Local knitter and farmer Annie Musgrove has launched the Meadow Farm Wool Project to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and the brain injury charity, Headway. Home knitters are able to source their own knitting wool by leasing one or more Jacob sheep from Annie Musgrove’s smallholding, Meadow Farm, near Wellington in Somerset. The project is being undertaken by Annie and her university friend and fellow knitter, Jane Allberry.
This rare breed of sheep yields high quality fleeces which are used to produce natural knitting yarns. The Jacob fleece is mixed with lambswool from nearby Cheddar to produce a soft, high quality yarn, which is spun in Yorkshire before being shipped on to individual knitters. Home knitters who lease a sheep are thus able to trace their wool from field to jumper.
So why rent the sheep out? Annie explains, “Leasing sheep in this way gives knitters the opportunity to get lovely wool from Jacob sheep and, at the same time, support two good causes. Leasing costs £60 per year and, in return, you get enough wool to knit a jumper or lots of socks, gloves and hats.” Jane adds: “Annie and I are keen to support the Teenage Cancer Trust and Headway as our youngest children have been helped by these charities in the past year. We have now leased out enough sheep to cover the first set of spinning costs, so further rentals will provide funds for these charities.”
For further information, go to www.mfwoolproject.co.uk. Or email contact@mfwoolproject.co.uk