Loudoun is Virginia's most populous county, so it may surprise you that hand spun yarn Loudoun County style is even available. Those who want to support the local arts community and who loves to knit, crochet, weave, or macrame should get to know their local shepherds.
Most people who didn't inherit a farm don't own a lot of land in expensive Loudoun. Sheep are perfect for small landowners, and they are small enough for the women who keep traditional home arts alive to handle. Sheep provide both meat and wool, to use on the place or sell. A flock grows quickly, since ewes usually have twins or even triplets. Sheep used to be called mortgage lifters because even a small flock could be profitable.
Today Australian and New Zealand wool floods the market; selling to the regular market generally won't even pay for the shearing. Warm synthetics have also become popular. Fleecy jackets and blankets are machine washable, and those who are allergic or find real wool scratchy prefer the man-made fiber. Fortunately, there is still a market for real wool, artisan yarns.
New breeds of long-haired and variously-colored sheep have been imported to feed the demand for hand-crafted materials. The names are great: Corriedale, Cotswold, Romney, Merino, Lincoln, Leicester, and Icelandic, to name a few. Some of these are heirloom and/or endangered breeds.
Each breed has a unique kind of fleece which makes a special sort of yarn. The usual practice is to send the fleece to a small mill where it will be washed and combed (carded). When the fiber is ready to spin, it is called roving. Unlike commercial yarns which are spun by machine, hand spun is done with a real spinning wheel. A talented spinner can produce an even yarn, uniform in twist, texture, and diameter. Hand spun is usually denser and more durable than commercial yarns.
It's nice that there are enough people who want hand spun yarns or the raw materials for them to support this cottage industry. Even the yarns spun by a small mill are special. Described as 'gently processed', these yarns have very little in common with the kind that comes from Australia, is processed with harsh chemicals in China, and is shipped to Europe to be mass produced. In fact, people who think they are allergic might simply be reacting to chemicals or artificial dyes used in commercial yarns.
Just like locally grown vegetables or meat, this handiwork has much more character than mass produced fibers. Each product is unique to the flock it comes from. The colors are often completely natural shades of white, grey, brown, black, and even variegated. Natural dyes are used for brighter colors.
Maybe you would like to visit a farm and see a flock. While there, you can buy pasture-raised lamb, a tanned sheepskin, roving, or already spun yarn. If you would rather shop online, there are a surprising number of websites to browse through. One charming outlet for roving and yarns is the Waterford Store in Waterford, Virginia. Once you encounter the fascinating world of authentic hand spun yarn, your life will be richer.
Most people who didn't inherit a farm don't own a lot of land in expensive Loudoun. Sheep are perfect for small landowners, and they are small enough for the women who keep traditional home arts alive to handle. Sheep provide both meat and wool, to use on the place or sell. A flock grows quickly, since ewes usually have twins or even triplets. Sheep used to be called mortgage lifters because even a small flock could be profitable.
Today Australian and New Zealand wool floods the market; selling to the regular market generally won't even pay for the shearing. Warm synthetics have also become popular. Fleecy jackets and blankets are machine washable, and those who are allergic or find real wool scratchy prefer the man-made fiber. Fortunately, there is still a market for real wool, artisan yarns.
New breeds of long-haired and variously-colored sheep have been imported to feed the demand for hand-crafted materials. The names are great: Corriedale, Cotswold, Romney, Merino, Lincoln, Leicester, and Icelandic, to name a few. Some of these are heirloom and/or endangered breeds.
Each breed has a unique kind of fleece which makes a special sort of yarn. The usual practice is to send the fleece to a small mill where it will be washed and combed (carded). When the fiber is ready to spin, it is called roving. Unlike commercial yarns which are spun by machine, hand spun is done with a real spinning wheel. A talented spinner can produce an even yarn, uniform in twist, texture, and diameter. Hand spun is usually denser and more durable than commercial yarns.
It's nice that there are enough people who want hand spun yarns or the raw materials for them to support this cottage industry. Even the yarns spun by a small mill are special. Described as 'gently processed', these yarns have very little in common with the kind that comes from Australia, is processed with harsh chemicals in China, and is shipped to Europe to be mass produced. In fact, people who think they are allergic might simply be reacting to chemicals or artificial dyes used in commercial yarns.
Just like locally grown vegetables or meat, this handiwork has much more character than mass produced fibers. Each product is unique to the flock it comes from. The colors are often completely natural shades of white, grey, brown, black, and even variegated. Natural dyes are used for brighter colors.
Maybe you would like to visit a farm and see a flock. While there, you can buy pasture-raised lamb, a tanned sheepskin, roving, or already spun yarn. If you would rather shop online, there are a surprising number of websites to browse through. One charming outlet for roving and yarns is the Waterford Store in Waterford, Virginia. Once you encounter the fascinating world of authentic hand spun yarn, your life will be richer.
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Find a summary of the benefits of using hand spun yarn Loudoun County shops sell and more info about a reputable yarn shop at http://rosecottagenva.com now.
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