Wensleydale

Wensleydale are known for their distinctive appearance, characterized by long, curly wool that hangs in lustrous ringlets. These ringlets often hang down over the sheep’s face, resulting in a uniquely angst-filled emo look, despite their calm nature.

Wensleydale fleece is unique in that it typically feels rather soft for a long wool and can often be worn next to skin. While the sheep may grow as much as 12” of fleece in a year, we often find that producers shear twice a year depending on their breeding and shearing programs. This means that we can often find Wensleydale in four, six, and eight inch lengths. Their curly wool locks are easy to open for processing and spinning, and can be found in white, brown, a variety of grays, and black.

Wensleydales are also great for crossbreeding. They tend to impart length, sheen, and an open lock structure when crossed with fine wool breeds, while retaining a soft hand.

Corriedale x Romeldale x Wensleydale x Romney #22088
Price range: $42.00 through $138.00
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A variegated gray, brown, black, and blonde fleece with Corriedale, Romeldale, Wensleydale, and Romney lineage. This This fleece has 5″ long locks and a medium hand; its an intriguing fleece that could fit a wide variety of projects.
CVM x Corriedale x Wensleydale #23183
Price range: $38.00 through $66.00
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Outside of a Jacob fleece, you do not typically see the stark white and brown coloring this fleece exhibits. Outside of a BFL fleece, you do not typically see the uber-curly, highly energized locks this fleece exhibits. So, obviously, this fleece has neither of those breeds in its lineage! This is a brown and white, 4″ long, sproingy, three way crossbreed of CVM, Corriedale, and Wensleydale, that will be next to skin soft for most people.
CVM x Corriedale x Wensleydale #24188
Price range: $40.00 through $70.00
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What’s white and brown and soft all over? This fleece! This crossbreed has a fun color variegation thanks to its CVM lineage, as well as energized 4″ locks and a handle that will be next to skin soft for most people.
CVM x Cotswold x Wensleydale x Lincoln #2135
Price range: $40.00 through $133.00
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A fun four-breed cross measuring 4.5″ in length. The locks are both crimpy and wavy, as sometimes happens in a crossbreed. This fleece did pick up some variegation in its color from the CVM lineage and the tans and light grays are best described as oatmeal in color. Don’t you need more fiber in your diet?
CVM x Wensleydale #20129
Price range: $49.00 through $92.00
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A fun crossbreed measuring as much as 9″ in length with a medium to soft hand. This fleece has thick, bold locks that are cotted (lightly felted) at the cut ends. In order to be spun, this fleece will require some work with a Lock Pop or combs and there will be a fair amount of waste. However, if used for a felting project – vegan sheep skins come to mind – this fleece is ready to use as is. Pricing on this fleece has been lowered to reflect the assumption of loss when processing for spinning.
CVM x Wensleydale #2176
Price range: $46.00 through $152.00
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A fine wool and long wool crossbreed featuring two of our favorite breeds. This fleece has a medium to soft hand, energized locks measuring four to five inches in length, and a deep black color with hints of brown and charcoal. This is additional fleece from our March 2026 Bliss club.
CVM x Wensleydale #2177
Price range: $38.00 through $126.00
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A CVM and Wensleydale crossbreed that definitely exhibits the “V” in CVM: variegation. Lock structure ranges from thin french fries to bold and Corriedale-like, color ranges from white to medium gray with blonde tips, and length is in the four to five inch long range. Handle is medium but may be soft enough for next to skin for some people.
CVM x Wensleydale #22130
Price range: $23.00 through $72.00
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A fine wool and long wool crossbreed featuring two of our favorite breeds. This fleece has a medium to soft hand, indistinct locks measuring around four inches in length, and variegated charcoal and gray coloring. This fleece is very similar to our March 2026 Bliss club, but with a little less energized and distinct locks.
