Now that you have enjoyed your Cheviot – and who wouldn’t? – it’s time to talk about the next installment in our celebration of sheep. What, you ask, are we doing now? Goodness naturally. Delicious, yummy, wooly, goodness in the form of…..
Bond!
It is soft, crimpy and wonderful. It’s great for lace, great for next to skin, great for warmth, great for stitch definition. And it has Merino in its bloodline, which you could probably tell from that description. But Bond is a different fiber. It has more bounce, more loft and that comes from the other half of its lineage. It is also featured in our Beth Smith Sampler and if you’ve had the fortune to try it, I’m sure you know how wonderful it is. Now is a great time to get enough for a project.
Bond is, well, heavenly. It is the result of a Peppin Merino and Lincoln cross by those spunky Aussies. It is one of the few breeds I look for coated, and all of the Bond I carry has been. It’s all clean and lustrous and has amazing crimp and lock length. The color variety is extensive and I’d love to be able to carry every single shade. Personally, I think this breed lends itself to the creamy brown and moorit shades and the silvers very very well. I love this breed so much I have at least 6 full fleeces – one of which is being prepared for weaving fabric for a tailored houndstooth coat! It soft and wonderful and it was the only breed my, now gone from us, shih tzu Crackers would wear for his sweater. And it kept lovely stitch definition for cables.
I also like to leave a little bit of lanolin in this fiber for spinning, especially if I’m doing anything woolen. It does make lovely woolen yarns, even with that lengthy staple.
Since I do have a penchant for the moorit shades of this fleece, our samples for you are from a lovely pale milk chocolate moorit fleece. I have my customary lace sample, stockinette sample and samples of 3 ply and 2 ply yarns. I would definitely weave this as a closer sett but it’s so nice anyway and the others well, so yummy.
So check out our current stock of Bond before they’re all snatched up!
I am so glad you highlighted Bond as the sheep breed of the month. I had never thought of buying it before, but your description really inspired me to try it. I just received it yesterday and am washing it right now. It is soooooooo beautiful! I can not wait to spin it. The locks are so long and soft. I always recommend your shop to my students when I am teaching hand spinning. Your selection and quality is the best there is. Thanks so much!!
Thanks Heather! I’m happy we can be such a great resource for you and for your students. Let us know if you are ever looking for something! We are glad you are enjoying the Bond – it really is a wonderful fiber!