British Sheep Wool

Wee Scarves – Scarves – Table Runners – Wee Wraps – Wraps

Margaret’s specialty is naturally colored wool from primitive, rare, and threatened British sheep breeds.  In the 1970’s, there was a growing recognition in both the UK and the USA that many livestock breeds were in serious decline, and in fact several breeds had already become extinct. The timely establishment of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) UK, and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) USA, together with the dedication of loyal flock keepers, sheep farmers, and consumers of wool and meat products, is leading to increased populations of primitive, rare, and threatened British breeds.

Ireland

Photograph by Rachael Wallis

Through handweaving, Margaret is dedicated to raising public awareness of the fragile future of these sheep. Woven works are offered using a vast selection of British sheep wool, many certified organic, amd most obtained directly from the UK. Margaret respects and is in awe of her wool sources. To have the privilege of working with British sheep breeders in the USA and the UK who continually battle the odds by raising sheep that are generally small in number and stature, in addition to producing fleece that is not always marketable because of uncommon colors and textures. The fortuitous finding of a devoted handspinner in the UK, also pursuing preservation, whose skill and artistry expresses the spirit of these legendary breeds through her handspun yarns. With the wools from these sources, Margaret’s woven objective is for each creation to look as if it were lifted directly from the sheep itself: robust, lustrous, unrefined, sleek, rugged, elegant. The unusual and varied fleece characteristics of these historically extraordinary creatures highlight each one-of-a-kind piece.

Primitive, rare, or threatened British sheep breeds currently represented by Antrim Handweaving

Soay

Soay sheep are believed to be the closest living descendants of the original sheep that were introduced into Europe in prehistoric times.  They still live wild on the tiny, extremely remote St. Kilda Islands beyond Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.  They are small, very hardy, and nimble, and have preserved much of the genetic diversity of sheep that was present before they were domesticated.  The fleece is not shorn, but naturally shed, a most primitive characteristic.  The residents of St. Kilda, who had inhabited these barren islands for 2000 years, would row from Hirta, the largest island, to the island of Soay to gather the fleece.  Following increasing intrusion by the modern world (“missionaries, do-gooders, and tourists”), which eventually destroyed the St. Kildans’ primitive way of life, the inhabitants were permanently evacuated to the Scottish mainland in 1930.  Soay sheep coloration varies from light tan to dark brown/black, with distinctive cream markings.  Fleece quality ranges from a fine, downy, undercoat to a coarser outercoat. True variation from sheep to sheep provides the fiber artist with unparalleled opportunity.

Soay sheep, Wales

Photograph by Kathie Miller

Antrim Handweaving is actively working with Kathie Miller, Southern Oregon Soay Sheep Farms, www.soayfarms.com.  A mutual concern of what is easily lost and often irreplaceable, whether a sheep breed or the art of handweaving, has led to an ongoing collaborative effort to preserve both.  What has grown out of a simple request for Soay fleece, from a handweaver on the East coast to a sheep farmer, historian, and artist on the West coast, is a full fledged devotion to raise awareness of a most legendary breed, the Soay sheep. British registered Soay fleece is rooed (plucked) by Kathie, processed at a small, family-owned New England mill, and pieces are woven by Margaret.  Through combined efforts, Soay handwoven pieces are now available in limited quantity.

Soay ewe, St. Kilda

Photograph by Kathie Miller

Boreray

Since the end of the 19th century, Boreray sheep were kept on the St. Kilda Islands (Scotland) of Hirta and Boreray.They are descendants of the extinct Scottish Tan Face with some crossing of Hebridean Blackface, the domestic sheep kept by the St. Kildans.  In 1930, the last remaining inhabitants of Hirta (main island of St. Kilda) and their livestock were evacuated to the mainland.  Their small replacement flock living on Boreray were left to their own fate and have continued to live feral ever since.  In the 1970’s, a group of six were brought to the mainland and the descendants of that group are registered with RBST.   Face and leg coloring varies from mottled black and white to greyish with some completely black, white or tan, free of wool.  Both sexes are horned with rams being heavily spiralled.  Fleece ranges from creamy white to tan with occasional grey, dark brown or blackish coloring often forming a distinctive collar round the neck.  Double coated fleece,  a coarse outer wool with finer inner wool, is shed naturally.

Boreray sheep, Wales

Photograph by Kathie Miller

Balwen

Balwen is a colored type of the Welsh Mountain breed, native to the Welsh hills and mountains.  Derived from the Welsh word meaning “white blaze”, the Balwen originated from one small area of Wales - Tywi Valley.  Their population declined as native habitat was planted with coniferous woodland.  Despite having evolved as a very hardy breed able to handle strong, cold winds, heavy rainfall, and scarce grazing, the breed was nearly wiped out after a particularly harsh winter in 1947.  It has been recorded only one ram survived.  Balwens are black, dark brown or dark grey sheep with a white stripe running from the poll of their head to the top of the nose (white blaze), four white feet and white on the tip half of their long tails.  Wool is surprisingly soft and springy, hairy with some kemp.

© 2010 Antrim Handweaving – all rights reserved

Balwen sheep, Wales

Photograph by Kathie Miller