CVM x Wensleydale #23175
Price range: $46.00 through $153.00
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A soft 4.5″ crossbreed in a lightly-variegated coloration we call oatmeal. This is one of our favorite pairs of breeds to see in a crossbreed fleece; it borrows length and sheen from the longwool and color, fineness, and energy from the fine wool.
CVM x Wensleydale #23237
Price range: $41.00 through $134.00
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A cross of two of our favorite breeds, resulting in a charcoal, silver, and tan fleece with a soft hand and four to five inch long locks.
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CVM x Wensleydale #25239
Price range: $23.00 through $73.00
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A rare white version of this crossbreed. Some of the variegation of the CVM lingers here, as there are occassional pops of tan, brown, and gray in this fleece. It measures around five inches in length with a medium to soft hand and wavy, open locks.
CVM x Wensleydale #622121
$155.00
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A high energy crossbreed that reminds us that the “V” in CVM stands for variegated, as this fleece sports just about every shade of gray from light to dark. The locks measure around 5″ but snap back to around 4″ and have a soft hand. Sold as a half fleece weighing 1.3 pounds.
CVM x Wensleydale #72183
$297.00
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A fine wool and long wool cross featuring two of our favorite breeds. This fleece has a medium hand with curly, open locks measuring five inches in length. It is variegated between a dark silver and light charcoal, which is to say it is mostly medium gray but has an interesting depth of color, along with blonde tips. Sold as a whole fleece weighing 2.5 pounds.
CVM x Wensleydale x Lincoln #2140
Price range: $47.00 through $158.00
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A 4.5″ crossbreed with lots of sproing and medium to soft hand. We landed on “oatmeal” as a color designation on this fleece, as it is a mottled light gray and tan.
Imperfect Merino x Lincoln x Cormo x Wensleydale #41718
$40.00
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A soft crossbreed with open 4″ locks and lovely charcoal and brown hue. This fleece definietly had a break at the root (cut) end, but we also found it to be tender in a couple spots around the fleece, so your mileage may vary with this one. Sold in increments of one pound each.
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Imperfect Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale Lamb #425334
$167.00
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This lovely lamb fleece comes from a crossbreed of 50% Teeswater, 25% CVM, and 25% Wensleydale, so it’s not surprising that it measures seven inches and longer and has plenty of luster. It is crimpy and soft, and about 2/3 white and 1/3 black with a smattering of grays. This fleece is in our Imperfect category for having more vegetable matter than we typically allow; it is mostly large pieces that come out easily but it does need to be processed by hand. Sold as a whole fleece weighing 2.1 pounds.
Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale #624194
$195.00
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A fun crossbreed measuring around six inches in length with a medium to soft hand that will be next to skin soft for most people. Thanks to the influence of the CVM, this fleece is mostly black with some white and light gray variegation throughout. Sold as a half fleece weighing 1.6 pounds.
Wensleydale #2180
Price range: $20.00 through $119.00
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An uber-curly Wensleydale sporting a variety of gray shades. Its distinct locks are medium to soft and measure six inches and longer.
Wensleydale #22172
Price range: $24.00 through $75.00
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A variegated moorit-gray Wensleydale fleece. Locks are four inches in length and have a very high luster with typical Wensleydale crimp. You will not be disappointed with this one.
Wensleydale #23135
Price range: $24.00 through $77.00
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A gorgeously variegated Wensleydale lamb fleece sporting shades of silver and tan. The distinct locks are curly, have a medium to soft hand, and are six inches in length.
Wensleydale #238
Price range: $44.00 through $77.00
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A moorit Wensleydale lamb fleece with loose, wavy locks measuring 4 to 5 inches in length and an exceptionally soft hand. Colors in this fleece range from blonde to brown to steel gray.
Wensleydale #239
Price range: $24.00 through $143.00
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A variegated gray Wensleydale with curly 7″ long locks. As usual for this breed, this fleece has a softer hand than you would expect from a long wool.
