Does The Breed of Sheep Matter When Choosing Wool to Knit With?
Choosing yarn is one of the best parts of knitting - but have you considered the breed of sheep your wool comes from? We reached out to the experts at British Wool for their advice!
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British Wool grading practices
Here at British Wool we receive and sort wool from all over the UK from more than 60 breeds which is graded at our depots into 120 different grades! Each breed of sheep produces its own distinct wool quality, each breed having its own story to tell. British Wool’s grading systems grades wool based upon both its style and characteristics such as its staple length, crimp, fineness (micron) and handle and lustre (sheen). Each grade number falls into six main groups: Fine, Medium, Cross, Lustre, Hill and Mountain.
In addition, British Wool separates a number of speciality breed wools with distinct characteristics such as Dorset, Jacob, Masham, Teeswater/Wensleydale, Lincoln, Shetland, Exmoor Horn, Hebridean and Herdwick.
Our grading systems aim to add value for both product and farmer
Each individual fleece is hand graded by an experienced wool grader (each having 3-5 years training), judging the fleeces quality on a range of characteristics such as whether the wool is from a Hogg (first time sheared) or a Ewe, colour, staple strength, uniformity, kemp, grey fibre and cotts (whether the wool is matted).
British Wool's Top Picks
- Bluefaced Leicester sheep produce the finest wool (26-26.5 micron) in the British clip, resulting in a golden, creamy, soft and silky wool perfect for next to skin garments including children’s wear. Due to its fine crimp, it is a very dense wool and so despite its softness it is reasonably hard wearing too - the best of both!
- Cotswold wool is known for its strength and resilience. Worsted-spun yarns create a strong and lustrous creamy yarn ideal for hard-wearing items such as socks, gloves and jumpers. Individual Cotswold locks can also be used for decorative dolls hair and craft projects.
- Herdwick fleece is coarse and dense, despite its soft undercoat, it can be quite harsh and stiff so would only be recommended for outwear garments. Herdwick yarns create beautiful naturally mottled yarns infused with tweedy blends of greys, browns and blacks and all scattered with bright white kempy hairs.
- Ryeland wool yarns are short, resilient and stretchy giving them good insulating properties perfect for knitwear and blankets. Undyed yarns come from both white and coloured Ryeland varieties, the coloured yarn are particularly attractive and makes beautiful heathered brown knitwear. Because Ryeland wool does not felt easily, it retains the stitch definition in cabled and textured garments very well.
- Jacob sheep have a distinctive multi-coloured, spotted fleece which when blended can create anything from blue-brown, to mauve-black and creamy white. Jacob fleece is of medium thickness and so is produced in a versatile range of yarns but is often not produced in lace weight. Its springy quality makes it perfect for a chunky shawl or pair of winter socks.
Benefits of using British wool
1. Colour Here in the UK, lots of native breeds are naturally coloured in beautiful hues of creams, blacks and browns and greys. Wool can also be dyed and has a good affinity to acid and natural dyes. The use of a lustrous breed can help exaggerate a bright, glossy yarn finish.
2. Elasticity Wool fibre has a natural elasticity. It can be compressed up to 20,000 times before breaking and its superior resilience means it returns back into its original shape every time. This elasticity makes for great garment drape as well as being nice and sturdy to knit and crochet with.
3. Breathable - keeps you warm, keeps you cool Unlike synthetic fibres which can leave you feeling hot and sweaty (as well as statically charged!), wool fibres actively reacts to changes in body temperature, helping the wearer stay warm AND stay cool.
4. Odour and stain resistant Wool can absorb moisture which means sweat can be wicked away from the body which is later released during washing. Wool also has a natural protective outer layer that helps prevent stains from being absorbed and tends not to generate static and therefore attracts less dust particles.
5. Sustainable British wool is 100% natural, biodegradable and also completely renewable. The advantages of buying British are numerous- it helps us reduce our carbon footprint, boosts agriculture and supports our local economy.
Our licensed British Wool yarn producers include: McIntosh, Woolyknit & West Yorkshire Spinners all of which can be found on our web shop: www.britishwool.org.uk/shop
FREE Patterns for British Wool
See for yourself what a difference the yarn can make with these fabulous free patterns using British wool.
Autumn Breeze Raglan Jumper
This cosy pullover pattern is such a satisfying knit and it's so wonderfully warm. It is knitted in a blend of Lleyn and Bluefaced Leicester wool. Lleyn is a rustic wool which has a crisp handle and makes for a super-warm and cosy finished garment, and the natural colour of the yarn has a beautiful depth.
Brancaster Cable Sweater
The pretty details of this sweater will have you engaged and excited. This is versatile garment that is suitable for any season and any style. The yarn for this jumper is 100% Bluefaced Leicester, which gives the finished garment a beautiful sheen and super-soft handle.
Loyal Royal Corgis
Knit your own loyal corgis with this fabulous pattern from Sachiyo Ishii. These super cute dogs even come with their own royal knitted cushions! This pattern uses Shetland wool, which is perfect for colourwork.
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