Sheep. Those cute, soft, fluffy creatures immortalized in nursery rhymes: Mary had a Little Lamb, Little Bo Beep and Baa Baa Black Sheep. As knitters we know sheep produce the wool that yarn is made from and most of us can name a few breeds of sheep, such as Merino, Shetland, Romney and Rambouillet. But there are more than 200 distinct breeds of sheep worldwide and 60 distinct breeds recognized in the United States (Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences).
One breed of sheep that was new to me is the Targhee. Targhee is one of the newest breeds of sheep, it was developed at the US Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho in 1926. The goal was to produce an all-round, dual-purpose sheep breed that would thrive in the climate of the cold, arid west, produce high quality wool and fast-growing meaty lambs for market.
The Sheep Experiment Station crossbred ewes with Rambouillet, Lincoln and Corridale blood with Rambouillet rams and quickly backcrossed the offspring with each other. The combination of fine, soft wool and longwool resulted in a wool that is soft yet durable. This new sheep breed was named after the Targhee National Forest* where the sheep grazed in the summer.
Targhee sheep are a very hardy large sheep, bred to survive in the open range of the American West. A mature ram weighs between 200-300 pounds and breeding ewes weigh between 140-200 pounds. The sheep are white, hornless and their skin is free from skin folds. Their fleeces are dense and uniform throughout, with a staple length of 3-5 inches. Ewes produce 5-6 pounds of clean, scoured wool a year.
The wool from Targhee sheep is classified as fine, averaging 22-25 microns**, this is comparable to Merino. It feels soft and fluffy, has good elasticity, and a silky feel. Targhee yarn is soft and springy and takes dye extremely well.
(Image courtesy of Skull Creek Targhee)
Knitted, crocheted or woven fabric will be strong enough to withstand everyday wear but feel more luxurious. It is ideal for everyday sweaters, mittens, hats, cozy socks and blankets. The wool is also soft enough for next to skin garments.
Nightingale Fibers Jean is 100% Targhee wool in a worsted weight yarn. This yarn is soft, bouncy and produces wonderful fabric. I like it for hats and cowls, but it will also make warm, wearable sweaters and vests. We have a variety of solid and varigated colorways.
Jean in Azalea; October Hat by Sloane Rosenthal
Jean in Midnight & Grey Sky; Soundtrack Cowl by Elizabeth Smith
- Micron count is the average diameter of the wool fabric. The higher the number, the more course the wool is. Micron counts range between 11 and 40.
- The Targhee National Forest is located primarily in Eastern Idaho, Western Wyoming and Northern Utah. The National Forest was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 and is named in honor of Chief Tarhee, a Bannock Indian Warrior. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribe still maintain ancestrial Treaty Rghts to use the Targhee National Forest.
“To succeed, planning is insufficient. One must improvise as well.”
Isaac Asimov – writer, professor of biochemistry at Boston University
