Shetland Colors

I snapped all these pictures in between pettings. Fairlie tries to climb me when I'm not petting her enough; Bonnie nibbles my shoes or forcefully rubs her head on my legs. So those brown things in the pictures are my knees.

The variation in color is one of the many things I love about Shetlands. There are specific terms to describe colors of Shetland wool.
http://www.shetland-sheep.org/about-shetlands/shetland-colors/ describe the colors this way:

Greys to Black (listed from light to dark)

• Light Grey
• Grey
• Emsket – dusky bluish-grey
• Shaela – dark steely-grey, like black frost
• Black

Browns (listed from light to dark)

• Musket – light greyish-brown
• Fawn
• Mioget – light moorit (yellowish-brown)
• Moorit – shades between fawn and dark reddish brown
• Dark Brown 

Many Shetlands change color throughout their lives. My own Fairlie is starting to lighten. She may turn a light gray or even an ivory like her mother. I think Bonnie will stay a true brown. Her fleece is lightened by the sun on the outside, so there is beautiful color variation. I can hardly wait to shear them in the spring and try my hand at spinning. They will give such gorgeous fiber.