The Fibre Garden : Wool - Imported Top & Roving
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Wool – Imported Top & Roving
Wool - Imported Top & Roving
BFL – Superwash White (Top)
BFL = Blue-faced Leicester. Classification: LONGWOOL
It's difficult to find any Superwash top other than Merino, but here you have BFL! Perfect for knitting items that require easy laundering. Wool is conditioned through an enzyme process that strips off the outer scales, which prevents felting. This also makes for a different effect during the dyeing process, because Superwash fibre sucks up the dye quickly. This fibre is creamy-white in colour with plenty of lustre.
BFL rates high for softness. Depending on spinning method, this breed can create a soft and smooth fabric with excellent drape. Micron count is generally in the mid-20s with a staple length from 3 to 6 inches.
NOTE: Superwash fibre is NOT GOOD FOR FELTING.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
BFL – White (Top)
BFL = Blue-faced Leicester. Classification: LONGWOOL
Creamy-white natural combed top, lustrous and soft! Excellent for dyeing at any stage of the spinning process.
BFL rates high for softness. Felting properties are average. Depending on spinning method, this breed can create a soft and smooth fabric with excellent drape. Micron count is generally in the mid-20s with a staple length from 3 to 6 inches.
NOTE: our labels may indicate this as UNTREATED, which simply means it is not Superwash BFL.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
Cheviot (Top)
Classification: DOWN-TYPE WOOL
Nice clean combed top with very little veg, in a bright off-white tone. There are different regional variations on Cheviot, but they have similar fibre. Cheviot is known for having bulky and springy staples of medium length with very little lustre. Its traditional uses range from blankets and carpets to midrange and outerwear clothing. It's a strong fibre and can be useful for socks.
Micron count is usually in the 27 to 33 range. This supply has excellent long staple in the 5 to 7 inch range. Felting properties are low.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
Coopworth – Dark (Roving)
Classification: LONGWOOL
Carded roving with very minor amounts of veg. Coopworth was developed in New Zealand in the late 1960s and sports a lustrous fleece with good crimp. This roving is dark brown in colour, sprinkled with lighter tones. Most often used for midrange, outerwear or non-garment items.
Micron count for Coopworth can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 33, with a staple length of 6 to 8 inches. Wet felting properties are good. Excellent for needle felting.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Coopworth – Light (Roving)
Classification: LONGWOOL
Carded roving with very minor amounts of veg. Coopworth was developed in New Zealand in the late 1960s and sports a lustrous fleece with good crimp. This roving is medium grey-brown in colour, sprinkled with lighter tones. Most often used for midrange, outerwear or non-garment items.
Micron count for Coopworth can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 33, with a staple length of 6 to 8 inches. Wet felting properties are good. Excellent for needle felting.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Coopworth – White (Roving)
Classification: LONGWOOL
Carded roving with very minor amounts of veg. Coopworth was developed in New Zealand in the late 1960s and sports a lustrous fleece with good crimp. This roving is creamy-white in colour. Most often used for midrange, outerwear or non-garment items.
Micron count for Coopworth can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 33, with a staple length of 6 to 8 inches. Felting properties are good.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Corriedale – Dark (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Very clean combed top, rich chocolate-brown with a slight amount of grey. We always highly recommend Corriedale for beginning spinners, because it's easy-to-handle and neither too short or too long. Well-suited for midrange, outerwear and non-garment uses.
Micron count for Corriedale can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 30, with a staple length of 3.5 to 4 inches. Felting properties are very good.
We carry many colours as well, see Fibres> Dyed Roving & Top> Wool> Ashford Corriedale.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Corriedale – Light (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Very clean combed top, in a beautiful light ash-grey sprinkled with black. We always highly recommend Corriedale for beginning spinners, because it's easy-to-handle and neither too short or too long. Well-suited for midrange, outerwear and non-garment uses.
Micron count for Corriedale can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 30, with a staple length of 3.5 to 4 inches. Felting properties are very good.
We carry many colours as well, see Fibres> Dyed Roving & Top> Wool> Ashford Corriedale.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Corriedale – Medium (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Very clean combed top, in a lively blend of soft ash and medium grey. We always highly recommend Corriedale for beginning spinners, because it's easy-to-handle and neither too short or too long. Well-suited for midrange, outerwear and non-garment uses.
