Want to Knit with Self-Striping Yarn? Start Here

As I drove north through Virginia and Maryland, the flood of traffic thinned to a trickle. Flat expanses of asphalt turned into gently rolling hills, and tightly packed suburbs gave way to a loose collection of farmhouses, barns, and fields. Feederbrook Farm is tucked away here in northern Baltimore County, Maryland.

As I drove down the tree-lined path, I saw a flock of Bluefaced Leicester sheep, the mill, dye studio, and old farmhouse. There was a barnyard with more sheep, many of them adorable black-and-white Jacobs. This beautiful setting has been the home base of Lisa Westra’s yarn-making business since she first asked her parents for a spinning wheel as a teenager.

Lisa with her flock of Bluefaced Leicesters at Feederbrook Farm.

As I came to the dye studio, Lisa came bounding out to greet me. She led me around the grounds, and I was amazed and inspired by all the things that go on around her farm, her deep connection to place, and her journey as a shepherd, artist, and mill owner. I was excited to get filming so that you, too, can meet Lisa and get a mill tour!

Filming at Feederbrook Farm

Lisa creates gorgeous colorways that will inspire any knitter. As a former science teacher, she also has an intimate understanding of the physical properties that make great yarn. From perfectly calibrating the twist to selecting a yarn that works for a wide variety of projects, Lisa taught us so much about yarn and the milling process.

Feederbrook Farm yarns on display at Rhinebeck. Photo by Kate Larson

The next day, Lisa’s friend and collaborator came to teach us all about working with colorful yarns like the ones Lisa makes at Feederbrook Farm. Jenny Monteleone is the owner of the local yarn store Rows of PurL in Chester, New Jersey, and an incredible designer. With an impeccable eye for color and a great sense of humor, Jenny showed us all her best tricks for making color sing.

Jenny Monteleone at Feederbrook Farm's Rhinebeck booth. Photo by Kate Larson

It was an honor and a privilege to be a fly on the wall while we filmed this series, and today we are thrilled to bring it to you. In this course, you’ll discover why Lisa chooses to make breed-specific, non-superwash yarn; learn how she carefully calibrates her milling equipment to make the perfect yarn; and see how she thoughtfully prepares each skein for festivals, local yarn stores around the world, and her online shop. Then, Jenny will help you feel confident in making decisions about pairing a self-striping yarn with a solid, help you read your swatch, and make your project shine.

To go along with this series, Jenny has also developed an exclusive knitting pattern for Farm & Fiber Knits subscribers. The Clover Ridge Cowl uses two kinds of Feederbrook Farm yarn: Entropy, Feederbrook’s signature self-striping yarn, and Equilibrium, a solid-color yarn with just a touch of sparkle. Soon, we’ll kick off a knitalong for the Clover Ridge Cowl, and we can't wait to see what everyone makes.

If you're ready to learn more about breed-specific yarn, feel more confident about choosing color, and fall in love with self-striping yarns, join Lisa and Jenny in our new course, A Twist on Color.

Originally published March 20, 2025; updated March 25, 2025.