Peace Fleece

Note: While I’m away during June, we will be revisiting some blog posts that I think are worth a second look! Those of us at My Sister Knits hope you enjoy them!

Peace Fleece yarn is a story of how two people sought to promote peace and understanding between historic enemies. 

Peter Hagerty and his wife Marty Tracy worried a lot about war in the mid-1980s. So much so that they decided to do something that might make a difference. They believed that if people whose countries didn’t get along could do business together, just maybe the possibility for conflict might be lessened. 

Since war with the Soviet Union was uppermost in Peter’s mind, he went there to talk to sheep farmers. In 1986 the first Soviet wool to legally enter the US became part of the blend for Peace Fleece’s first yarn. Sheep farmers from Wyoming and Maine provided the American wool. Harrisville Spinning Mill processed this unique blend and Peace Fleece was born!

By the early nineties, Peter was able to include wool from Israel, the West Bank, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Romania.

In 2008 Peter wondered if Peace Fleece could form a partnership with Native Americans to take a small step towards healing the social and political divisions that afflict our country. He wanted to learn how he might assist with the production and marketing of their wool.

Since then, Peace Fleece has purchased wool from the Navajo nation to blend with other US-produced wool and mohair to create their strong, soft yarn. Peter has retired but fortunately Harrisville Designs purchased Peace Fleece and continues the relationship with the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico.

The fiber in Peace Fleece is a blend of 80% Native/Non-Native American Rambouillet and 20% Mohair from goats in Texas. This yarn dramatically softens and fluffs up with washing and is woolen spun which creates an especially airy, warm finished project.

Peace Fleece is a more rustic, toothy yarn that is wonderful for projects that will get a lot of wear. We’re thinking hats; mittens; sweaters to wear on fall hikes, while raking leaves, or feeding animals; and thick socks to wear with boots.  When choosing a pattern, keep in mind that cables are fantastic in this yarn! It comes in a generous 200-yard heavy worsted weight skein and is quite affordable.

We urge you to come in and see all of the tweedy colors!

Happy knitting!