Micron count for Corriedale can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 30, with a staple length of 3.5 to 4 inches. Felting properties are very good.
We carry many colours as well, see Fibres> Dyed Roving & Top> Wool> Ashford Corriedale.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Corriedale – Natural Fusion (Top)
100% 30-micron Corriedale wool sliver, easy to spin and very clean. Ashford produces this streaky bland with lengthwise stripes of natural white, light, medium and dark Corriedale. Excellent for spinning or felting.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Corriedale – White (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Very clean combed top, creamy-white in colour. We always highly recommend Corriedale for beginning spinners, because it's easy-to-handle and neither too short or too long. Well-suited for midrange, outerwear and non-garment uses.
Micron count for Corriedale can vary, but this supply is among the softest you will find, at 30, with a staple length of 3.5 to 4 inches. Felting properties are very good.
We carry many colours as well, see Fibres> Dyed Roving & Top> Wool> Ashford Corriedale.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Falkland (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Combed top, very clean. Falkland is similar to Corriedale in character, creamy white in colour with a soft hand. Not always considered a true breed, but more of a crossbreed that has developed on the Falkland Islands due to isolation over many years. Suitable for midrange, outerwear and non-garment uses.
Micron count for Falkland is 26 to 34 with a staple length of 4 to 5 inches. We can't find a listing for felting properties but it's probably good.
Finn – White (Top)
Classification: MEDIUM WOOL
Combed top, very clean and a bright creamy-white. More formerly called Finnish Landrace or Finnsheep and indeed it originates in Finland. Finn has a fairly long staple as well as good crimp and is suitable for next-to-skin, midrange or outerwear uses
Micron count for Finn is 24 to 31 with a staple length of 3 to 6 inches. Felting properties are excellent.
Gotland – Grey (Top)
Classification: LONGWOOL
Combed top, very clean. This breed originated on the Island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea and is widely raised in Sweden. It features lustrous and silky fibre, our supply being a blend of medium brown and creamy grey. Most often used for outerwear.
Micron count for Gotland is in the 48 to 52 range (though ours seems softer), with a staple length from 3 to 5 inches, relatively short for a Longwool. Felting properties are excellent.
Icelandic – Black (Top)
Classification: DUAL-COATED
Clean combed top with minimal to no veg. Icelandic sheep have a double coat, and nearly always both types of hair have been carded together. This top is very dark brown-black, sprinkled with lighter tones. Best suited for outerwear or non-garment items.
Micron count is difficult to assign because of the double coat. Wet felting properties are excellent, also great for needle felting.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
Icelandic – Grey (Top)
Classification: DUAL-COATED
Clean combed top with minimal to no veg. Icelandic sheep have a double coat, and nearly always both types of hair have been carded together. This top is dark charcoal grey, liberally sprinkled with lighter grey. Makes a heathered yarn and gives intersting results when dyed. Best suited for outerwear and non-garment items.
Micron count is difficult to assign because of the double coat. Felting properties are excellent.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
Jacob – Black (Top)
Classification: PRIMITIVE
Combed top with little to no veg. Jacob are one of the few multicolour (and multihorned) sheep, of ancient origin. This top is a deep and rich black-brown peppered lightly with grey. Certainly soft enough to use for sweaters and a scarf or three.
Micron count is typically in the 27 to 35 range, with a staple length of 5 to 6 inches. Felting properties are good.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM
Jacob – Grey (Top)
Classification: PRIMITIVE
Combed top with little to no veg. Jacob are one of the few multicolour (and multihorned) sheep, of ancient origin. This top is a gorgeous heathered blend of ash, grey and black. Certainly soft enough to use for sweaters, mittens and scarves.
Micron count is typically in the 27 to 35 range, with a staple length of 4 to 6 inches. Felting properties are good.
NOTE: Our supply usually includes a moderate amount of GUARD HAIRS sprinkled throughout the fibre. These are a fair bit coarser than the base fibres. Combing them out might be an option, if they are a problem for your intended project.
PRODUCT of UNITED KINGDOM