It’s easy to find a local yarn shop, find a traditional knitted item to buy as a souvenir, and go home satisfied that you’ve made a connection to a new place. For author Sara Wolf, that wasn’t enough. She wanted to see what the locals were doing; talk to other knitters about their craft; find yarn from local sheep and understand the culture. In writing this book she not only visited yarn shops but also sheep farms throughout the Swedish countryside, countless museums with textile collections and a few spinning mills, too.

She’s spent significant time swatching various Swedish yarns, learning about native sheep breeds, and how to locate commercially available Swedish yarns. Many are truly artisanal craft yarns found only at fairs or craft shops. Others are available online, although often only in Europe. This book intends to create a wider audience for Swedish fibers, both commercially produced and conservation breeds. If there is a demand for the fleece, wool, and yarn, there will be encouragement for farmers to rebuild these herds.