american wool raised in New Hampshire

Shear:
Wellscroft Dorset

natural undyed fibers

Introducing Shear: Wellscroft Dorset

The wool for our third offering of Shear originates quite close to home: Wellscroft Farm in Harrisville, NH, one of New England's largest working sheep farms, with over 300 acres of forest and pasture for their livestock. Known not only for their impressive Dorset flock but also for their exemplary herding dogs, Wellscroft exemplifies the harmony of farming and animal stewardship. The fleece from these sheep boasts a range of colors, and we've carefully blended them to create four all-natural, undyed shades, from natural white to heathered brown.

Spinning Shear: Wellscroft Dorset

An excellent fiber choice for woolen-spun yarns, Dorset is a medium staple length wool with a durable, bouncy crimp. It's enjoyable to work with, and it holds up beautifully under wear and tear; while a bit more rustic than next-to-skin-soft merino and other finewools bred exclusively for their fiber, many find it surprisingly soft compared to similar types of wool in the 26-32 micron-count range.

Suitable for all manner of projects from socks to sweaters, Wellscroft Dorset creates a beautiful fabric with crisp but lofty stitch definition—whether in plain stockinette or garter stitch, cables, lace, or colorwork. As the fiber enjoys minimal processing, you may find bits of vegetable matter here and there in the wool, which are easily removed.

Wellscroft Dorset: In 4 All Natural, All Beautiful Shades

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What To Knit With Shear?

We’ve curated some of our favorite patterns below that we believe would beautifully complement the newest addition to the Shear family.

Aran Weight Patterns

Kennaway Pullover

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Sheepscot Hat

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Stokehill Blanket

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Fingering Weight Patterns

Dree Pullover

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Schneeflocken

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Hishi Cowl

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Creating exceptional products for craftspeople has been the mainstay of our business for 50 years, and we continue to keep that at the forefront of what we do. We are so pleased with this latest offering in our ongoing Shear series—where high-quality, breed-specific yarns with knitter appeal meet supporting US wool production at an affordable price. We hope you love working with Wellscroft Dorset wool.

Contributors

Photography: Jennifer Bakos

Location: Wellscroft Farm, Harrisville, NH