What is Ryeland wool used for?

Uses for this fleece: Hand spinning – woollen style spinning creates a light, lofty and elastic yarn. Worsted style spinning creates a smoother compacted yarn. Dyeing – the fleece/yarn dyes well with a matte finish.

Are Ryeland sheep a rare breed?

The Ryeland breed of sheep is one of the oldest British breeds and, until recently, was classified as a rare breed. Now sufficient numbers of them exist for them to be re-classed as a “minority breed”.

Is Ryeland fleece good for spinning?

they grown an exceptionally, fine, soft and fluffy fleece, perhaps the quintessential candidate for woollen spinning, which will emphasize the fibre’s unusual loft and lightness. British Ryeland sheep come in coloured varieties from grey, black and brown, they also appear in white too.

Where do Ryeland sheep come from?

The Ryeland is one of the oldest English sheep breeds going back seven centuries when the monks of Leominster in Herefordshire bred sheep and grazed them on the rye pastures, giving them their name.

Are Ryeland sheep good for meat?

Ryeland sheep are a traditional British sheep breed. They are well known for producing excellent quality lamb and great tasting meat. Ryeland lamb is much sought after by rare-breed butchers, top chefs, hotels and restaurants. Hand spinners and weavers also seek out Ryeland wool for it texture and quality.

Are Ryeland sheep friendly?

Both produce very fine fleeces, and coloured variations of both breeds are available, adding an extra dimension to the hand-spinners’ craft. The Ryeland and the Southdown are equally well known for their docility, quickly becoming hand-tame, and seeming to enjoy human company more so than other breeds of sheep.

What makes a good Ryeland sheep?

The Ryeland is Polled breed(no horns) producing fine wool and a compact sheep that is easy to manage. the rams and ewes have lovely docile natures, the ewes are superb mothers producing strong lively lambs. The sheep are hardy and have good feet.

What is the best fleece for spinning?

Sheep bred for wool production, such as Rambouillet, Delaine Merino and Bluefaced Leicester, grow the best-quality fleece. The meat and wool breeds, Columbia, Corriedale and Romney, for example, also produce fleece that is excellent for handspinning.

Can you spin unwashed fleece?

It’s perfectly possible to spin fleece straight from the sheep without washing it, but this technique may not suit your purpose or your wool. Raw, unwashed fleece contains lanolin (grease produced by the sheep), suint (dried sweat), dust and farmyard dirt, and fragments of vegetable matter.

What are Ryeland sheep good for?

How do you look after Ryeland sheep?

Unlike some breeds of sheep Ryelands are docile and easy to look after, which makes them ideal for smallholders or people new to keeping sheep. Ryeland and Coloured Ryelands do well on a diet of good grass, without the need for additional feed. This means they are particularly suitable for organic lamb production.

How much does a Ryeland sheep weight?

Lambs will finish at around 45kg liveweight at around six months of age. produce a top quality fleece, ideal for hand spinning and craftwork. An average fleece will weigh around 2.25 – 3kg, with a staple length of 8-10cm and a Bradford Count of 56 – 58.