2022 Shearing

Fingering Weight!! In the entire range of colors!

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 dyed it using plant matter, insect concentrates, and food scraps to develop these gorgeous  hues. Our best attempt will be made to select complimentary skeins for your project. 

50g 195 meters / 213 yards

• 19.92 microns
• 2 ply woolen spun
• 7.5 sts per inch on US size 2 needles  30 sts = 4"
• crochet hook size C
• dyed by hand on the farm using sustainably sourced lac insect shells

One skein = 2 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.) 

Includes the fiber of our Targhee sheep- Stephen Hawking, Billie Jean King, Sweet Tea, Ffiona, Bertha, Karen, Estelle, Regina, Bubba, Forrest, Andre, Iris, Stevie Yzerman & Dorothy Vaughn

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. 

RAW- untouched and natural, it's as close to the sheep as you can get. Only with Bamboo added for strength and extreme comfort.

Carol's Coral-

Our Mom, Carol, loved the color CORAL so we've named this luscious shade in memory of her. Cindy achieved the hue using multiple dye processes of marigold and cochineal. Cochineal is a scaled insect that invades the Nopal Cactus that is roughly the size of a grain of rice.

CUTCH-

Cutch comes from the bark of the Acacia Catechu tree and was originally from India and regions of Asia. Ours is sourced from an American company that creates concentrates. 

LAC- violet hued and derived from the shell of an 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.

Madder- 

Madder 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

Marigold-

We grow the marigolds that we dye with right here on the farm. Our dye matter is so safe that we extend its use by feeding our spent blooms to our pigs and cattle! 

Mighty Mac- 

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 Irish/Kelly/Mossy/Spring 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.