Well as I promised I’ve been working on getting together a blog on my day at the sheep shearing. Here's the story, first I would like to point out that the weather hates me and it snowed the night
Perhaps I should start off by explaining what I thought it would be like. I was imagining groups of people holding down protesting sheep. Then the electric shears would be brought out and within five to ten minutes you would have a naked sheep. I was wrong. We went to Rising Meadows Farm, if you haven’t visited, go it’s very awesome. At the farm the were kickin’ it old school. Really old school.
If you can’t tell the shearer (is that even a word?) is using a pair of snippy scissor-like shears. They had a barn full of sheep waiting patiently to lose anywhere from
5 to 10 lbs, as seen here.
There was one sheep, I think it was a Navajo – Churro, and he/she did not appear to be happy about his/her destiny. Don’t you think?
If you look closely you can see the evil-looking red eye.
It was a chilly day and as I watched sheep after sheep stripped my thought were not filled with concern for nearly naked sheep, but more about what warm things I would make with the wool I would buy. (Mostly a pair of fingerless gloves, but we know how that’s going.) The sunny spot in the barn is the spot furthest away from the action, so the choice was slight warmth and a poor view of the action or shiver and see what i came for. Guess which option I chose.
Amazing enough once they got the sheep off their feet they seemed to chill right out and relax. Maybe it’s like the way I almost go to sleep every time I get my hair cut. Either way they just kind of lay there like a bag of jelly. See what I mean…
Once the fleece is sheared off the sheep it is then taken out to the skirting table, where they remove the second cuts, unredeemable dung tags (poo crusted fleece locks), and bad spots. The wonderful people from Gate City Yarns were on hand to help with the skirting and answering of questions. We were allowed to help skirt the fleece while we discussed what was good to look for in a fleece.
In the end I ended up with just over 4.5 lbs of fleece from the first shearing of a lovely Corriedale sheep named Ginny. It is incredibly soft. In aCom little over month I have washed about half of it and I am processing and spinning is as I go along.
What’s on the Needles
Right now I’m wrestling with a cardigan. I used Laura Chau’s Easy Top Down Raglan Cardigan Pattern Which is very aptly named. My future Sister-In-Law had given me 3 skeins Red Heart Yarn (Boo!) for Christmas in the colorway Monet (YAY!) Perfect for this project. Except that I decided to knit a size bigger since that’s my idea of cozy and that meant that 3 skeins, 732 yds, of yarn were not enough. So I bought two more skeins hoping that would be enough to finish the body, the sleeves and make some pockets. I’m on the sleeves now and have a little over a skein left; so I’m hopeful. I’ve been knitting this thing for 36 days I’m hoping to be able to wear it next weekend.
Here is the completed body sans sleeves.
Dates to Remember
May 2 Open Farm Day at Rising Meadow Farm in Liberty, NC
June 12 – 20 Pick one for World Wide Knit In Public Day
September 18 World Wide Spin in Public Day
October 3 Farm Fest at Rising Meadow Farm in Liberty, NC
October 22-24, Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, NC
If I’ve missed an event in the area, please let me know.
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