- Handspinning Fiber~ Wool ~ Cotswold Sheep
Cotswold Wool Yarn
Yarn of rare beauty from a rare breed of sheep.
Renowned for centuries in Britain for its beauty and utility, Cotswold wool production funded the construction of the great cathedrals and churches, and literally helped England become the country it is today. Cotswold sheep were introduced to the US in the mid-1800s. Cotswold wool has long been referred to as "the golden fleece" both for its creamy color and its great value. Usurped from favor in the early 1900's by the fine wools and other causes, the Cotswold breed dwindled to near extinction. Resurrected at the very brink, the Cotswold today is enjoying a comeback, but is still considered rare by The Livestock Conservancy - meaning that there are fewer than 1,000 annual North American registrations, and estimated fewer than 5,000 purebred animals existing worldwide. Borrowing from the "golden fleece" legend, we are pleased to offer "Golden Sheep Yarn" © - 100% pure Cotswold wool yarn exclusively from our flock.Fleece from our Cotswold sheep flock is carefully skirted and sorted by hand to ensure that only sound, clean, long-stapled fiber goes into our yarn. The natural white yarn is not snow white, but rather a warm cream or ivory color. My brother calls it "candlelight" and I think that's the perfect description of the color. Our Cotswold yarn is milled by Stonehedge Farm and Fiber Mill whose expertise with long-stapled fiber really highlights the natural luster of this lovely long wool. Sometimes called Poor Man's Mohair, Cotswold has arguably the most shine of all wools, and takes dye wonderfully. It is a strong, supple yarn with a feeling of substance to it, and will drape nicely.
Cotswold yarn is:
- High luster with a shine that seems to light the yarn from within
- Strong and can handle wear and abrasion without pilling
- Smooth, with very little elasticity
- Substantial yet supple, providing good drape to finished goods
Do you need to wash your fine woolens? Hop on over to our page of Unicorn Products for our selection of wool washing and conditioning products.
Pleased to be an official fiber provider for The Livestock Conservancy's "Shave 'Em To Save 'Em" program!
| Natural Gray 3-ply Sport Weight Yarn | ||
|---|---|---|
 Sterling Solid medium gray with high luster. Rich, almost metallic looking.
| $24.00 10+ skeins available | |
| Natural White 3-ply Sport Weight Yarn | ||
 Reliance Natural creamy white, high luster.
| $24.00 | |
| Hand Dyed 3-ply Sport Weight Yarn | ||
 Tequila Sunrise Saturated orange, yellows and a touch of pink. | $28.25 1 skein available | |
 Seashore Beautiful sky blue, a darker steely blue and patches of sandy tan and white. You can almost hear the ocean!
| $28.25 Ten skeins available | |
 Sunrise in Paradise Warm rose, gold, lilac and all the shades in between. Colorful and yet serene. Just lovely. 4.5 oz. / 130g ~250 yd / 227 m 17 wpi | $28.25 One skeins available | |
| Natural White 3-ply Bulky Yarn | ||
 Stalwart Natural creamy white, squishable but sturdy, high luster. 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $25.00 | |
| Hand Dyed 3-ply Bulky Yarn | ||
 Tutti Frutti Gentle pink shading through lavender to lilac.
| $29.25 1 skein available | |
 Seashore Beautiful sky blue, a darker steely blue and patches of sandy tan and white. You can almost hear the ocean! 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 Sorry, Sold Out | |
 Sunrise in Paradise Warm rose, gold, lilac and all the shades in between. Colorful and yet serene. Just lovely. 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 Three skeins available | |
 Piney Woods Deep pine green with blue spruce and shading up to small blips of gold. 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 Sorry, Sold Out | |
 Cranberry Cocktail Predominantly cranberry red with short streaks of yellow, green and light gray with intermediate shades where colors blend (orange, olive, rose, etc). 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 Three skeins available | |
 Cheetah Shades of pale yellow and gold, , light brown, silver gray and charcoal. 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 Sorry, Sold Out | |
 Cranberry Bog A darker version of Cranberry Cocktail with short lengths of yellow, green and silver. A redder and more muted version of Cranberry Cocktail. 5.5 oz. / 150 g 115 yd /105 m 9 wpi | $29.25 One skein available | |
 Citrus Orange, lemon and tangerine shades. Bright and happy!
| $29.25 2 skeins available | |
| Hand Dyed 2-ply Bulky Yarn | ||
 ODD LOT Oxblood 5.0 oz / 140 g 105 yd / 95 m A bit darker red than this - more of a primitive red. | $0.00 Sorry, Sold Out | |
| Core Spun "Gosh Darn Big Yarn!" Core spun yarn is created by wrapping fiber around a central thread. In this case Cotswold wool has been applied to a cotton cord base. This yarn is super chunky, "squishy", lustrous, strong, and has just about no elasticity so it won't stretch. Use in weaving, crochet or knitting (size 17 needles work well) to make mats, rugs, trivets, baskets or the popular uber-thick wearables! | ||
 Forest Cotswold wool spun over a thin cotton cord. Core spun rug yarn is great for weaving on a conventional loom or on a peg loom. The texture is uneven and bubbly and squishy which certainly adds character! This bump is dyed in rich greens and brown with some smaller areas of gold and cream. Make a rug and it will be like walking on the forest floor. 100 yards, 1-2 wpi, weighs 2 pounds, 5 oz. Core spun rug yarn is Shave 'Em to Save 'Em eligible! | $80.00 Only 1 available | |