Why Shetlands
Sometimes, Small is Best!
I got my first two Shetland sheep, Betty and Tapioca in 2014. I knew I wanted Shetland sheep after reading about their history and characteristics -- then seeing them at The Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon. These smallest of sheep breeds is a primitive -- keeping many of its ancient instincts and physical characteristics, like a short tail and the release (shedding) of its fleece. We learned to see the "rise of the weep" the way the fleece acts on their bodies when it is released from the skin. I learned what kind of pulling worked -- how much, how fast, and how to move about the body.​
All the Shetland yarn on this site is from our sheep -- the ones we feed each night, move to new pastures often, and roo and vaccinate once a year. We clean, card, draft and spin each fleece so you can choose among the subtle shade differences in each animal. You get to meet the sheep for each yarn skein in that yarn's description, its history, character, and a picture.
​
See fun videos at
We learned much about Shetlands from the first US farm to import them back in the early 80s, Maple Ridge in Vermont and from the National Shetland Sheep Breeders Association - NASSA.
