Mon 08 Apr 13
Sun 04 Mar 12
Sat 11 Feb 12
Skeeter
Skeeter is a Lincoln Romney Cross Yearling
First the carded batts:
Then the spun yarn:
Sun 11 Dec 11
About half a BFL lamb – picked, carded, and ready to spin
This will be used for the dying experiments:
Spinning – Luster Longwool merino cross
Observations: the crossbreed means the staple length is a little longer than usual merino, but retains the lovely qualities. Easier to spin, and actually spun up extremely fine – as close to lace weight as I have ever achieved.
Spinning with Merino
Observations: still had to put a bit on long-staple wool on the drum carder first so that it would be easier to remove. Required two times through the picker and two times through the drum carder, and was still slow and tiring to spin. Results were fine and lovely, though.
Thu 08 Dec 11
Spinning BFL for dying
Supposedly Blue Faced Leicester takes dye well; I believe this may have been a lamb, though, as the staple is far shorter than I understand BFL is supposed to be; using a picker and realigning the drum on the drum carder made all the difference.
Carded:
Spun, about 3 oz:
Learnng About Merino
Brown merino fleece after washing:
Blending merino and Opal (Border leiscester/Romney Mix) in the picker prior to carding:
Compare this to Opal alone out of the picker:
Left is pure Opal, middle is a sage purchased roving, right is 50/50 merino/Opal
Three balls of yarn prior to making hanks: Pure Opal, 50/50 Opal/brown merino, and pure merino, left to right:
Mon 28 Nov 11
Wed 16 Nov 11
Mohair-Wool Mix Batts
Observations: To properly mix the Willow the mohair goat with Bonnie, the Romney/Border Lesicester crosssheep, required 3 passes through the drum carder. After less-than-satisfying spinning, mixed/split the batts and recarded again – success. Approx. 40% mohair/60%long staple wool.