What kind of yarns and rovings do you make?

We raised happy sheep and goats on organically tended pastures in Frederick County, MD. Our flock includes Blue Faced Leicesters with fine, long, lustrous locks, Cormo sheep with superfine, crimpy fleeces, Hybrids of the BFL and Cormo and Angora goats with fine, lustrous mohair locks. We work with family run, mostly local, mills to make yarns to our specifications. We also partner with other local farms to feature alpaca and other wools that will work well with the fleeces from our animals. Specific information about each yarn is in the product description.

What other kinds of yarn and fiber do you sell?

We select some yarns made at large commercial mills to enhance our line of locally sourced yarns. We choose breed specific yarns that meet our discerning standards for softness, luster and ease of use.  Why do we do this? Because there are some yarns that simply can’t be made at a small mill, such as certain weights of yarn and yarns that include superwash wool. Our exclusive blend, Zephyrette is made for us from our specifications in Peru.

What kind of dye do you use?

All of our yarns are hand dyed by me in small batches, whether it is semi-solid or variegated, you will see an artist’s touch. I use acid dyes specifically made for protein fibers. This dye has a very low environmental impact on our land. This is important to us since we are on a well and septic system.  In my dye process, all of the dye particles are bonded onto the yarn. All that is going into my septic system is vinegar water.  Much of the water is recycled in our natural dye garden without any adverse effects. These skeins have been hot water dyed, so there will be very little shrinkage. The yarn is thoroughly rinsed, however I do suggest that the 1^st washing should be done separately as a precaution.

We are starting to offer naturally dyed yarns on our “Fibershed” Polypay yarn.

Due to our dye process, exact colors and color placement may vary from skein to skein even within the same dye lot. All skeins are light and color fast, so the investment of time and money in your lovely handcrafted item will have been worth it. All yarn was made in a pet-friendly, non-smoking home.

I can’t find the colorway that I bought at a show or festival.

Some of our colorways are available only at a festival or show. If you are looking for a specific colorway, please contact me at goatherd@flyinggoatfarm.com and I can see if it is available or if I can dye up some especially for you.

 How should I use hand-dyed yarn to show it off the best?

When dyeing, I pay a lot of attention to making consistent yarns, however, there are subtle differences between skeins within the same pot and between different dye lots.  For the most beautiful projects, I suggest using a 2 skein method. Either knit every 2 rows from a different skein throughout your project or “fade” in the new skein by using 2 skeins as you are finishing the first skein and starting the second one. If you are planning a larger project, you should purchase all the yarn you need at one time, as there are differences in dye lots.  If you are planning a larger project, let’s work together to pick yarn and colorway that delights you! I will custom dye my yarn at no extra charge. Hand washing of your handmade items is recommended to maintain the integrity of the yarn and fabric you have spent so much time making

How do you photograph your work?

All pictures are taken with the intention of capturing the true color of the yarn.  Every effort is made to show accurate colors, however they may appear different when viewed on different monitors and not all colors will appear the same on each monitor or in person. If you have questions about a color, send me an email.