forward 12 months and this North Canterbury-based business has gone from strength to strength.
Inspired to showcase the natural and sustainable benefits of wool, The Grumpy Merino (TGM) is driven by a desire to better utilise merino wool from third-generation family farm The Grampians, transforming it into a high-quality yarn and blankets. The 2022 release of blankets brings with them a new aesthetic that instantly ignites a sense of comfort. ‘This year we made the decision to have the blankets knitted, not woven,’ explains Sarah Reed, ‘which means we use more wool, but the result is thick and chunky. They are really unique.’
Available in three sizes, each one is almost three dimensional with the knitted aspect bringing a nostalgic feel to the end product that is hard to go past. The biggest challenge – what size and colour to choose? ‘The medium and large are both available in mustard and pink, while the x-large is navy and white.’
Whether used on the bed for an added layer of warmth or snuggled under on the couch, they are guaranteed to become a much-coveted investment piece.
Sarah’s original inspiration for TGM came from the wool blankets of her own childhood. ‘My grandmother was passionate about wool blankets and had a merino blanket knitted for each of our children when they were babies. I wanted to be able to share this notion with others, in a new way.’ The provision of a modern, heirloom-inspired woollen blanket has resonated with customers right across New Zealand, and beyond, which has inspired Sarah to think about what else TGM can offer.
‘Right from the start we wanted to provide our customers with a high-quality yarn to knit with, and were excited in September last year to add to this with Petal (pink) and Dutton (navy blue) colourways. And in later 2022 we will be releasing 100-gram skeins,’ providing customers the opportunity to dye their own to suit their knitting project.
For those seeking inspiration when it comes to translating yarn into a finished product, Sarah once again has the solution with knitting kits and patterns available alongside her yarn and blankets online. And the best part is you can create your own kit – choosing from a selection of patterns, yarn and add-ons. ‘I also work with three local ladies in North Canterbury who knit in small batches for me, so we do often have small runs of our patterns available, which is even even more special. Traceable to us, knitted in North Canterbury.
‘The wool is beautiful to knit with,’ enthuses Sarah. While some may recall the woollen blankets and jerseys of their childhoods as scratchy, the high-quality merino wool is a far cry from this. ‘Our fleeces are 17.5 micron, which is super soft, and as we are 100 per cent merino and not a blend, you are guaranteed a premium, natural product that has been produced naturally and sustainably.’
For Sarah and husband Jono, one of the most exciting aspects of TGM is the traceability. ‘It is really exciting to know that we own the sheep who produce the wool and that we can follow every step the wool then takes to convert it into a natural, high-quality, New Zealand-made product. In other words, we have 100 per cent traceability; we can muster the ewes, shear them and then hold a product they have grown. It’s awesome.’
