Brown Sheep Yarn: A Powerhouse In The Handicrafts Industry
Let's take a trip -- a trip back in time -- let's say, about 200 years ago. During this time chances are that many of the garments you would be wearing would have been manufactured at home. Most fabrics were either knitted or woven, usually by women and girls -- who learned this valuable skill as a part of their training while growing up. Where did the yarn and thread for these fabrics come from? Again, they were made at home. And one of the most common materials turned into yarn was wool -- made from the furry fibers of sheep.
And while most of us in the modern world don't concern ourselves with the manufacture of our own clothing, increasing numbers of people are rediscovering this domestic skill. They are doing their own spinning, weaving, and knitting of fabrics, including wool yarn. And a major player in this field today is the Brown sheep yarn company, located in Mitchell, Nebraska.
What Types of Wool Are Available from the Brown Sheep Yarn Company?
The Brown sheep yarn company makes many different types or "lines" of lambs wool yarn. You can purchase 100% wool, or mixtures (made with 85% wool and 15% mohair; 70% mohair and 30% wool; 75% wool and 25% nylon; 80% cotton and 20% wool; and 60% cotton and 40% wool). Depending on the Brown sheep yarn product you purchase, you will get a varying amount (length) of yarn. For example, their "Natures Spectrum" line provides 81 yards in a skein, while the brown sheep yarn "Serendipity Tweed" line works out to 210 yards to the skein. If you purchase the "Top of the Lamb" line, made from 100% wool, you can get up to 350 yards in each skein. If you are looking for multi--ply wool, Brown sheep yarn company makes these as well. There "Wildfoote Luxury Sock," a blend of 75% washable wool and 25% nylon, in a 215 yard skein, is a 4-ply yarn. Brown sheep yarn company also makes a cotton fine material, 80% cotton and 20% wool, available as a 12-ply yarn. Of course, if you really want a multi-ply material, you can always choose the Brown sheep yarn company cotton fleece line (80% cotton, 20% wool) which comes in 215-yard skeins of 24-ply yarn. Another wonderful wool product from the Brown sheep yarn company is their "Waverley Wool" line. Waverly wools are 100% wool Persian yarn. The Brown sheep yarn company has developed this wool line especially for those doing needlepoint work, but these yarns can also be used for knitting as well. According to information from the company, this wool yarn will gauge out at about 3 1/2 stitches per inch using number 10 size needles, and yields approximately 164 yards in a 4-ounce skein. One of the wonderful things about Brown sheep yarn is the multitude of colors that are available. Depending on your computer screen, you can get some idea of the color range available to you in brown sheep yarns by going out to the company website -- but the brown sheep yarn company recommends (and I agree) that for best results you should purchase your yarn products directly from your retailer, so that you can see the colors for yourself before you purchase. Of course even within a particular color style, variations from lot to lot are to be expected, so make sure that you purchase enough skeins of brown sheep yarn -- all at the same time, from the same lot or batch -- to completely finish your knitting, sewing or weaving project. If you run out of brown sheep yarn, and return to the store to buy more, you may find the color of the yarn may not completely match the color of the yarn you previously purchased, even if the color code is identical.
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