Mitchell Wool Co: Sheep to Skein in Michigan

When Luke Mitchell retired after a decade as a police officer in Michigan, he never imagined that his next career move would be yarn producer. But there he stood at the Fuzzy Goat yarn shop in Thomasville, Georgia, sporting a handknitted sweater, and showcasing samples of undyed and naturally dyed yarns from Mitchell Wool Co’s American Fiber line.

As part of a “yarn tasting” event, Luke traced his journey to yarn connoisseur as a group of eight of us busily knit with his samples (so springy and soft!). While still on the police force, he joined his parents away from the city to help them manage their farm—a new retirement venture for them as well. They added sheep to their 53 acres so his mother could knit with her own fleece, and their flock began producing beautiful wool.

Mitchell Wool Co’s “farm friends” line comes from the sheep on their farm, “each of whom has a name, who are loved, who can be snuggled every day of their lives on our farm cared for by our family.”

Farm Friends

What started as a flock of three sheep became 46 in 2021. The following season, 46 grew to 70, and now they have a flock 140 sheep strong. They began to sell the extra yarn under their own brand at local fairs and shows, but when Luke retired from his job as a police officer to run the shop full time, they launched into the American wool business. Their “farm friends” program comes from a mix of the sheep breeds on their farm—Tunis, Cormo, Targhee, and a handful of Finn. Originally, Mitchell Wool Co provided breed-specific yarn, but for 2025, they have combined all the wool into one run because they are a featured yarn on the popular Knit Stars tutorial program. Their 2025 yarns are tied to famed wool writer Clara Parkes and her tutorial sessions. (The family may return to breed-specific yarns in the future).

American Wool

During their first yarn shows and wool festivals, Luke and his family were surprised when multiple small sheep producers came up to them and asked if they bought wool to make their yarns. It was then that the Mitchell family discovered the roadblocks small producers face when trying to make yarn from their wool. It’s cost-prohibitive to ship wool to less expensive mills overseas, but American mills are either closing, have long wait queues, or need to have a certain amount of wool before they can spin it into yarn. For some flocks, it can take years for farmers and shepherds to save enough wool poundage to qualify for a place at the mill.

Sock yarn in a Targhee/silk blend.

Despite just learning the ropes of farming and producing yarn themselves, the Mitchell family took on a supporting role for sheep owners across the United States. They bought more than 7,000 pounds of wool when a mill in Maine shut down, shipping it to Michigan on a semitrailer. By combining wool from different farms in Maine, Michigan, South Dakota, Wyoming, and more, they could meet minimum weight requirements for American mills, then sell their product under an “American Fiber” label. To further set themselves apart, Mitchell Wool Co only sells yarn that has been naturally dyed and never superwashed.

“By supporting Mitchell Wool,” Luke explains, “you’re supporting ranches and families across the United States. They, in turn, support other small businesses.”

As I listened to him speak, I couldn’t believe Mitchell Wool Co has only been in business for five years. Already their products are available for wholesale, on their website, and at more than 50 local yarn shops. I was captivated by their passion for American wool, reducing the carbon footprint of the yarns we crafters buy on a regular basis, and putting real money in the pockets of family farms.

Left to right: Luke, Cindy, and Sherry at the Flock Fiber Festival in Seattle.

Mitchell Wool Co is truly a family affair. Sherry Mitchell (Luke’s mother) designs products, runs social media, and acts as the “business brain.” Luke is the logistical arm of the farm and the business, though he can do it all when a gap emerges. Cindy (Sherry’s sister) uses botanical dyes on their yarns, runs the farm store, and more. Cindy’s husband Jack manages the farm. Even Declan, still in school, works on the farm and with the sheep. Their efforts forever honor Paul Mitchell, who cofounded the family farm and passed away in 2021.

My Mitchell Wool Yarn

I bought two skeins the night at the yarn tasting: the dark Rambouillet under their American Fiber label and a green/gold skein—dyed with marigolds they grow on their farm—from Shetland and Finn/Targhee sheep raised by the Mitchell families themselves. Their yarns are good for the economy, good for family farms, and good for the planet—what more could you ask from your fiber?

Get a closer look! Click any image in the gallery below to open it in full-screen mode. Photos by Erika Zambello.

To learn more about Mitchell Wool Co, visit their website at MitchellWool.com, or on Instagram or Facebook @mitchellwoolco.