I set aside several fleeces during the shearing at Kathy's the other day. Lamb fleeces can be more trouble than they are worth, but with enough Cotswold/Wensleydale mixed in to make them strong, I can't help but give them a try. They are just. so. pretty.
Shiny soft curls.
The big commercial mills don't want any colored wool. In fact, they'll throw out a big chunk of your surrounding white wool if they find any colored wool mixed in it. I'm about as small a "mill" as you can get and I love natural colored wool. Definitely. not. trash.
Plus, now that Keebler's dad has moved to Tanglewood Farm, there won't be many more of these pretty fleeces tempting me from just down the road.
Speaking of tempting, ewe lamb #029 was really pretty. Her fleece is at the top of the white bag. Must resist. Don't need any more sheep. Even if they are one of Keebler's cousins. Maybe even his sister. Did I just send Kathy an email to have her look that up??? ARGH - send help!!!
Shiny soft curls.
The big commercial mills don't want any colored wool. In fact, they'll throw out a big chunk of your surrounding white wool if they find any colored wool mixed in it. I'm about as small a "mill" as you can get and I love natural colored wool. Definitely. not. trash.
Plus, now that Keebler's dad has moved to Tanglewood Farm, there won't be many more of these pretty fleeces tempting me from just down the road.
Speaking of tempting, ewe lamb #029 was really pretty. Her fleece is at the top of the white bag. Must resist. Don't need any more sheep. Even if they are one of Keebler's cousins. Maybe even his sister. Did I just send Kathy an email to have her look that up??? ARGH - send help!!!
11 comments:
Those bags of fleece look fiberlicious! What a treat to have a white ewe for Miss Ewenice :-D It's all good!
Yes they do look lovely and shiney. I have never worked with that type of wool before.
I have trouble like that with lost animals...today I found a cat. It has a collar on it, and declawed so hungry it had to find me.
People who dump animals need to be shot after they wander and wander and become thin and thin and very hunrgy and SUFFER!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
I love natural colors too. The mill close to us specializes in them and for that I'm thankful.
They look lovely. I just got done myself getting fleeces ready to go to Zeilingers. I have always used them and they do a wonderful job. No matter the color. Cause I prefer the natural colors myself as well :)
Wow, I've been reading your blogs and LOVING every minute of it. The pictures are beautiful and I love the stories. I would love to have sheep on our farm but we haven't tried that yet. I'm new to the blog world and really enjoyed yours! I am now following and will be back for more :)
Amy at Verde Farm
You don't want help from me. I'd just encourage you to bring Keeb's sister or cousin home and wouldn't even have you have Kathy check the tag number to verify!!! But, then, I am crazy too!
I think you have said before on your blog that you love to wash fleece (?) and are very picky about getting it really clean. Would you do a post on your technique? Mine (little laundry bags of wool in the kitchen sink) is too slow, and after seeing the condition of the laundry bags - even after washing and bleaching - I am not willing to use my (only) washing machine to clean fleeces.
Am I to understand the "fermenting outside" method is not one you will use again?
I'm working on a washing post - maybe today...
And no, I wasn't super happy with the fermenting method. Have a couple other soaking/rinsing ideas - just need time to see if they are implementable.
Oh my. Look at all that lovely fleecy goodness! Gorgeous! Makes me want to dive in!
I would love to know how you treat your fleeces! I have bags full and would like to be my own small mill as well. I've only used the fleece-in-the-washing-machine method which was not too bad for someone who knows zero about it. Waiting to hear from the "professional"... Absolutely beautiful fleece, BTW.
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