tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post4532103021592213202..comments2024-03-08T01:37:39.323-05:00Comments on Getting Stitched on the Farm: Rainy Days, Wet Sheep, and Random ThoughtsKristin Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09038900681076035087noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-73117780562904222372012-07-10T13:26:06.913-04:002012-07-10T13:26:06.913-04:00(catching up with blogs post internet absence)
I a...(catching up with blogs post internet absence)<br />I am a relativley new spinner, but I felt that I should at least try all parts of the process... so I did learn to wash and card raw fleece. <br />It was messy and time consuming, but not really hard. I would possibly do it again, if it seemed like a worthwhile fleece, but I don't have the space where I live now. Nor the right water as my well water is red tinged (iron heavy).<br />I certainly don't forget where my wool comes from though!Kathleen C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09985361663328017340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-54971920179319101512012-06-09T05:00:14.909-04:002012-06-09T05:00:14.909-04:00Hello, those flowers look like english bluebells, ...Hello, those flowers look like english bluebells, we have woods just full of these in england, youd love it, beautiful photo opportunitu. Theyre really hardy and pop up all over the place.<br />Emma xx i love your blog xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-55436420355977239502012-05-18T09:18:41.989-04:002012-05-18T09:18:41.989-04:00Thank you, Kristen, for saying that us "older...Thank you, Kristen, for saying that us "older" fiber people still have a lot to contribute!! I still have my original Louet from the 70's but have added 2 more wheels for different types of spinning. I,too, thought the "purest" spinning, i.e., buy smelly fleece, wash, pick, card and finally spin was the thing to do. Not anymore!! I just recently purchased 2 lbs. of washed Shetland fleece which is close enough to enjoying the "process". Mostly I purchase prepared roving or top and maybe dye some myself. Just make sure to feel the processed wool if possible or ask for a sample if ordering on line. I truthfully think a lot of the wool offered on line is not as advertised and would rather pay more per pound from a shepherd at a fiber show. Bless those hard-working shepherds!!Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11495225547594317165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-9627152236092369892012-05-18T08:49:43.125-04:002012-05-18T08:49:43.125-04:00I'm a fairly new spinner who had the privilege...I'm a fairly new spinner who had the privilege of being part of a very active fiber art guild when I lived in Minnesota. The spinning study group got together one day to learn how to wash fleece, and the enthusiasm of the older spinners for the raw fleece was infectious. I much prefer coming home with fleece to wash and prepare for spinning over the hand-dyed combed tops that all feel (and look) much the same. But I have since moved to Baltimore and my living quarters make it much more difficult to wash and dry fleece. Not to mention the change in climate, which means I came home from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival with silk!Abbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245032082344190731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-4991873546824214412012-05-17T23:09:27.602-04:002012-05-17T23:09:27.602-04:00I do love your photos of sheep - in rain, snow, or...I do love your photos of sheep - in rain, snow, or sunshine, doesn't matter!Robin Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13762942736068477765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-19286659509749376122012-05-17T16:31:05.214-04:002012-05-17T16:31:05.214-04:00The flowers are Spanish bluebells, Kristin. Englis...The flowers are Spanish bluebells, Kristin. English bluebells are darker, have much narrower and longer throats to the flower,a much deeper curve to the stem, and flowers only on one side of the stem. Spanish bluebells spread reasonably quickly. The english ones are quite slow to spread.<br /><br />I learnt to spin last autumn, having wanted to since the mid-1970's. I spin prepared fibre ( wool, silk, alpaca), for a quick result, but also bought a lovely fleece, from a fleece fair run by a local farmer who produces three types of fibre. I am enjoying preparing the fleece myself. The satisfaction at cleaning it, making rolags, and then spinning it is enormous.LinDragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17703161965293333981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-6169536235709426712012-05-17T13:47:18.276-04:002012-05-17T13:47:18.276-04:00I'm heading out to the barn to skirt some flee...I'm heading out to the barn to skirt some fleeces for the Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest this weekend. Folks love to buy combed top to just dive in and spin. BUT - it's a treat to watch the