GFW...or Gleason's Fine Woolies to those of you who don't already know!
Joanna Gleason of Colorado raises lovely sheep with amazing fleeces...
They are Australian Bond, Corriedale and Bond x Corriedale.
I have been lucky enough to purchase some of three different fleeces.
If you've not heard of Australian Bond or don't know much about their origin,
please see Joanna's website, as there is much valuable information on the breed :)
I learned about her fleeces through one of the groups on Ravelry.
Can't tell you which one, but with all of the eye candy pictures folks
were posting, I just couldn't resist...and this is what I got...
If you've not heard of Australian Bond or don't know much about their origin,
please see Joanna's website, as there is much valuable information on the breed :)
I learned about her fleeces through one of the groups on Ravelry.
Can't tell you which one, but with all of the eye candy pictures folks
were posting, I just couldn't resist...and this is what I got...
Below is Hahn, a Bond Ram Lamb
+2012+(3).JPG)
Raw on the left and washed on the right.
+2012+(2).JPG)
Then there was Ilona, a Bond x Corriedale ewe.
I would call her fleece a soft dove grey, really lovely!!
I would call her fleece a soft dove grey, really lovely!!
+2012+(2).JPG)
And finally there is Jillian, a Bond ewe, my favorite so far !!
The lock structure is very easy to keep intact for washing. It practically separates itself!
Oh what fun it is to play with a GFW fleece...(sing along now...lol)
It might not come through exactly in the pictures, but her fleece is a charcoal grey with the most amazing overtone of silver...just breathtaking in person!
Bond fleeces are easy to work with.
Each fleece got two 20 minute washes and two rinses.
I combed all of the fleeces as my prep for spinning,
using Valkyrie Super Fine combs. It's very easy to comb.
Spinning it from hand combed top is a dream!!
using Valkyrie Super Fine combs. It's very easy to comb.
Spinning it from hand combed top is a dream!!
I would say next to the skin soft for all but the most sensitive folks.
It's kinda hard to share about these and where I got them,
but they are so wonderful, I just couldn't keep it to myself,
even if it means more competition in acquiring a fleece!! ;)
If you've never tried a Bond, it's worth giving a try...
and you probably won't find any better than GFW's !!
(I'm hoping for a close to black fleece next :)
-Happy touching, smelling, staring at, washing, prepping
and finally spinning these most amazing fleeces...
(if you're lucky enough to have one that is :)
http://gfwsheep.com/
-Happy touching, smelling, staring at, washing, prepping
and finally spinning these most amazing fleeces...
(if you're lucky enough to have one that is :)
http://gfwsheep.com/
