Merino wool yarn is made from wool shorn from Merino sheep. It is a kind of high quality and healthy fiber for yarn making.

Weight

Merino wool yarn is available in 2-ply and 3-ply strands in all weights ranging from lace to bulky. It is usually sold in twisted skeins that the knitter winds into balls before using.

Colors

Merino wool yarn can be found in its natural color, a creamy off-white, or some manufacturers will dye it during the spinning process, so it is available in a rainbow of colors.

Care

Merino wool yarn is 100 percent wool and should be hand washed in warm to cool water and laid flat to dry. Hot water, or machine washing and drying, will shrink the wool fibers and cause them to felt.

Benefits

Merino wool designated "superfine" is exceptionally soft and appropriate for even baby clothing. Merino wool is a renewable resource that can be made into garments with fire-retardant properties for children or adults.

Yarn-making Process

After Merino sheep are shorn, the fleece is compacted and shipped to a washing facility, then on to a mill for spinning into Merino yarn. A byproduct of this process is lanolin, a natural oil the sheep excretes, which is extracted for use in cosmetic products.