Wool prep - Southdown

 Welcome to my kitchen! Today I started (with some help, Thanks!) to process a Southdown Fleece. This was 7.5 pounds of wool I purchased at Sheep & Wool this year. The farmer was a young girl who sells her fleeces to save up from college, Yep this is a Junior's fleece. I am a 4H leader and always extra happy to help a Junior. This is spread out all over my kitchen table. Basically, you pick through it, remove as much barnyard and yuck as you can. Then you sort it into piles, by size, or stress in the coat. I only found a small amount of second cuttings - this is when the shearer doesn't cut all the way down and has to try again resulting in much short lengths of wool that are generally not desirable - and very little sunburn or rubbing in the coat.

 I sorted into four basic piles. One was it has lots of tiny bits of VM (plant matter) that will require extra work to get out but doesn't have much tagging (fancy, sanitized way of saying yuck - sweat, urine, and lanolin all kinda of rolled into one -  matted into the fur but that is not so bad - or full of manure - you toss.) I call this my extra picking pile.

 My compost bin pile. All the VM and manure, and the bits of wool it is not worth it to try to clean along with my second cuts. Gardeners don't worry, it take years for my compost to make it to my garden.

 This is the good condition pile, I don't think this will take any extra processing to get this ready. So wash, rinse, rinse, rinse, dry, pick, card or comb, dye and spin or spin and dye.

 This is the extra tagged pile. I will wash and rinse this. If I like how it comes out I will proceed, if not I will pick it then start over at the washing. If I had a dedicated dirty picker I would start there, but I don't.

Here is a close up of the fiber and stuff in it. I spent about three hours sorting through this wool, my daughter's both helped for a few minutes and a friend helped while her little one allowed it. Entirely by myself it would have been at least another hour if not two.

In the works.

Blended wool being removed from Carder.

Un-dyed single on the wheel.

Upcycled sweater project - really enjoying some clothes rescue this spring.

Things are cruising right along here in the studio! Getting items made, labelled, and soon post to the web-stores. Some of you may have noticed that I was accepted at Harbor Market this year and will be at Garfield Farm Museum's Rare Breed Show and at Westosha Market! Looking forward to seeing the new location there. My dates for these shows is to the the right.

Excited about the coming Season!~Julia

Bunnies

Are not a good thing in my garden, but in my fiber they are great!

It is bluer and greener in person!

I blended Cormo wool, Angora (Bunnies,) and what my Daddy would call Found wool. That being wool you found in your studio and can't find a label or remember where it came from. It is good wool and a bit like finding money in an old coat pocket.

I dyed this twice in a green and then blue green acid based dye bath and love how it turned out, soft with a great hand, pretty colorway, and a bit bulky. I have not done wraps per inch yet or labelled it, but after those sarcastic critters, I am calling it Bunnies in the Garden.

Inspiration

We find inspiration everywhere in our lives. This month for me it has been in colors and spontaneous what would have if thoughts, and in a series of mystery novels. The Embroidery Mystery series by Amanda Lee features Marcy embroidering her way through her work day - in her very own storefront where she helps crafters expand their skills (WANT) - through her friendships, life choices, and through solving the murders the story features.

It got me thinking, I had read in Spin off of people spinning embroidery or crewel threads. I decided to play around.

I started with white silk hankies, just two got me 48 yards of two ply. Then I grabbed a whole bunch of different bits to play with. (warning Embroidery thread spinning is fun and slightly addictive) I did a dark brown Corriedale, a light pink Merino, a raspberry pink Merino, a forest green Merino, and a purple Wensleydale. I sent these, along with some blue Lincoln Longwool curls, to my Mom to test out. I do embroider but as it tends to hurt my hands I don't do it often, even though I like it. She really liked them. I will post a picture of her work after I make it into a little clutch purse.

I will be making more and carrying them in my booth and on-line offerings this season!

Silk

Wensleydale

The dark brown is not pictured.

Hope you are looking for inspiration! ~ Julia