24 February 2016

Fleece Heaven!

Second trip to get fleece from the Aladdin's Cave of the Wool Grower's depot. See what I mean about the wonderful huge bins full of fibre?

So much wool, so many shades and tones of colour = so hard to choose! I wanted to take it ALL home but returned with a sensible number for the huge project ahead. I limited myself to fourteen Moorit fleeces, mostly from Shetland sheep though some may be other breeds.

I also treated myself to one lovely soft brown Blue-faced Leicester fleece for spinning because it was just irresistible!


15 February 2016

Moorit Fleece

Teasing and Carding


Moorit: a lovely warm brown with sun-bleached tips that occurs naturally in some sheep breads. This is my chosen colour to work with for felting a shelter cover.

I am buying my fleeces from the Evanton depot of the Scottish Wool Growers: first visit was really exciting, all those huge trolleys full to overflowing with wonderful raw fleeces and the freedom to rummage through and select what I like. Very heady!

The feel of lanolin-rich wool and the smell of sheep are strongly reminiscent of my childhood: my family had sheep and I helped tend them and shear them from a very young age.

Each fleece has to be teased out by hand and then carded on my drum carder before I can start the felting process.