8 Weeks of Sheep Breed Spinning and Dyeing – Merino

Looooove Merino wool! It’s no wonder why people gravitate to merino for roving and yarn! This week, in my eight weeks of sheep breed spinning and dyeing, I have dyed and spun our 64 count merino roving. This merino is so soft and easy to work with. It took the dye so beautifully and practically spins itself! This sheep breed has one of the finest and softest wools of any sheep breed in the world!

About Merino Sheep

This breed originated in Spain but was domesticated in New Zealand and Australia. The Merino sheep are a very adaptable and are excellent foragers. They have a super fine wool of about two to four inches in length with a micron count generally less than 24. The merino wool is finely crimped and extremely soft making a yarn that is springy and retains its shape very well.

Spinning Merino Sheep Roving

Spinning Merino roving is always a delight! It spins so smoothly and just glides effortlessly. The yarn is extremely soft and squishy. I did a two ply on this skein and got approximately 385 yards of a fingering weight yarn. I absolutely love spinning our 64 count merino roving and now plan on spinning enough for a sweater because at that price, you almost have to!

Dyeing Merino Sheep Roving

I used the microwave method for dyeing this time and ended up really loving it for roving. Click here for a video of how to dye roving in the microwave. I used our Country Classic Dye to dye up this braid. The dye took beautifully to the wool and I ended up with the most beautiful soft spring colors. I posted a picture of my finished braid on Facebook and I had several people message me asking if I sell them! These dyes are very professional looking and sharply pigmented. I would highly recommend you try dying up the merino with our dyes.

I very much enjoyed the process of dyeing and spinning this 64 count merino wool. It would be perfect for spinners and dyers of all levels. If you end up loving this breed’s wool, you should try spinning our Malabrigo Nube fiber! The colors are outrageously gorgeous and then you have a full skein of Malabrigo made by you! Give merino a go and have fun with your fiber crafters!