Natural coloured
hand spun wool

My main supplier of natural coloured fleece is Shirley Peddie of Karetu Koloured Wakari, North Canterbury, a specialist breeder of naturally coloured, mostly Romney and Corriedale sheep.

If you are interested in raw fleece, or fleece already carded and gilled, please refer directly to Shirley: peddie@amuri.net

If you are interested in her wool handspun, I have a variety of skeins available, and take orders for colours that interest you.

Price per 100gm — $33

The yarn is aran or 10 ply, slightly textured with a high twist. Knits on 5mm needles with a gauge of 14–16 stitches per 10cm. So mostly suitable for an aran or 10-ply pattern. Check it with a swatch.

Handspun wool is different!

Handspun wool has a bulk, lightness and loft that is completely lacking in commercially processed wool yarn. It needs to be knitted on slightly larger needles than commercial wool.

The handspinning process encloses more air and that loft needs to be carried through to the knitted garment.

A garment knitted on handspun wool has three times the life expectancy!

Suggested quantities

Buy 100–200gm for a scarf, beanie, mittens or baby wear
800gm is usually plenty for a jacket or pullover to size XL
1kg or more for an aircell blanket

My favourite blanket pattern: an aircell blanket

Basically cast on 200 stitches on a long circular needle and knit until the other side of the bd, then cast off!

Needle size 7–8mm
Cast on 200 stitches (must be an even number)
Knit 8 rows garter stitch
Next row, knit 8 [yo K 2 tog] to last 8 stitches. Knit 8. (yo K 2 tog is the same as wool Fwd K 2 tog)
Repeat this row until reached desired size, then knit 8 rows garter stitch and cast off.

… or for a scarf

Reduce to about 20–30 stitches (always an even number)
… and follow the same process as for the blanket.

Have fun!

Care for handspun