Tour de Fleece Day 6: Falkland
But wait, you say, Falkland isn't a breed. It isn't at all, it's a wool source. Most Falkland wool comes from Polwarth sheep, which is one of my favorites. Other common breeds are Merino and Corriedale. It is one of the more common designations for wool. I've spun at least 3 pounds over the years, with the biggest project spun as a combo spin that I knit into a Campside Cardigan.
The staple length in this top is 3-4 inches long, with some long crimp. It's not super soft/fine, but on the softer side. I spun it fine with a short forward draw and made a two ply. I think this the first time I've spun it undyed, and it drafted so easily.
It's an easy wool to find top for sale. My local store is out of stock, but I found white top for sale at all my normal stores. Cheapest I found in the US is RH Lindsay, at $12.50 per pound for white top. Some stores have breed specific (Polwarth or Merino) top listed. Due to it's commonness and price, it is one of the common breeds for hand dyers. I've spun braids of Falkland dyed by Hello Yarn, Greenwood, Happy Fuzzy, Nest, and Into the Whirled. Your favorite dyer probably has some braids, if not it is easy to dye your own.
References:
Robson, D., & Ekarius, C. (2011). The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: More Than 200 Fibers, from Animal to Spun Yarn. North Adams: Storey Publishing, LLC.
Sheep pic (https://www.falklandwoolgrowers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CNV00080.jpg (Falkland Wool Growers, 2019) ), the rest by me.
