Back in the day, I made about 40 Indian, or Buffalo sweaters for all the members of my family. It was a lovely yarn that is so good to your hands as you knit because of all the lanolin still in it.
I used really big needles - size 8 - 10, I’m thinking.
It knits up really nice and the sweaters are all long wearing.
About 10 years ago, I picked up some more Buffalo wool and knit my dh and myself vests…
Decided on the vest because the sleeves are raglin and take forever. This way we both got really nice sweaters and they didn’t take me so long.
The Buffalo sweaters is where I learned to use different colours to knit a design… wonderful stuff!
TEMA:knitting:
I never have that kind of luck. I haven’t seen any yarn at our local thrift stores.
Hi, Gingergal,
About the White Buffalo yarn; I would think that it is a bit too thick and itchy for hats and scarves. It lacks the suppleness that hats and scarves need. I think the idea of slippers or vests or sweaters would better suit that wool type.
I am in the process of knitting a sweater with this wool myself and found this website on google because I am looking for White Buffalo wool to complete my project. I really didn’t know that it was no longer made so I am interested in buying some if anyone is interested in selling it. I too was given a bag of it by my daughter who found it at a thrift store so I happily started to knit. The balls are deceivingly large. They run out rather more quickly than I expected. So … here I am with 3/4 of a sweater, running rapidly out of White Buffalo… Help!
Hi - I just joined KnittingHelp and while searching for Buffalo Wool came upon your post about your grandmother’s gift. Would you be interested in selling some of it. I have started making Cowichan-type sweaters for dogs and am looking for mainly dark colours like grey, brown or black. I have found quite a bit of white in Elkford, BC of all places! I live on Vancouver. Thanks! Hope to hear from you.
Jocelyne [URL=“http://www.dogwearknitter.com”]
I found this, maybe it will help
http://www.knittersreview.com/article_yarn.asp?article=/review/product/020905_a.asp
Perfect article! Thanks for clearing up all the mystery!
Right! 
[B]Qiviut[/B]is the undercoat from the Musk Ox. Very soft, very warm, very fine, very rare, very expensive. My dream yarn!
Add to that Buffalo Gold yarn! Not to be confused with the White Buffalo yarn that is under discussion in this thread! Buffalo Gold worsted weight yarn is also very rare, and expensive. It would cost $600 to knit my husband a vest using Buffalo Gold yarn. Sigh. :pout: This yarn is procured from the American Bison. Natural, undyed brownish colors. Hereis Knitter’s Review of the yarn.
:woohoo: So Cowichan sweaters… yes i love them too. And the wool i know where you can get the exact same wool from a different supplier with a different name. Me. I go out to this very old mill and buy 6 strand unspun exactly like white buffalo wool. The only difference… no packaging. I can get it in 6 strand and 2 strand. I sell the 2 strand on ebay and have a hard time keeping up. I purchase it in large volume and sell it cheap. The 6 strand comes in a rainbow of colors and natural colors white light and dark grey black brown fawn. E-mail me if you would like some and tell everyone who knits these sweater i can help. With the 6 strand colored wool, i like to have a large order as i need to purchase 24 rolls per package, and don’t want to have 18 sitting here forever. I usually stock the natural colors. I can send you pictures if you like. You will never know the difference as this is also 100% wool. Ciao Bella!!
Sorry, should have put in this link. This is the 2 strand unspun. Used for lighter cowichan sweaters.
I definitely envy you the yarn your grandmother left you. I have a pattern from Briggs and Little (a Canadian yarn) that would be suitable for this and they have a similar yarn. It is similar to the Cowichan sweaters with a zipper down the front and you could use your yarn with it. Sounds like you have plenty if you do a color pattern. Maybe it would just be a good idea to hang on to it awhile to you feel more confident with your knitting.
I was just doing some websurfing and found some good sites. One is kelyarns.com in Kelowna, B.C. They carry Briggs and Little Roving and Custom Woolen Mills Prairie Wool, both of which are similar to the White Buffalo. They also have some patterns, some of them free. Or you can also go to the suppliers websites like briggsandlittle.com and customwoolenmills.com. B&L has patterns that are suitable for the yarn you have.
Lucky you! I looked at some buffalo yarn at a new yarn store in town last week and it is really expensive. The store had a display of it with some winter hats and scarves made up, and sold patterns. What they had seemed more like worsted weight though.
I imagine if you find a scarf pattern made with chunky weight yarn, see what the gauge is for that, and work up a swatch with your yarn you will have a better idea what your yarn’s weight is.
Maybe if you do a search for “buffalo yarn” you can find pictures of things made out of it.
I just found this site and had to join today.
Have some Buffalo wool patterns for children and I am sure there is adult sweater patterns somewhere. Also Chinook toque and mitts . Chinook can be interchanged with Buffalo wool.
Vests are a good thing to make, but I have never had a pattern for a vest, used a set in sleeve sweater pattern. Fun to work with buffalo, the project grows fast.
:yay:
You can also make hats, and slippers. I have patterns for both and sweaters, I can scan and email them to you. Also if you want to get rid of it, I can purchse it from you.
Thanks
Monica
I have a vest pattern if you are interested.
Hi did you make a white buffalo wool sweater? You can still get wool like that, not as thick but to add to what you have to make a sweater. Any chance you would share the patterns she left you?
You can still get Buffalo yarn online, i just ordered some from: