Introducing our Autumn 2016 batch of Zwartbles and Zwartbles blend yarns:

Zwartbles sheep originate from the Netherlands where they’re an uncommon breed.  They were developed as a multipurpose breed and are valued here in Britain for their calm manner and as lovely mothers with good growing lambs.  Their fleece is dense and bouncy and a very deep dark brown colour, although with age and sun it bleaches rusty red at the tips.  The 2016 fleeces we sourced from Hedgefield Zwartbles (link) are from shearling fleeces, from lambs in their first winter, and consequently the wool is less rustic than is typical and retains the very dark, almost black, colour – we like to think of it as Bitter Chocolate!   As well as pure Zwartbles wool we have developed three blends.  The first is a lovely rustic heathery Coal Grey with the addition of 45% Cheviot wool (from Drumsmittal Farm (link)).  Secondly we have added 50% mohair (from a farm near our mill, The Border Mill (link), in the Scottish Borders) – this blend is a Steel Grey colour, has a real sheen and a soft yet strong handle. The final blend is with 50% alpaca (again sourced close to The Border Mill (link) in the Scottish Borders) – the alpaca fleece used was fawn coloured and the resulting fibre is a beautiful warm Toffee Fudge colour in a soft, squishy yarn.

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