Sunday, March 16, 2008

The Girls are Nekkid!


Yesterday was shearing day. Six of us trailered our sheep to a central location to be sheared. It looked like a circle of wagons more or less as we waited for the shearer to arrive. He was hours late because his first stop of the morning took longer than expected as he had to round up the sheep. Silly woman did not know that she had to have her critters in a pen waiting for him. What was she thinking??? The weather was cold and cloudy, and very windy. The rain did hold off so I guess the shearing gods were favoring us. We stood around for a long time while waiting, throwing sicks for some of the dogs and visiting. Finally after 2 PM we got started. There were about 40 sheep sheared and by the time we left to come home the shearer was starting on the angora goats. Some of the people do not spin so did not want the fleece. I came home with seven fleeces besides my three. Today I went to get the mohair as the lady where we had the shearing does not spin either and throws it all away. There are three gray angoras there and I think it will be nice to blend some with my Coopworth. As you can see from the picture, the girls look much different then they did when I got them last month. We had heavy frost this morning so I put extra bedding in their pen in the barn. Good incentive for that wool to start growing again!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

New Toy



My Will Taylor 6-ply kate and distaff arrived yesterday. UPS left it in the driveway. Good thing no one saw it before we got home from town! It is oak. Here you can see the pieces and the way it looks when all together. Very clever. Obviously plying is done without the distaff attached. It just slips into the center. Very easy. It even came with a ribbon for tying up the flax. I will change it however since it should match the spinner's eye color or station in life. Hmmmmmmmm, what color does one use for *crone*? Can't wait to use it.

Bags




Here is a spindle bag that my friend Yvonne made. Jeans leg and pockets, trimmed with some of her bobbin lace, antique buttons and a small guardian angel I used a candy tin that slips inside to protect the spindle. The strap is long enough that the bag hangs at my hip making it convenient to spin right out of the bag.