spinners who LOVE to process their own fleece come up and handle and sniff each fleece as they choose just the right one! <br />About the lamb - I've found that the dirty face/dirty head lambs are usually poaching milk from other ewes and sneak in from the back when the ewe stops to "relieve" herself. ;) That's real farm life for you!RMKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16776467546253605808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-59129442046467174802012-05-17T13:18:36.814-04:002012-05-17T13:18:36.814-04:00Kristin: You are English Bluebells or Scottish Ha...Kristin: You are English Bluebells or Scottish Harebells. I have them in my garden. They will spread, but not a pest. I have enough that when they are finished blooming, I can pull them up (not the bulbs) leaves and spent flowers. Usually with bulbs you leave the leaves to put energy back into the bulb, but I have them in a garden that gets rather too busy, so out they go, but now they are beautiful in my garden. Sometimes you will get them turning to a soft pink or a white. They are a bonus, I think. I can smell the wet wool now, but I have not been caught by the spinning bug yet. PegAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-88145886477395410402012-05-17T11:01:41.358-04:002012-05-17T11:01:41.358-04:00to finish the thought about the spinning in the gr...to finish the thought about the spinning in the grease --- I find it a lot easier to wash the spun, plied yarn than the fleece --- I use Dawn dish washing liquid for the processBevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07458851510738234247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-67982527880793551852012-05-17T10:57:19.418-04:002012-05-17T10:57:19.418-04:00I'm an "old" spinner -- learned back...I'm an "old" spinner -- learned back in the 70's -- and I learned to spin "in the grease" the method I still prefer --- not long ago I went to my local fiber store and rented some drum carder time to prepare part of a fleece for spinning --- I like that earthy, sheepy smell --- my labrador is fascinated too --- she's still looking for the critter in that box!Bevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07458851510738234247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-77812580302453417262012-05-17T10:16:19.037-04:002012-05-17T10:16:19.037-04:00Maybe it's because I raise them, but I love th...Maybe it's because I raise them, but I love the smell of sheep wool and I don't mind the washing, picking and carding. (Of course, you have many, many more sheep than I have - washing that many fleeces would be a year-round job!) I do have some of my fleeces processed into roving, but I do all the prep work. I personally do not like spinning top. I find it doesn't feel as though it has any life left in it. <br /><br />Wishing you dry weather for shearing day(s).Dianne@sheepdreamshttp://kysheepdreams.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-30000800061339601192012-05-17T10:14:18.226-04:002012-05-17T10:14:18.226-04:00I don't spin, but I do love sharing life on th...I don't spin, but I do love sharing life on the farm.Caffeine Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10073716022646773106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-89913530292090795352012-05-17T10:13:53.736-04:002012-05-17T10:13:53.736-04:00I'm not a new spinner, but I have purchased a ...I'm not a new spinner, but I have purchased a couple fleeces (and some un-processed bison, talk about STINKY!) I've learned a lot, mostly that I'm not really very good at washing fleece! I do enjoy carding and combing, but will probably let the professionals do the washing from now on.Wendelenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390173211882355104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-92181299583795528222012-05-17T10:00:58.690-04:002012-05-17T10:00:58.690-04:00Being on the coast of Southeast Texas, I've ne...Being on the coast of Southeast Texas, I've never been able to browse through fleeces before making a purchase. I have been able to find a few wonderful shepherds & purchase wool from them. <br /><br />I love the sheepiness of the package, but it makes me wonder what my mail carrier thinks of me during shearing season.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00122325122196356286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23619317.post-15841447509660652532012-05-17T09:24:19.284-04:002012-05-17T09:24:19.284-04:00I have these flowers in my front garden, complimen...I have these flowers in my front garden, compliments of the former owner who loved to garden (i prefer to grow food). I don't know exactly what they are either. I look forward to someone identifying them! <br /><br />a wool pool sounds like fun! ;)<br /><br />i know a few who are buying fleeces and doing it all themselves. so far i've just spun top others have cleaned and processed for me. I'm thinking of going in with a friend to get a fleece of our own.pennyhttp://www.penguingirl.comnoreply@blogger.com