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These
yarns are created especially for you. Living in the Ozark hills overlooking
the Missouri River, we choose our lambs and goats for the natural colored
fibers.
First the raw wool is washed, cleaning the fleeces and preshrinking the
fibers. After washing, the vibrant colors are attained by hand dyeing with
natural and synthetic dyes. The fibers are then carded on a large drum
carder and handspun on a Louet wheel to give a unique texture. |
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We minimize the processing of our yarns to preserve the special natural
qualities that most modern yarns lose. Which means, you will occasionally
find small bits of nature in the material. (Machine yarns are often over
processed using strong chemicals that cause the breakage of the fiber and
lowers the quality of the yarn.)
When purchasing our yarns, try to buy enough for the entire project from
the same lot. Each batch is a unique combination of dyed wools.
Additionally, every year, as the sheep and goats age, their coats change
color. These two factors make the yarn colors extremely difficult to
duplicate later, so it’s important to purchase enough for your entire
project.
Over time the garments will peel, leaving a smoother finish. This is a
natural aging process and does not affect the quality. I still have woven
Shepard coats and blankets in great condition after more than 20 years. |
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Growing up the oldest
of a large farming family in the Ozarks, along the Missouri River, we were
very much a part of nature. It was all around us. Over twenty years ago,
my wife and I bought a small farm and we inherited two ewes. The next
spring, we had two fleeces, and Ozark Handspun was born.
Six years later, with a growing family to support, there was not
enough time to be an artist, a father, a farmer, and a provider. So, we
left the farm and moved to town to provide greater opportunities for our
daughter. That winter, in 1986, all the spinning equipment and Ozark
Handspun went in to hibernation. |
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In 2003, semi-retired and visiting our daughter in California, we
walked into a yarn shop and could not believe the interest in knitting and
all the unusual yarns available today. Some were wonderful, but I told my
wife, "I can make yarns better than some of these."
We came home to Missouri and called an old friend from 20 years
back to buy some raw wool and mohair. Out from storage came the spinning
wheel and equipment. I immediately began washing, dyeing, carding, and
spinning. Ozark Handspun was reborn. |
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