Corriedale — long way homestead

About the Sheep
The Corriedale breed was developed in New Zealand in the 1880's as a dual purpose breed intended to graze on pastures that were not well suited to the dominant sheep breeds already being used. Originally developed by breeding Merino sheep and the Lincoln long-wool sheep. The intention (and result) was a hardy animal who thrived on a range of conditions and provide both excellent meat and wool. They are a prominent breed in South America and can also be found in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. They are often recognizable by the wooly 'topknots' on the top of their heads.

To learn more about Corriedales check out the the Australian Corriedale Association

Corriedale Sheep at Dog Tale Ranch - Photo by Arlette Seib

About the Wool
Corriedale wool is a versatile, reliable fibre and can be utilized in many ways. Although there can be large variances within the breed (and even sometimes on an individual animal) it is generally a medium-fine wool with a long staple, some luster and a well defined, tight crimp.

The crimp means there is lots of resilience and loft, and the fineness of corriedale means it can also be worn next to the skin. Corriedale wool and yarn can be found commercially with relative ease and can also be found as a local farm yarn across Canada and the USA. Corriedales are usually white, but also come in gray through black and beige to brown.

Corriedale felts remarkably well and is excellent for taking dye. It is a great fibre for socks (with its long staple and resiliency and the fineness. It also works for sweaters, mittens, blankets, clothing and household textiles.

Average staple length: 3 - 6" inches

Fibre diameter: 25 - 31 microns

Fleece weight is between 10 - 20lbs

Form: Rectangular and dense locks with clearly defined crimp

Our wool is sourced from a large range farm in Southeastern Saskatchewan. The farmers focus on raising quality herding dogs, and the sheep are a happy by-product. They run a flock of approximately 500 ewes that are pasture raised on the vast range of Saskatchewan.

We generally spin this Corriedale wool as a lofty 2-ply to show off the bouncy nature of the wool.

Thanks to Gabrielle Ayres for these beautiful pictures of her Knotwork Cabled Headband made with our 3-ply corriedale yarn from this years Breed of the Month.