Fibers: 100% Wyoming-Grown Targhee-Columbia Wool
Weight: Worsted
Yardage: 140 yards (128 meters)
Unit weight: 50 grams (1.76 ounces)
Wraps per inch: 9 wpi
Needle size: US 6 - 9 (4 - 5.5mm)
Gauge: 17 - 22 sts = 4 inches
Care: Hand wash
SHELTER began humbly as the answer to a simple question: With our abundance of natural & industrial resources, why is there such a tangible absence of American yarns commercially available to handknitters? We sought to find an American fleece whose fiber would bring both softness and durability to the table. The Targhee-Columbia cross mixes a high-crimp Targhee Finewool (21-25 microns) for softness and elasticity with an all-purpose Columbia Mediumwool (24-30 microns) that provides warmth, structure and strength. The result? A distinctive wool with a story to tell -- designed, sourced and produced completely on American soil. The distinctive character of Targhee-Columbia wool shines in our versatile medium-weight yarn. Shelter is woolen spun, meaning the fibers remain in a lofty jumble that traps air and offers remarkable warmth and lightness. Its two plies are gently twisted to preserve that buoyant quality, so Shelter is a little more delicate than most commercial yarns. Woolen-spun yarns are also more adaptable in gauge, as they can compress to a dense sport weight or bloom to cohere as a gauzy fabric when worked on large needles. Shelter has a dry, soft hand and a faintly rustic nature; woolen spinning sometimes results in slightly thinner or thicker sections, and you’ll find the occasional fleck of vegetable matter that proves our wool is never treated with harsh chemicals. Garments knit from Shelter achieve their full beauty after a wet blocking, as each stitch relaxes and bonds with its neighbors to produce an even, light, plush fabric with a halo. You shouldn’t notice any change in gauge. Shelter is designed to be a workhorse yarn that invites cables, ribbing, textured stitch motifs, open work, plain stockinette and garter stitch. We think it’s ideal for sweaters of every variety, winter accessories, and blankets.