Yarn - to mill or not?

I've been debating having some of my wool spun at the mill - I was able to handspin almost all my Black Welsh this year (minus one sold fleece), and four additional purchased fleeces - yet my 'stash' is still 4 boxes large! Considering all my wool I have hands on from start to finish, this is obviously going to be a huge leap of faith - or maybe just an exercise in 'can Andrea not micromanage'.

I've been 'collecting' samples from as many mills as I can get my hands on - and one of which is Zeilinger's. My friends at Rockbridge had their yarn blended with their Romney and it's a gorgeous menswear type color - I'm going to have a vest knitted up for my dh in this and some of my Black Welsh handspun.

I do have a bunch of this here on consignment -if you are interested in trying - it is a crisp worsted - 6 oz hanks, 220yards - $24.99 - Email me to order some and I can get you the correct shipping on it.

Hats!

So apparently, I'm not the last person on the face of the earth that doesn't know how to knit :-) My mom has been taking some of the Black Welsh and other yarns that I spin and knitting them into hats for market. And people love 'em! We will have them in the Local Harvest Store (along with Black Welsh Sheep pet toys!), and I'm offering a few styles for purchase, right here from the blog -

This is 'a rare breed's' child apple design - available in red or green, with or without worm! Hat is 100% Wool - Stem and Worms are created with wool right from the farm that I have spun. Sizes are:

• Infant (0-18 month)
• Toddler (18-3 yr)
• Child (3-7)

$25 each, shipping is only $2.50.

COLOR AND SIZE

RED - Infant (0-18m) RED - Toddler (18m-3y) RED - Child (3y-7y) GREEN - Infant (0-18m) GREEN - Toddler (18m-3y) GREEN - Child (3y-7y)

Worm?

Yes No

Spinning madness

When I started with sheep, I decided I wanted a wool breed (Black Welsh Mountain) - but I don't knit, crochet, hook, you name it - fiber arts were a deep unknown.

Last October, I walked into a fiber shop in Berkeley Springs - The Fiber Collage, and met Linda Lawhorne - and started taking spinning lessons. Now I'm hooked, err, spun? wrapped? warped? (no that would be weaving...)

I spin primarily on a drop spindle, portable, takes up very little space and always handy. I prefer to spin naturally colored wools, and am working my way through the breeds to try just a bit of everything! I have even gone as far as processing my own wool at home (from sheep, to washing, to carding, to spindle) into yarn that I will be selling at Farmer's Market later this month.

I entered two hanks of yarn in the skein competitions at Maryland Sheep and Wool - and both ribboned!

These are both primarily Black Welsh Mountain lamb fleeces that I hand carded with other purchased (but hand dyed by artisan) fleeces - I'll be recreating the first placed ribbon blend for some sale yarn!

At the farm we are now experiencing record high heat, so I've turned up the A/C and have been spending a lot of time spinning. Will have pictures to post soon, and links to the fiber shops I'm finding around here!


Andrea

It followed me home, dear!

I've been researching and contemplating the implementation of a 'mule flock' here at the farm for about two years. Last October, at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, I met two wonderful ladies who are passionate about their Leicesters. Cathie Cody at Wit's End Farm, and Kelly Mansfield at Spring Breeze.

Since Kelly is right down the road from me, I took a trip on Tuesday to 'see what she had'. Specifically to put a down payment on a yearling she had available that I thought would be 'it'. I met the lambs and the yearling. Now don't get me wrong, he's incredible. His fleece is like SILK. His pedigree includes new lines from the UK that most breeders would go miles for. But then there was 'Titanium'. SIGH.

I'm not into white sheep. But the Blue Faced Leicesters are, well, not entirely 'white'. Their faces are blue! Well, Titanium IS BLUE! His fleece! Now of course, Kelly will probably move into the barn with the sheep before she'd consider selling the boy, and I'd have to off a few other breeders (including the lovely Miss Cathy!) to get a hold of him...

So I 'settled' for



one of his sons ;-)

I went for the length, since I'll be breeding him with my Black Welsh, a smaller hill breed. But his fleece is gorgeous, he has presence, and great growth.

Kudos to Kelly on a beautiful batch of lambs. I wish I had more time and money, or I'd have quite a few more here!

Notes for Fiber Sheep Show

New things I've learned this week - thanks to Oogie McGuire and others from her black welsh yahoo list -

• DO NOT wash your sheep for a fiber show. At most, use a cloth and water to wipe dust off.
• DO NOT card your sheep out
• DO use a cut side of an onion to shine hooves and horns without getting oils in the fleece
• DO cover your sheep
• Burrs come out fairly easily when crushed!

More soon as I prepare two of our sheep for the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, October 27th and 28th in Berryville VA. You can view the information on the show here.