Katahdin -- My first really local fleece

I've been given a sampling of this fleece to try. It is from a "hair" sheep, bred for meat and sheds it's fleece instead of needing shearing.












The side that was attached to the sheep:












The outer coat:

Washed Shetland

Here is the Shetland fleece after two cold soaks and one hot with soap (Life Tree dish soap).

















Combed with a flicker brush.














Yarn spun on Spindewood 1.25oz spindle.

Washing Fleece

Today I'm washing 2.9 oz. of Shetland fleece. I've been reading like crazy on Ravelry and decided to do a cold water soak first. I used a plastic basket style bin inside a plastic tub outside. The fleece is weighted down with some left over tile pieces from the entryway to the house.

Spindle Fever

My spinning skills have taken a dramatic leap in improvment. This is merino superwash singles.



















Then I bought a new spindle and can do even more. This is merino superwash-alpaca.
This is still not local wool. That will come. I did buy some Columbia top that is from a local farm and some Shetland fleece that is not but I will be processing it.













This is the spindle; a Spindlewood 1.25oz (37g). I'm also waiting for a Bosworth 15g for very fine yarn or silk and a Bosworth 50+ gram for plying.


Today my brother-in-law brought over his brush cutter and I mowed the location for our garden beds. Next will be tilling.

spinning Progress

We had one summer-like day and I got to sit outside spinning on the porch. This is the Merino superwash I bought last year before the house was finished. The spindle is as Ashford. I'm not sure if it's the 1 oz. or 3 oz. size. I'm looking at more spindles and a wheel purchase soon.

Here's the Merino plied. I wound a center-pull ball tightly so as to maintain the tension. Then I held the two ends together and wound them around the spindle shaft to start the plying.

Mohair feels different from sheep's wool; more like hair, which I guess it is.



Corriedale