This Breed Study focuses on the Oxford Down sheep breed, which currently sits on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s 2019-2020 watch list. Published in summer 2019, this list encapsulates the most vulnerable and at risk breeds and estimates only 1,500- 3,000 adult breeding females left producing pure-bred lambs in the UK.
As part of the Breed Study series, I am processing a sample of Oxford Down fleece from raw to knitted article to see what this fantastic breed fleece can be turned into on my needles!
I will upload photos and descriptions of the process as I go, and am looking forward to taking this mini project from start to finish in a relatively short time (I only have 50 grams). This is part of something we are doing at the Oxford Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, where I am a member, so I am feeling the pressure to actually finish something for once…and despite being probably the least experienced of the group, I have a nagging feeling my fairly strong competitive streak is starting to come to the fore, which may not end up all that well for me…
