Yarn we produce is minimally processed mill-spun yarn that is always naturally colored just the way the sheep grew it for you!
We do not sell any dyed yarn. Our yarn is similar to hand spun yarn. It is recommended that you work swatches before deciding how to use your yarn. We label our skeins with a Batch No. indicating an individual fleece with the sheep’s actual name as the source. Be sure to buy enough yarn to complete your project. Our batches are small and stock is limited.
You may request a Livestock Conservancy Shave ‘Em To Save ‘Em passport sticker if you purchase at least 4 oz. of yarn. One sticker will be sent per order.
Shetland Sheep and Their Wool
Shetland wool fiber is both lightweight and unusually durable. Traditional Shetland lacework, ring shawls, hap shawls and Fair Isle color-patterned knitwear are often worked with marvelous Shetland yarns.
Shetland sheep naturally produce the widest array of fleece colors of any breed – eleven defined main colors in all! The colors are often used in their original state, whites are frequently dyed, and overdyeing works well for the other natural colors too.
Shetland sheep are a conservation/heritage breed in the Northern European Short-tailed Sheep family and possess a characteristic naturally short tail. Shetlands have evolved in their rugged and windswept islands of Shetland for at least a thousand years. They are small, hardy and make unusually good mothers who often lamb with little help from the shepherd. Their high quality fiber in the form of fleeces, batts and roving has been in constant demand by handspinners since the first Shetland sheep were imported to North America in the 1970s and 1980s.
Beckside Farm and Sheep Breed Conservation
A village setting and an early house and barn give Beckside Farm its simple beauty and make it an ideal home for a few Shetland sheep and exotic pheasants. Beckside Farm is the headquarters of Rosa Mundi Handknits, an online source of original designs for handknitters.
North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association (NASSA)
We at Beckside Farm are members of the North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association and our tiny flock is made up of purebred pedigreed sheep who are all individually registered with the Association. We guarantee that our yarn is made from 100% American Shetland fiber. No crosses of different sheep breeds are permitted.
The Livestock Conservancy
We are members of The Livestock Conservancy, which is organized to protect America’s livestock and poultry breeds from extinction. We are official members of their Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Program (SE2SE) which encourages fiber artists to use the rare wool of endangered sheep breeds. The Conservancy maintains an online conservation priority list to help people locate farms that are selling breed-specific products such as those made using the wool from Shetland sheep.
Fiber artists who join the SE2SE program receive a passport book in which they record their purchases of breed-specific wool products. Projects made with the wool are eligible for prizes. The SE2SE program educates shepherds about how to prepare their wool for sale and how to reach customers, thus providing assistance in making money with heritage breeds.
Shipping
Free shipping is offered for all orders. We will ship your yarn order as soon as possible. Questions about ordering can be sent to support@rosamundihandknits.com.
