OUR NEWEST LINE!
So So SO SOOOFFFFTTTT!!! The ultra-fine Rambouillet is like a cloud in your hands.
Never super washed, the yarn in this collection has been naturally mordanted to lock in the color as much as possible. Spinning oils from the mill have been removed using plant based laundry soap. We then hand dye it ourselves using sustainably harvested plants, insects & food waste. Scroll down for details on each of our hand dyed color ways. Our best attempt will be made to select complimentary skeins for your project.
50g 150+ yards /137 meters
- 18.2 micron American RAMBOUILLET
- 2 ply woolen spun DK
- 5.5 sts per inch on US size 6 needles 22 sts = 4"
- crochet hook size G 6
- dyed by hand on the farm using sustainably sourced plants, insect shells & food waste
One skein = 3.5 bales of hay for the flock
(Our critters consume 14 bales of locally grown hay per day from October - May when our pastures are resting. Your support puts hay in the barn and employs both the Mitchell team and the local hay grower.)
This item is from our new product line, AMERICAN FIBER.
The reason we decided to become a Yarn Company is to support the effort of bringing back American Fiber production. As a former interior designer Sherry knew all too well how many fabric mills had closed as a result of NAFTA and the increased importation of cheap labor and synthetic fabrics flooding the American market. The impact on rural North Carolina alone is devastating. Families' livelihoods GONE.
When she read Vanishing Fleece, by Clara Parkes it launched a drive to do something to support the wool industry. This is how we wound up with 170+ sheep grazing the rolling hills of our farm. But we alone can only responsibly support 200 sheep max on our land. At festivals, farmers of small flocks were imploring upon us to buy their fleeces, because wholesale collectives don't pay nearly the cost of shearing let alone coming close to offsetting the cost to raise sheep in a farm setting ethically. We, as farmers ourselves, know this cost all too well! Thus, American Fiber by Mitchell Wool was born! Look for our first farm partnership to launch this fall with a stunning low micron Shetland yarn!
Our first effort was to rescue an entire closed mills worth of fiber from being shipped overseas. We don’t know the particular farm this came from, it was sent in to the old mill to be processed and after they closed everything was auctioned. We bought all of the wool to keep it here in the USA. Our newest endeavor is to become an equitable resource for small farms to sell their clips to a Fellow farm who fully understands the value of raising it. We pay higher rates than the wholesale cooperatives so it’s an option for small farms to unload their fiber. (so long as they raise their animals with the care and standards that we hold as foundations of our practice. Animal welfare and environmental stewardship that reflects our goals)
Natural dyes are like snowflakes, each skein will vary and you should alternate skeins throughout your piece to achieve a subtle blend. Do not dry or store in direct sun. Hand wash & care for it like the heirloom it is. Natural dyes soften & fade like your favorite jeans, getting softer in hue with time. This is not a defect. It's nature.
Piglet
Vibrant hued pink and dyed using cochineal. Which is derived from the shell of an parasitic insect prevalent in India, SouthEast Asia and Nepal. Its use dates back to 250AD. We use lac concentrate and iron to develop this gorgeous soft blend of light dusky lavender hues.
BARN
Dyed on farm using Madder which is derived from a root and has been used to dye rich reds since the 16 & 17th century, with found textiles retaining their color hundreds of years later! Originating from the subcontinent of India, Central Asia and Europe.
*While not as prevalent as Indigo, madder is a natural dye that CROCKS. What does this mean? Red fingers: Read more here
Tractor
This shade of true green has been a goal of Cindy & Sherry since we started out in this botanical dyeing venture. Green is tough, it doesn't seem like it would be but obtaining a true Grassy goodness is kind of tricky. There was a lot of dull grey to get to this glorious GREEN. Cindy achieved it with Mulberry and chlorophyll.
Dandelion
Dyed with Marigold plants grown on the farm. Our spent dye matter is fed to the pigs and cattle after we're done using it. That is some safe planet impact!!
Lamb
Undyed and naturally perfect, it's as close to the bouncing lambs in the field that you can get. A soft cloud white.
Sky
Cindy has hit the nail on the head achieving the subtle grey undertones that makes a blue absolute perfection. It's raw, grounded and earthy but at the same time crisp and refreshing. Exactly like a bright early June sky. How does that happen? The Jasmine delivers the beauty. The likes of which can only come from NATURE.
