Bambino is a soft, tonal spinning fiber blend made from 85% Merino wool and 15% bamboo. The fine Merino gives the fiber its softness, natural crimp, and wool character, while the smoother bamboo adds subtle luster and contrast throughout the blend.
Prepared as combed top with an approximately 3.5 to 5 inch staple, Bambino gives spinners a smooth, organized fiber supply with enough length for a controlled drafting zone. The layered tonal colors can be spun as they appear, divided into smaller sections, or rearranged to change how the color moves through your finished yarn.
Why Spin Bambino?
Bambino combines the familiar drafting feel of fine Merino with smoother, more lustrous bamboo fibers. The wool provides grip and elasticity, while the bamboo introduces subtle shine and a slightly silkier feel through the drafting zone.
The longer staple gives you plenty of fiber overlap between your hands, which can be helpful when spinning finer singles or when you want more control over the drafting triangle.
Made for Color Play
Each Bambino colorway blends multiple shades through the top instead of behaving like a single flat color. How you prepare the fiber before spinning will influence the finished yarn.
- Spin directly from the top for natural tonal movement.
- Split the fiber into narrower sections for shorter color changes.
- Rearrange or blend sections to create a more mixed result.
- Combine Bambino with other fibers on hand cards, a blending board, or drum carder.
Want to work with the full Bambino palette? The Bambino Variety Pack includes 25 grams of each of all eight colorways, for 200 grams of fiber total.
Best Uses
- Hand spinning on a wheel or drop spindle
- Fine to medium handspun yarns
- Handspun for knitting, crochet, or weaving
- Wet felting
- Needle felting
- Fiber blending, batts, and rolags
With 85% Merino wool, Bambino felts readily. The smoother bamboo fibers can remain visible as subtle lustrous accents within the felted surface.
What to Know Before You Buy
- Fiber content: 85% Merino wool / 15% bamboo
- Preparation: Combed top
- Package weight: 8 oz (approximately 227 g)
- Merino fineness: Approximately 19 to 21 microns
- Staple length: Approximately 3.5 to 5 inches
- Top width: Approximately 1 inch
- Prepared length: Approximately 30 ft per 8 oz
- Suitable for wet and needle felting
- Dyed tonal color blend
- Sold by weight, so prepared length is approximate
The bamboo fibers are smoother than the surrounding wool and may feel slightly slicker while drafting than an all-Merino preparation.
Care and Storage
Store unspun Bambino clean and dry and avoid unnecessary moisture or agitation if you want to preserve the combed preparation.
For finished, non-felted projects, hand wash gently in cool water with a mild cleanser. Avoid twisting or wringing. Press out excess water and lay flat to dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bambino roving or combed top?
Bambino is most accurately described as combed top because the fibers are prepared in a smooth, largely aligned arrangement. Similar spinning fibers are also sometimes referred to more generally as roving.
Is Bambino suitable for newer spinners?
It can be. The aligned preparation and longer staple give you plenty of fiber overlap to work with. The bamboo component is smoother than pure wool, so it also gives newer spinners experience working with a blended fiber.
Can I spin Bambino on a drop spindle?
Yes. Bambino can be spun on either a drop spindle or spinning wheel.
Does Bambino felt?
Yes. The blend contains 85% Merino wool and is suitable for both wet and needle felting.
Is Bambino soft enough for next-to-skin projects?
The Merino component is approximately 19 to 21 microns, giving the blend a fine, soft hand. It can be a good candidate for handspun intended for scarves, cowls, shawls, and garments, although individual sensitivity to wool varies.
Can I try all eight Bambino colorways?
Yes. The Bambino Variety Pack includes 25 grams of each of all eight colorways.
Bambino is a good fit when you want fine Merino softness with a little extra luster, a longer staple to work with, and tonal color already built into the preparation. Spin it as prepared, divide it to influence the color sequence, blend it further, or use the high Merino content for felting.