Wensleydale #2395
Price range: $75.00 through $141.00
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A variegated Wensleydale with curly locks measuring 6 inches in length. This fleece sports a variety of hues including blonde, light and dark gray, black, and brown.
Wensleydale #25177
Price range: $23.00 through $75.00
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An incredibly soft Wensleydale lamb fleece with tell-tale curlicue lamb tips. These energized locks measure between 3.5 and 4 inches in length; the delicate lamb tips will likely break off during processing, resulting in a slightly shorter staple length. This relatively short and soft fleece can be prepared and spun in either a woolen or worsted manner and lends itself to a variety of next-to-skin projects.
Wensleydale #25202
Price range: $21.00 through $128.00
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A Wensleydale with lovely moorit coloring: a medium brown with blonde tips and an occasionally hint of gray. The lustery locks measure four to five inches in length and have a medium to soft hand. This fleece does have a bit of dirt/dust in it, but that will fall out during the fiber prep stage.
Wensleydale #2536
Price range: $22.00 through $133.00
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A seven-inch-long Wensleydale fleece with a medium to soft hand and curly, variegated gray locks ending in golden tips.
Wensleydale #62185
$199.00
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A variegated Wensleydale that runs from light gray to charcoal. It’s curly 7″ locks have a medium to soft hand, have a fairly open structure, and should process easily. This is a very clean fleece and should be a breeze to work with, despite its length. Sold as a half fleece weighing 1.75 pounds.
Wensleydale #722125
$220.00
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A silky soft long wool measuring 6″ with open locks and lots of sheen. Lightly variegated between dark gray, charcoal, and black and should have gorgeous depth of color once processed and spun. Sold as a highly skirted whole fleece measuring 1.6 pounds.
Wensleydale #722127
$360.00
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A Wensleydale in variegated gray, silver, charcoal, and pewter. The 6″ locks are very curly, open easily, and has a medium to soft hand. Sold as a whole fleece weighing 2.2 pounds.
Wensleydale #723134
$202.00
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Here we have a gorgeous 1.6 pound Wensleydale fleece. This fleece has a full range of colors from light gray to dark gray with tan tips. Locks are four and a half to five inches in length. A very pretty fleece.
Wensleydale #723161
$185.00
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A luscious Wensleydale fleece with a soft hand that measures six inches in length. The coloring is lightly variegated from light to dark gray with a hint of brown. Simply an exceptional fleece.
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Wensleydale Lamb #725180
$120.00
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Silky soft Wensleydale lamb fleece comprised of thin, curly locks measuring four inches and longer. The fleece features a bounty of gray shades, along with occasional hints of brown and black. Sold as a highly skirted whole fleece weighing 1.0 pounds.
Wensleydale x CVM #25359
Price range: $19.00 through $195.00
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A luxurious crossbreed with with a soft hand and high sheen in crimpy 5″ locks. The color is lightly variegated and runs the gamut from tan to taupe, light brown, blonde, and light gray.
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Wensleydale x CVM x Bond #25330
Price range: $29.00 through $169.00
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This fun crossbreed features three of our favorite breeds! It has the sheen of a Wensleydale, the openness and variegation of a CVM, and the soft hand of a Bond! It measures around five inches in length and has a variegated gray-brown coloring we refer to as oatmeal. When processed and blended together, it creates a gorgeous depth of color.
Wensleydale x CVM x Cotswold #25329
Price range: $24.00 through $145.00
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A stunning crossbreed fleece with french fry crimp, a soft hand, lots of sheen, and 4″ locks. While we call this variegated coloring “oatmeal,” don’t let that bland name fool you: it has multiple shades of tans, grays, and browns that will blend for an eye-catching depth of color once processed.
Wensleydale x CVM x Lincoln #22111
Price range: $41.00 through $135.00
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A crossbreed with a medium to soft hand and variegated colors from tan to light gray to medium brown. Locks are mostly distinct and mesure four to five inches in length.