The Fleece Queue

Oh for the love of fleece!!

It's nearly everywhere I look!

Under the skirting table...

These are all raw, patiently waiting their turn...

...in the corner, because I can't mash anymore under the table...

Montadale and Lincoln.

...in the closets...

This is just one of three closets with washed fleece...

...and all around the house in some stage or another.
There is fleece in the combing queue as well as some new ones
that need to be photographed and uploaded to my stash page on Ravelry.

Oh, and I think I may have bought two more ...
Yep, a California Red and a Golden Cormo from Apple Rose Farm!
Well...I've never had a California Red before...
so it makes sense that I should have one, right??

I recently went through the fine wool closet to check what's
still there and for any buggy activity...oy, so much wool!!

But who's complaining, even checking the closets is fun
as I get to visit with fleece I may not have seen for a while ;)

What's on the skirting table is what's next in line to be scoured.
(I prefer the term washed, actually, it sound less harsh).

Here's the latest fleece queue on the skirting table...

This is Raggedy Ann, one of my all time favorites! She's a Cormo/Merino cross.

Beautiful long locks of a superfine Merino that you can see me spinning in a video on my YT channel!

A couple of years of Onyx, Raggedy's son.

Romney I got from a de-stash.

Gulf Coast Native that's for the Richmond guild demo spinning and weaving.

Lovely dark Corriedale!

Nash Island fleece.

This is Kiwi (another Cormo/Merino cross) from last spring. Too short for lock washing.

A Rambouillet cross from MDSW a couple of years ago.

Do I have an addiction?...well...ok, yes.

BUT...

In my defense, it's a lot healthier than any other addiction I can think of.
And there will be something to show for each of these fleeces in time...a finished
garment of some kind, either knitted or woven. Nothing goes to waste!
(And I need fleece for classes too!)

So no doubt what's on my to do list today, and tomorrow, and the next day...LOL

I hope you find time to enjoy fiber today :)

-Kimberly

Lots of Not Very Big Skeins !

 
 I have this terrible habit of washing one batch of a new fleece, 

processing and spinning a skein from that,

and then putting the fleece away to move on to another one.

I have way too many 'one skein wonders',

with either more washed or raw just waiting for me

to get back to it...

It's a bad habit I need to break!

I really wish just once that I could follow through

with the same fleece from washing to spinning all of it...
...in the same year!!

I just get so excited when I get a new fleece!!

I know it's fleece ADD, but really...

I know, I know, some people have oodles of started
knitting projects, waiting to be finished,

 I don't usually have more than two knitting 

projects on the needles at a time...

 ...with me, it's fleece. 

Has been from the 1st time I laid my hands on a raw fleece.

One of my latest fleece purchases was from a fellow guild member

who raises Romney and Romney cross sheep.

We had been talking about her sheep and fleece
and I told her I might be interested in a raw fleece.

At one of the meetings, she had several bags in her truck...

very bad for me...

 As an addict, I have a VERY hard time

saying 'oh, very nice fleece, bye".

It's usually, "oooooh, what pretty colors you have!

What's this one, a lamb fleece? Hmmmmm"

Yes, I carried that lamb fleece with me to my car...
...hanging head in shame, as I have no control...

like I need another fleece? 

HECK NO!!

But I enjoyed that fleece smell all the way home...hahaha

 Wanna see?...here it is...

My friend who keeps the sheep is a one woman show when it comes

to their care and shearing.

She actually did a really good job with the shearing as I have come 

across very few second cuts!

The tips are weathered, brown and stiff.

But below that, is a gorgeous medium grey color!

I have only washed about enough for one smallish skein... so far.

I decided to spin the whole lock, as opposed to cutting off the

weathered tips. 

Using a sturdy dog comb...

I gently combed the tips open.

Then I proceeded to comb them on my Valkyrie Extrafine Combs.

The top has these brown streaks in it from the brown tips. 

I kinda like it!

Made for some very interesting combed top!

The finished skein weighs 1.8 ounces and is only about 

88 yards long. Not a very big skein by most standards.

More info here... http://www.ravelry.com/people/krzyknitter/handspun/romney-x-hogget-from-sandra-2017

But it's nice, even and should make up into something interesting...
Maybe wrist warmers, or part of a hat...or ?

I gifted it to my friend who raised the sheep.

I like giving skeins back to the shepherds sometimes, 

especially if they're just getting into spinning :)

I will snip the tips off the next time and see what that looks like.

It will be much more grey.

Hold on a minute, this gorgeous merino is calling me...

...on to my next not very big skein...

Happy Spinning! 

-Kimberly :)

Hosting My First Fiber Retreat

         Since I was home alone for almost two weeks, I thought I'd host 

a fiber retreat and invite all of my fiber lovin' friends!

                                                             

     Here are a few pics from the weekend...

Direct warping a rigid heddle loom.  

Getting some help with knitting.  

Threading the reed(heddle).  

First time combing fiber :)

 

 

Rainy Day Knitting

     I usually enjoy a good cool rainy day, but today is different...I (and many, many, other folks) should be at the Fall Fiber Festival at Montpelier. Because of the amount of rain we've already had this week as well as the current conditions, the festival had to be cancelled...  :(   It was a wise decision, although very sad.  I don't usually hold a grudge against Mother Nature, but....I kinda' am at the moment! Griping won't change anything though, so I am spending the weekend knitting, combing and working on a Youtube video! All fiber related activities :)

    I am currently working on a small crescent shaped shawl using Paco-Vicuña yarn I spun from 'Forest', from Victory Farm.   It is a fairly simple pattern to knit, although you start with the bottom...and at 402 stitches to start with, it takes a while to get going. I am finally moving along now!

                        The pattern is Diamonds and Purls and is a free ravelry download.
                                       Notice my very inexpensive chart holder ;)

        I am using circular needles to knit it, but it isn't knit in the round, although from this picture, it does look like it. I am in the middle of a row and the end and beginning are next to each other so you can't see the space in between.

The pattern is starting to take shape.

 I spun a two ply yarn from hand combed top. 

 Combed fiber with some of the washed fleece just above.

  I do love this dark color. A rarer color for paco-vicuñas.

The raw fleece. 

I hope all are staying inside, dry and warm, enjoying some fibery goodness!!

-K :)

A Woman and Her Sheep

She talks t0 them prior to being sheared, sharing some comforting words and a gentle touch.

I visited my friend Barbara on shearing day for her Cormo sheep, not only to watch, but to help where I could. I mostly helped with the skirting of the fleece and then

rolling them up to wrap in sheets to await being sent to the mill.

I was touched to watch her with her sheep, I could see the love and affection she

feels for these animals. She has had them for many years and most were born on her farm. 

She knows them all by name and they know her.

"Oh no, I think I'm next"

Kevin Ford is the shearer.

It was a cool day and I'm sure they felt it after having their fleece removed. There is just enough coat left on so that they still remain warm though.

Consolation...yummy hay!

More reassuring words from their 'momma'.

Beautiful Cormo fleece.

I took this one home...destined to become many beautiful and warm knitted and woven items!!