White Southdown roving

Specifications
23-30 microns
Approximately 4 oz 
Staple length of 3 inches
 
White Southdown wool is a medium weight. Like all wool, Southdown can be felted, however felters will find that it may be slightly more difficult to felt; this quality is thought to be due to its spiral crimp. This is, of course, be a boon for those who are interested in spinning yarn for socks or other clothing that might see hard wear. The wool is quite springy with a low-luster that takes up dye very well Kept by the farmers and shepherds on the chalk hills of what is today known as the South Downs of Sussex, England, the ancestors of Southdown sheep are thought to have populated the area long before the arrival of Romans to the British Isles. The first written references of sheep on the South Downs are found during the medieval era. During this period, livestock developed mostly in isolation from other populations. The sheep on the South Downs developed a tight, short fleece and a compact body well suited to the hills, pastures, and weather of this area.