School of Yarn – Rowan British Sheep Breeds
Have you ever thought about where our yarns come from? All the different breeds of sheep? Well, we are all familiar with merino, but what about the other sheep in the meadow?
Rowan Yarn Company offers British Sheep Breeds yarn, one of their Purelife yarns series. Four classic British sheep breeds offer the fleece for this undyed bulky weight yarn, which comes in five natural colours. Spun from the fleece of Bluefaced Leicester, Suffolk, Jacob and Black Welsh sheep, the colours range from soft cream to deep, almost-black brown. Each breed has its own characteristics, and the wool produced by each has a slightly different hand.
By producing yarns from the fleece of these sheep, Rowan is helping to conserve the variety of sheep breeds in the UK. An eco-friendly yarn, the wool is an annually renewable natural resource.
British Sheep Breeds is like a steaming bowl of oatmeal on a cold winter morning. At a gauge of 13 stitches and 18 rows over 10cms on 7mm needles, this yarn will knit up quickly and keep you warm all winter.
Next time you are in the store, stop in the bulky yarns section and give each of these yarns a bit of a squeeze. Then feel the shop sample and check out the luscious drape of the fabric. You’ll want to knit yourself something cozy to get you through the winter!