We produce natural coloured wool with the help of our Shetland sheep and alpacas. Producing the softest natural wool is our passion. The very start of the process is choosing the genetics in our sheep flock and alpaca herd. We look for happy, healthy animals with soft, fine fleeces. We breed the Shetland sheep on farm but the alpaca herd is made up of wethered boys that live as a bachelor group as they would in the wild.
The sheep and alpacas are shorn once a year during May or June. By this time the weather is warming up and they are glad to get a haircut. We clean up the fleeces by removing bits of hay and taking out any rougher bits. We then match them together where we can and decide which natural colours we want to keep and what blends we might want to create. We have chosen not to use dyes as alpaca and Shetland sheep fleeces come in a broad spectrum of colours. The alpaca fleeces are sent to East Anglia Alpaca Mill in Norfolk and the Shetland fleeces go to Rampisham Hill Mill in Dorset. There they are spun to a range of yarns that we can sell and use for knitting, crochet and weaving.
We sell our yarns and handmade products online at Free Range Fibre. Also at Wyken Vineyards Farmers Market, Bury St Edmunds Makers Market and at yarn fairs throughout the year.
