100% Sheep Wool: Merino, Peruvian Highland, Norwegian, Lambswool, Superwash, Stretch, and Blends

Herd of Sheep (a detail), Ivan Shishkin (1832-1898)

Did you know? Wool is naturally strong, durable, hydroscopic (absorbs water readily), warm, and naturally flame resistant!

There are two main types of wool yarn: worsted and woolen (woollen). They are determined by the type of wool used to spin them, the preparation of the wool, and the way the wool is spun. Worsted yarns are spun from long fibers of similar length lying parallel to each other. Worsted yarns are smooth, firm, and strong, and have a characteristic sheen, especially when spun from a lustrous fleece. Woolen yarns are spun from rolags. The wool fiber for woolens is usually shorter than one used for worsted preparation.

There are three main groups of wool: Fine Wools, Longwools, and Down Wools. The quality of wool is determined by the following factors: fiber fineness, length, scale structure, color, cleanliness, and freedom from damage. Long Wools are valued for their luster and strength, the Down Wools - for being bulky but without weight, having maximum elasticity and resilience. Fine Wools are the softest, with more elasticity and loft, and slightly lustrous. The finest wool yarns are made from the fleece of the following sheep breeds: Merino, Rambouillet, Debouillet, then Cormo, Comeback, CVM (California Variegated Mutant), Dormer, Polwarth, Romeldale, Targhee, Zenith, Corriedale, Columbia, NZ Halfbred, and others. Each breed grows fleece with a characteristic crimp pattern - the natural waviness or curl of the wool fibers. - source: In Sheep's Clothing, N. and J. Fournier.

The most popular breed in the US is Cormo. This is an Australian sheep breed developed by crossing large-framed Merino rams with a British longwood breed. Cormo sheep have a fine, soft, heavy fleece, and are used for woollen and worsted fabrics, handknitting yarns, and felts.

Global wool production is approximately 1.3 million tones per annum, 60% of which goes into apparel. Australia, China and New Zealand are leading commercial producers of wool. Most Australian wool comes from the merino breed. Breeds such as Lincoln and Romney produce coarser fibres, and the wool of these sheep is usually used for making carpets.

Take a step-by-step wool processing virtual tour in one of the biggest and oldest Canadian producers of sheep's wool: Briggs & Little Mills. In Sheep's Clothing, a comprehensive guide to wool - hundred of breeds of sheep are described, with special attention to their fleeced characteristics, methods of preparation and spinning, and best end use.

 

Alpaca Cashmere Tweed Alpaca Superlight, Lang Angora, Lang Arequipa, Estelle Cadenza , Estelle Cascade 220, Cascade Cashmere Tweed, Lang Ciao, Lana Grossa Cloud 9, Cascade Cool Wool 2000, Lana Grossa

Cool Wool Seta * new Ecological Wool, Cascade Falk, Dale of Norway Gobi, Lang Jawoll Bambus, Lang Jewel, Cascade Lambgora, Orkney Angora Lanalux, Lang Magnum, Cascade Merino 2000, Lana Grossa

Metoo, Ragazza * new Pashmina, Lana Grossa Pastaza, Cascade Silk Dream, Lang Silk Road Aran, Jo Sharp Snuggle, Alpaca Yarn Co. Tosca Jaspé, Lang Windsor, Lana Grossa * new Yak, Lana Grossa

Acrylic-Wool Blends >>
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100% Merino and Blends

COOL WOOL MERINO 2000 by Lana Grossa FIBRE: 100% Virgin Merino extra fine YARN WEIGHT: Double Knit TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 24 sts / 34 rows NEEDLES: 3.5 - 4 mm (US No.5-6) LENGTH: approx. 160 m / 178 yards BALL WEIGHT: 50g * hand or machine wash | made in Italy

COOL WOOL MERINO SETA by Lana Grossa FIBRE: 70% Merino Wool, 30% Silk [sample] * Arrived August 27: col. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 YARN WEIGHT: Double Knit TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 22 sts / 28 rows NEEDLES: 3.5 - 4 mm (US No. 5-6) LENGTH: approx. 140 m / 158 yds BALL WEIGHT: 50g * machine wash | made in Italy

CADENZA Paint by Estelle FIBRE: 80% Superwash Merino Wool, 20% Tussah Silk YARN WEIGHT: Sport TENSION: 10x10 (4"): 30 sts / 36 rows NEEDLES: 2.5 - 3.5 mm (US No.0-1) LENGTH: approx. 350 m / 409 yards BALL WEIGHT: 100g * machine wash | made in Peru

GOBI by Lang FIBRE: 70% Merino extra fine, 30% Baby Camel YARN WEIGHT: Aran TENSION: 10x10 (4"): 17 sts / 26 rows NEEDLES: 4.5 - 5.5 mm (US No. 8-9) LENGTH: approx. 90 m / 102 yrd BALL WEIGHT: 50 g * hand wash | made in Italy

METOO by Lana Grossa FIBRE: 80% Superwash Merino Wool, 15% Alpaca, 5% Elité [sample] YARN WEIGHT: Chunky TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 16 sts / 24 rows NEEDLES: 6 - 7 mm (US No. 9) LENGTH: approx. 100 m / 118 yards BALL WEIGHT: 50g * machine wash | made in Italy

PASHMINA by Linea Rossa FIBRE: 78% Merino extrafine, 22% Cashmere YARN WEIGHT: Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 20 sts/ 24 rows NEEDLES: 4.25 - 4.5 mm (US No.6-7) LENGTH: approx. 125 m / 139 yds BALL WEIGHT: 50g * hand wash | made in Italy

CASHMERE Tweed by Lang FIBRE: 65% Merino extra fine, 35% Cashmere YARN WEIGHT: Heavy Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 26 sts/ 25 rows NEEDLES: recommended 4.25 - 5 mm (US No.7) LENGTH: approx. 78 m / 86 yards BALL WEIGHT: 25 g * hand wash | made in Italy

YAK by Lang FIBRE: 50% Merino extra fine, 50% Yak Hair YARN WEIGHT: Heavy Worsted TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 18 sts / 26 rows NEEDLES: 4-4.5 mm (US No. 6-7) LENGTH: approx. 130 m / 149 yds BALL WEIGHT: 50g * machine wash | made in Italy

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