- Wool is warm and toasty to wear Fall through Spring. In fact, it can keep you cool in Summer as well (surprising, I know, but read about the thermal properties of wool).
- Wool connects me to sheep, an animal that has provided fiber for clothing for thousands of years worldwide.
- Wool is nearly waterproof, is still warm when wet, and can be made waterproof by felting. It reminds me that some ancient and modern people have used large mats of wool felt to create nomadic housing (yurts). At one time I considered building a yurt in my back yard as a weaving studio!
- Wool is a renewable resource – fleeces must be shorn from sheep every year to keep them healthy, and we benefit from the yarn spun from the fleece.
- Wool yarn comes in a variety of sizes, from lace weight to bulky, so there is never a shortage of accessories I can knit.
- Knitting with wool is good for the hands. Some wool yarns are minimally processed and still contain lanolin (the sheep’s natural “oil” in the fleece), providing a nice waxy smell, and smoothing the hands that are gently exercised by knitting.
- Knitting with wool connects me to my ancestors who also knit with wool. Browsing through vintage knitting magazines and reading articles about historic and traditional knitting patterns offers me more connection.
- Buying wool yarn from local farmers in my area helps to protect the local economy, buying as close to the source as I can (as I am not a shepherdess). Sometimes I even know the name of the sheep whose wool I use.
- Buying wool yarn that is locally and regionally produced in other parts of the country and the world helps to protect those local economies and to create and maintain community supported agricultural efforts.
- I like to share my knitted wool accessories by wearing them, displaying them at my yarn shop, teaching knitting classes, designing knitting patterns to sell, and spreading the word about my love for wool. I like the community that wool helps to create. See more Yarn * Crafts * Community at http://www.sheepandshawl.com or come by the shop and chat a while.
Keep hope alive! Knit on!
NEW! Private Appointment Shopping! Please call 413-397-3680 to schedule your appointment (until we get the online calendar set up). We will only be re-opening for half-hour appointments for one person at a time (or two from the same household). Please see full information on the Home Page. We are still filling orders by phone, email, curbside pickup, US mail, and Etsy! sheepandshawl.etsy.com
We will update here and on our facebook page as needed.Outdoor Crafts Circle in the shop’s backyard on Wednesday mornings from 10 – 11. Just one hour (ish) – no bathroom available. You must bring your own mask & chair, snacks, water, hat, sunglasses, crafts of your choosing. We will sit 6 – 10 feet apart. Rain date if we need it will be Friday, 10 – 11. We now have two tents for shade!
Outdoor Classes – We are considering this option for classes for 3 students (6 feet apart) under a tent in our back yard. Please let us know your thoughts and whether you think this is a good idea.
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