Fiber Information and Care

The wool from Icelandic sheep, open with a low grease weight, is very versatile. The fleece comes in a fine soft undercoat called thel (spinning count 70-64) and a coarser outer coat known as tog (spinning count 56-50). The thel can be separated from the tog and spun into fine yarn. Often the two coats are loosely spun together to produce lopi yarn. Traditionally in Iceland they combed the fleece to separate the short and long fibers, as well as to blend fibers.

 We have not had to coat our sheep and the fleeces stay very clean. We skirt heavily.. This year we are also able to offer 6 month growth lamb and adult fleeces from summer pastures. The fleece is 3- 7" long, very clean and lustrous with no matting, thus more fine neck wool from the sheep is available. The lambs wool is incredibly soft and curly. Colors are limited, so first come first served. We shear in March and by the third week of September, so fleeces are available any time thereafter.  See our available Icelandic fleece, roving, batts, yarn, and pelts!
 

Like any fleece care needs to be taken in washing and dying the wool. Make sure the water bath temperature stays constant through out the washing process and minimize agitation. . Fleeces are a very low grease weight and clean so the fleeces will only loose 25-30% of grease weight, lambs fleeces even less.