There is nothing quite like holding a skein of extra sheepy yarn, rich with lanolin and smelling of the farm that it was grown on. And when it comes to sheepiness (a very technical term) Jill Draper Ellsworth doesn’t disappoint.
Based in New York State in the Hudson Valley, Jill Draper specializes in hand-dyed yarns, sourced from nearby Albany County. Empire is the first yarn where Jill worked with a local farmer to design and custom spin the yarn. Jill first met Tom, a local farmer, through those fun networks of small towns that bring people together- he was looking for a market for his soft and crimpy Rambouillet wool. Since that first skein, Empire’s popularity has grown so much that Jill has brought in additional Rambouillet flocks from New York. The fleece is spun in Vermont, at worker-owned co-op Green Mountain Spinnery.
Ellsworth is a yarn Jill has dreamed of for a long time, made from Dorset wool grown in upstate NY it’s a true lace weight single. This sturdy single ply lace weight yarn is made from the wool of Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset sheep. Horned Dorsets were brought over from the UK in the late 1800s, and Polled Dorsets originated at North Carolina State College, Raleigh, NC, as a result of a mutation which occurred in the purebred Horned Dorset flock at the college. The Dorset flock that provides the wool for Ellsworth is from the Finger Lakes region of NYS & shares a farm with the Targhee that make the wool for Kingston.
The sturdy structure of the wool means lace patterns blocks into crisp shape without going limp & will wear well for years without fear of pilling. Lace shawls aren’t the only thing thing this yarn would be great for – try holding 2 (or more!) strands together for a heavier weight & marled look or use it as weft in fine weaving. This woolen spun yarn is made of a melange of dyed in the wool colors so no need to worry about dyelot. Sold on cones, you can cast on your project immediately without needing to wind! https://ravel.me/mythaca
Yarn Information
- Lace Weight
- 880yds / 805m ~4oz /113 g
- 100% Dorset wool
- woolen spun
- Approximate Gauge: 6.5-8sts/in on US#2-5 needles 2.75-3.75mm this is only a suggestion, the nature of this yarn means it can be worked at many different gauges
Mythica
![](https://fibrespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mythaca_02_medium2.webp)
Sizes:
Approx. 58 inches [147 cm] wide by 25 inches [63 cm] deep
Yarn:
MC- 420 yd 384 m fingering weight of choice
CC1- 670 yd 613 m of lace weight / 1 cone of Ellsworth
CC2- 210 yd 192 m of lace weight / 1 cone of Ellsworth
Needles and notions:
-
Needles:
US 5 – 3.75 mm
US 4 – 3.5 mm
US 7 – 4.5 mm - Stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
Calad Shirt
![](https://fibrespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/calad-shirt.jpeg)
Sizes:
XS, S, M, L ,XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL
Yarn:
700-1260 yards for the main colour (1-2 cones of Ellsworth) and 185-400 yards (1 cone Ellsworth) for the lace parts.
Hook:
3.00 mm crochet hook (or any size that will fit the gauge)
Echo Flower Shawl
![](https://fibrespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Echo1-1024x870.jpeg)
Size:
One Size
Yarn:
1 Cone Ellsworth
Needles:
US 5 – 3.75 mm
French Market Bag
![](https://fibrespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/French_market_bag_bnk_medium2.jpeg)
One Size
Stitch Markers
Tapestry Needle
Leather Handles