{"id":4622,"date":"2020-12-19T08:24:55","date_gmt":"2020-12-19T07:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/?p=4622"},"modified":"2021-03-01T19:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T18:00:00","slug":"klovsjo-wool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/klovsjo-wool\/","title":{"rendered":"Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 wool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep is one of Sweden’s ten conservation breeds. In this post I present my experience with the long, strong and shiny Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 wool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep, is one of the ten conservation breeds in Sweden. Much like the other conservation breeds they were found in the early 1990’s and considered a breed of their own. They were found in the town of Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 in J\u00e4mtland in mid-Sweden. Just like the other heritage breeds, the goal is to save the breed with the biggest genetic diversity possible. The breeding aims should not be directed towards a specific characteristics, like the wool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a heritage breed Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep are rather large. Rams can weigh 60\u201380 kg and ewes 45\u201370 kg. They can get very old, 15 years is not unusual. One of the shepherdesses of the found flocks says her grandmother made porridge for the oldest ewes who had no teeth left so they would make it through the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statistics from the Swedish sheep breeder’s association state that in 2019 there were 600 breeding ewes in 83 flocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep are white, black or black with white spots in face or on the legs. Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep are affectionate and the ram can usually go with the flock all year round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the heritage breeds, including Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 sheep, are shorn twice a year. If not, there is a risk that the fleece will felt and be difficult to handle for both shearer and crafter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wool characteristics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 wool is a dual coat with long, shiny outercoat and soft and fine undercoat. The lock is almost straight with defined staples. The outercoat is coarse and not suitable for next to skin garments. As you can see, the Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 looks a lot like Rya wool<\/a>. The kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6 wool I got is a good example of a fleece with mostly staples of rya type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n