Navajo Churro Tops

Navajo Churro Fibre Tops

Navajo Churro sheep have a very special connection with the weaving culture of the Dineh people. The sheep were nearly wiped out during the tribe's forced relocation in the 1860s and again in the stock reductions of the 1930s: federal agents just went from hogan to hogan* and shot a large percentage of the livestock and horses, more than 250.000 animals were killed and the Churro sheep were almost extinct with fewer than 700 head by 1990! But they are making a comeback, due to the efforts of the Navajo Sheep Project.  

The hand dyed tops that are offered for you here, are the undercoat of the Churro sheep and it makes for the most wonderful yarn, suited for socks and outerwear as well as sweaters.  The micron range of this batch is around 23-25micron. It is very easy to spin and also beautiful to weave and felt with. Navajo sheep fleece is composed of 3 distinct types of fibre: inner coat, outer coat and kemp. The inner coat measures 6-12 cms and generally ranges from 10-35 microns, while the outer coat is 12-24 cms, and is generally above 35 microns. 

Fibre Top Roving Details

Weight per top: 100g / 3.52oz

Contents: Navajo Churro 100%

If you’d like to read or see more about Navajo Churro, including information about the Dineh people and their weaving techniques, here’s a link to the IxCHeL blog.

Axéhéé (thank you in Dineh language) for your support!