Wenning Wool  specialises in processing wool yarn from Masham sheep, a rare cross breed, farmed  around Wenningdale in the north of England.   We are working with a small number of local farmers to process Masham fleeces and to sell a variety of knitting and crochet wool yarns, both natural and hand dyed, tops and fleeces.  Pure wool was neglected for many years  and yet is environmentally  sustainable, annually renewable, comfortable, both cool and warm to wear, biodegradable and now highly regarded again by the fashion industry.

The Masham breed does well on the hills in the north of England in the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland, being a cross between a Dalesbread ewe and a Teeswater ram. These upland  breeds reflect the harsh conditions of the area and the experience that local farmers have gained farming the area over the years and are crucial to the environmental sustainability of this area.

The nature of the landscape and climate means that farming in the area is largely based on small farms raising sheep and cattle.  The future of this wonderful landscape relies on ensuring that breeds like the Masham remain economically viable which is why we are promoting the greater use of its fleece for knitting and handicrafts. However numbers in the area are small so there is a limited supply of this excellent product.

 We currently have available ready to dye natural wool yarn in 4 ply/fingering, Double Knitting, and Aran weight  and at the moment a limited supply of hand dyed wool in 8 different colourways.   We also have tops/roving suitable for spinning or felting.  These are all from local Masham sheep.

The yarn is available to buy direct from us or on etsy at Wenning Wool. The internet address is pcnock68@gmail.com or by phone +441524263119 and +447443336934. We can provide a complete list of available products and prices.

Below are some examples that have been made using Masham wool.