This is truly something special — a rare, fully New Zealand-made yarn with a story woven into every metre. Starcrest Farm Polwarth is grown, processed, and hand-dyed right here in Canterbury, creating a yarn that's as local as it gets and as luxurious as you could wish for.
The Story Behind the Yarn:
Eleanor and Jack Patterson raise their Polwarth sheep on their farm in Oxford, North Canterbury — just down the road from us in Rangiora. The fleece is then processed in Christchurch before returning to the farm, where Eleanor hand-dyes each skein in her dye studio. From paddock to skein, this yarn never leaves Canterbury. It's a true celebration of local craftsmanship and the incredible quality of New Zealand Polwarth wool.
Why You'll Love This Yarn:
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Fully Canterbury-made: Grown in Oxford, processed in Christchurch, hand-dyed on the farm — a genuinely local yarn
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Incredibly soft Polwarth wool: Known for its silky handle and beautiful drape
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Hand-dyed intensity: Rich, saturated colours with depth and character
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Woollen spun: Lofty, warm, and perfect for colourwork
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Mini skeins: 25g × 100m — ideal for Fair Isle, stranded colourwork, and socks
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Wide variety of shades: Each colour includes the dye name and base (which influences the final shade)
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Premium NZ yarn: A true treat for those wanting something incredibly special and high-quality
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Made to order: Need more? We can order additional skeins for you (allow 1-2 weeks as Eleanor dyes to order)
Polwarth wool is prized for its softness, strength, and beautiful lustre — it's a fine wool breed that produces fleece with exceptional qualities. The woollen spinning method creates a lofty, airy yarn with excellent warmth and a slight halo that's perfect for colourwork and textured stitches. Eleanor's hand-dyeing brings out the best in this fibre, with colours that have real depth and vibrancy.
Yarn Details:
- Fibre: 100% New Zealand Polwarth wool
- Weight: 4 ply (fingering)
- Skein size: 25g = 100 metres
- Woollen spun for loft and warmth
- Hand-dyed on Starcrest Farm, Oxford, Canterbury
- Recommended needles: 3.25mm–3.5mm
- Handwash only please
Perfect For:
- Fair Isle and stranded colourwork
- Socks with beautiful colour pops
- Shawls and wraps with gradient or speckled effects
- Any project where you want truly special, local yarn
Colour Notes:
Each colour name includes both the dye name and the base, as the base wool influences how the dye takes and the final colour you see. This creates beautiful, nuanced shades with real character.
Need More Yarn?
Planning a larger project? We're happy to order additional skeins for you. Because Eleanor dyes to order on the farm, please allow 1-2 weeks for custom orders. This ensures you get perfectly matched dye lots for your project.
Care: Handwash only in cool water with wool-safe detergent. Lay flat to dry to preserve the beautiful softness and colour intensity.
When you knit with Starcrest Farm Polwarth, you're supporting local farming, local processing, and local artisan dyeing — all within our own Canterbury region. It's a yarn that connects you directly to the land, the sheep, and the hands that created it. That's something truly special.
