Catching up.........................

Things have been very busy and I haven't been paying attention to the blog.  Thought I would do a little catch up.  I attended the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show in early May and got lots of good ideas for projects.  We purchased a Lincoln X fleece and cleaned it,  to get curly staples for an upcoming project - a rya rug.  It's a long pile rug, made by hooking wool staples around the warp of your loom.  Can't wait to get started!

We are now certified fiber farmers - purchasing our first two ewes - Annie, a Romney; and Trudy, a Karakul.

I'll have much more to report as the summer progresses.  Making lots of great things, and preparing for sheep shearing in August and October. We will also be finalizing our fall craft show schedule so visit the web site for updates.

Sheep to Shawl

Here's some pictures of the teams in action.

The arena was packed for the start of the competition and most of the crowd stayed for the 2 1/2 hours of time that was allotted.  It was a great demonstration of the fiber arts.  Many of the people watching were amazed to learn all the steps it takes to turn fiber into usable items and garments.  If you ever have the opportunity to attend, I would highly recommend it.

Fiber fun

I had the opportunity to visit the Pennsylvania Farm Show and see the "Sheep to Shawl" contest.  There were eight teams, and each team had six people who carded, spun, and wove.  The contest started out with each team shearing their sheep.  I followed the journey of a Romney named "Carter" as his fleece went from his back to the loom.  Here's a "before"  and "after" picture of Carter.