A truly magnificent double knit (DK) wool yarn from two native Welsh sheep breed.
 
This DK knitting yarn is a special blend of Llanwenog, and Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Wool, resulting in a natural shade of grey.
 
The Llanwenog is a domestic and fairly rare sheep originating in Wales, and was developed in the early 19th century with a mix of the (now extinct) Llanllwni, the Shropshire, Welsh Mountain, and Clun Forest breeds.   The native locale is the Teifi Valley in West Wales which runs from the Teifi Pools (Llyn Teifi) near Tregaron in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains, to its mouth at Cardigan (Aberteifi) between Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.   Llanwenogs have black faces and medium-length wool ranging from 30-34 microns so is a fairly robust, but soft and supple wool.
 
The Black Welsh Mountain Sheep (Defaid Mynydd Duon) in particular can trace its genotype all the way back to early Scandinavia, suggesting that perhaps its ancestors include sheep brought over to Wales by early Vikings.  These sheep were highly prized for their quality of meat, and the wool was used for clothing, and a special example is its use by monks to make their habits. The particular colour of wool they used from Black Welsh Mountain Sheep was known as cochddu, Welsh for reddish-brown, though this was due to some of the wool having sun-bleached tips.  The staple tends to be 5-10cm long, and is a medium wool with a range of 24-36 microns, making it a perfect soft but durable wool with a unique balance of colour.
 
 
By purchasing this yarn you are helping support the farming of Wales's finest rare sheep breeds, whilst also promoting the use of a very fine Welsh wool.