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.

BFL x Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale #24189
Price range: $21.00 through $124.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Get your shades out for this bright white fleece with lots of luster! It is a four breed cross with a medium to soft hand and distinct, wavy locks measuring six to seven inches in length.
BFL x Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale #25331
Price range: $43.00 through $142.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

This is a high sheen, bright white, and uber-curly crossbreed. Its locks measure 7″ and longer and have a medium to soft handle. Yummy!
BFL x Wensleydale x CVM #23180
$44.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

A 7″ long, bright white crossbreed featuring lustrous locks with open tips. This fleece has a medium to soft hand and will be a joy to spin in your next worsted project.
Corriedale x Romeldale x Wensleydale x Romney #22088
Price range: $42.00 through $138.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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 #2177
Price range: $38.00 through $126.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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.
Subscriber Exclusive
CVM x Wensleydale #25239
Price range: $23.00 through $73.00
Read more

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 x Lincoln #2140
Price range: $47.00 through $158.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

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.
Subscriber Exclusive
Imperfect Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale Lamb #425334
$167.00
Read more

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.
Lincoln x Merino x Cormo x Wensleydale #138
Price range: $17.00 through $52.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

An intriguing four breed cross that resulted in a variegated fleece. While the length seems to be fairly uniform at around six inches, the color runs from white to light tan to light gray, while the locks structure runs from distinct and highly energized to amorphous and relaxed. This fleece has a relatively soft handle that will be next to skin soft for most people and will be interesting to process and spin.
Teeswater x CVM x Wensleydale #624194
$195.00
Add to cart

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 #23247
Price range: $23.00 through $72.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

An uber-curly, bright white Wensleydale with high sheen and six inch locks with a medium to soft hand.
Wensleydale #723241
$231.00
Add to cart

An uber-curly, bright white Wensleydale with high sheen and four to five inch locks with a medium to soft hand. Sold as a highly skirted whole fleece weighing 1.6 pounds.
Wensleydale #725187
$134.00
Add to cart

Creamy white Wensleydale with high liuster, a soft hand, and thin, distint locks measuring around 4.5 inches in length. This is a highly skirted whole fleece weighing 1.2 pounds.
Out of stock
Wensleydale Sliver – White
$48.00
Read more

Four ounces of white Wensleydale carded sliver roving. Grown in Wyoming and processed in Northern California.
Wensleydale x BFL #23167
Price range: $24.00 through $145.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Thick, luscious, six inch long locks are what you will find in this bright white fleece from the sheep appropriately named “Lil’ Curly.” This fleece exhibits the easy to open tips, sheen and relatively soft hand of a Wensleydale, but with some added energy from the influence of the BFL.
Wensleydale x CVM x Lincoln #23181
Price range: $23.00 through $72.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

A creamy white crossbreed with occasional touches of light gray. Its french fry style locks are mostly distinct and four to five inches in length. The handle is medium to soft and will be next to skin soft for most people.
Wensleydale x Leicester Longwool #2433
Price range: $17.00 through $99.00
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

A fantastic longwool crossbreed with seven to eight inch long golden white locks. The Wensleydale influence is obvious in this fleece, as the locks have a medium to soft feel to them.