Cheviot Wool Top

About the fibre

Staple length 80-100mm. Micron count 30-35.

Medium-coarse to coarse. 

Cheviot is a quintessentially Scottish wool. It is one of the whitest of the natural white breeds, however it is not as glossy as the longwool breeds when dyed.

It is a resilient wool and not overly crimpy, making it suitable for use as filling. Breed associations specify no hair, kemp, or coloured fibres in a good quality fleece.

Cheviot wool blends well with othr fibres, adding to its versatility.

Cheviot wool is a suitable alternative white for a base for wet felting or needle felting.

About the breed

This breed originated in the Cheviot hills, on the border between England and Scotland. The first mention of the characteristic sheep of the region is from 1370, and they were named "Cheviot" in the late 1700s. Cheviot were the first sheep breed to have an established Flock Book.

While they produce a quality wool, the breed is primarily raised for meat.

They are hardy and active sheep, and often used in training herding dogs.

Donald Macleod from Stornoway, Scotland, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons