‘Give Fleece A Chance’ is a collaborative knitting project creating a flock of sheep using wool sourced from the South West of England. The main aim is to connect wool producers to wool users; connecting farmers and smallholders with people who want to use local wool.
2013: ‘Give Fleece A Chance’ has now finished and we are not taking any more submissions. Thank you to everyone who contributed, either fleece or yarn, or by knitting a sheep.
How the project evolved can be read in the news section.
Photos and information about all the sheep knitted can be found in our catalogue of sheep.
There are links to all the yarn and fleece suppliers in the links section.
The pattern for the sheep can be downloaded from the pattern page.
June 2011: Working with the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World (CCANW) we have developed an online Wool Directory for British wool producers and wool users. We are listing farmers and smallholders who have fleece and hopefully connecting them up to those of us who want to use local fleece. Please visit us at www.wooldirectory.org.uk for more details.
Hello, My hubby John and I are thinking of purchasing some Ryeland sheep later this year. We live in Devon so would ideally like to find a breeder in this area. Can anyone help us please?
Teresa Sawyer
Hello Teresa,
We breed Ryelands. We’re not in your area but would be pleased to help. There’s also The Ryeland Flockbook Society (on line) who will help you too, but please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. You can find me on Facebook: Helen Batchelor-Chambers.
Hope this helps
Helen
Hello,
Unfortunately most of this year’s wool clip has gone, although I have a few Shropshire and Shropshire cross fleeces available if anybody would be interested.
Please keep me informed about future events etc. I have a small flock (20 ewes) of Shropshire and Shropshire cross ewes, and would always be interseted in alternative ways to market the wool.
Kind regards,
Monique Hustinx.
Thanks Monique, for letting everyone know about your fleeces. Hopefully someone will get in touch and buy your Shropshires. I’ll also add your name to our email list. I don’t know what part of the UK you are in but the Wool Directory (www.wooldirectory.org.uk) could be a way of marketing your fleeces in the fouture. At the moment it is for South West wool producers only but we also list people who use fleece so it may be worth having a look at those.
Best wishes, Claire