Author Topic: Poor quality fleece? (Read 3634 times)

cambee · « **on:** May 15, 2017, 05:21:37 pm »

Hi we had our first sheep 5 Ryelands sheared yesterday and beforehand I had looked at and learned the BWMB way to roll the fleece etc assuming that I would get rid of the fleeces through them. However, as my fleeces started coming off, frankly they looked more like expandable spiders webs than the fleece shown on the BWMB website with bits falling off them, holes etc and when I tried to roll them it just didn't work. Now I don't know what to do with them. Can I still send them to the Board even if they're poor quality? Do I have to do that now that I am registered with them? After shearing, my sheep still seemed to have quite a few clumps of wool here and there on them mostly around their legs and faces, so we took those off with dagging shears. Is this all normal or is it that my sheep just have poor fleeces? Any advice gratefully received

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2017, 06:26:00 pm »

Have a read of this page on the Woolsack website. I suspect that you've actually got very nice fleeces, which your local handspinners may be glad to take off your hands

Have a read and come back and tell us what you think. If they seem suitable for spinning, we can tell you how to contact the handspinners in your area

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2017, 06:36:30 pm »

Once the fleece is off, spread it on a clean board and push it all back into shape, trying to make it a neat oblong, with the holes pushed together. Make sure too that you've dagged and skirted the fleece so there's no dung or bits of vegetation and feed in it. Lovely soft crimpy fleeces, especially first shears, can explode like that. They are not poor quality, you just need to take time to re-shape them before folding and rolling. My hands are not big enough to roll that kind of fleece, so someone with large hands should manage better. As the rolling proceeds, make sure any bits escaping from the sides are tucked in as you go. Try to make a tight wrap. Don't pull the rest of the fleece towards you as you roll, but walk along from the starting end to the finish, without putting a strain on the structure.
All the unshorn bits left behind tell me that your shearer didn't take care with the job. Best to learn to do it yourself.
No, you don't have to take your fleeces to the Wool Board (and it can cost more to get them to the depot than you will get back from them). Small quantities of fleece, especially if it's coloured, can be kept. You could sell it to craft workers or, best of all, learn to use it yourself

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** May 16, 2017, 08:35:53 am »

How old are the sheep? The quality of the fleece does decline with age.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2017, 05:40:23 pm »

Quote from: Marches Farmer on May 16, 2017, 08:35:53 am

How old are the sheep? The quality of the fleece does decline with age.

In general, yes, but by no means always. Some old girls have lovely fleeces - in fact, I always think the first fleece after they first lamb is the worst; in later years they learn to balance what goes into the lamb and the fleece generally improves. And the fleece off a geld ewe should always be pretty good; she hasn't been doing any other work!

BWMB pay more for first (hogg) fleeces for some breeds - but not all.

cambee · « **Reply #5 on:** May 16, 2017, 05:54:40 pm »

Two ewes aged 4-5 but the others were having their first ever shear. I suppose it was a new experience for me but there didn't seem anything firm to grasp hold of. It was just like they were large greasy cobwebs that stretched in all directions. I'm a bit cross with myself as they've all sort of ended up in tatty bundles. Not sure what I'm going to do with them now. I did pull a few bits off and stretched them and I couldn't hear the requisite 'twang'. If you are selling to spinners I assume they have to be washed as well?

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2017, 10:21:54 pm »

Spinners will wash their own. All they want from you is that the mucky daggy bits have been removed, and the fleece hasn't been messed about with too much.

To test a lock for strength, choose a lock from the middle of the fleece, not near the edge. Hold it in two hands, next to your ear, and give it a good hard snap. You'll hear a 'ping' if it's sound, and a kind of crackle, like a crisp packet, if it's broken.

The cobwebby nature of the fleece suggests they may be nice for spinning, as shown on that Woolsack page I linked to.

To contact spinners in your area, you can of course ask on here! Or there's Spinners in the UK Marketplace on Facebook. Or look up your local Guild on the map here

But if you really don't want to be bothered, just bundle them up as best you can and put them in the BWMB wool sheet. They'll pay you something and they'll be out of your way.

cambee · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2017, 08:59:02 pm »

Thanks for that advice Sally. I'll look at all the fleeces again. How do I find spinners in Derbyshire/Cheshire?

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2017, 11:29:33 pm »

According to the map of Guilds I linked to, there's Derbyshire Guild who meet at Hazelwood : http://www.wsd.org.uk/guilds/guild-template.php?org_id=29, Cheshire Guild who meet at Frodsham : http://www.wsd.org.uk/guilds/guild-template.php?org_id=21, Alsager Guild : http://www.wsd.org.uk/guilds/guild-template.php?org_id=7 and North Cheshire Guild who meet at Croft : http://www.wsd.org.uk/guilds/guild-template.php?org_id=83

CarolineJ · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2017, 08:35:41 am »

I'll have 14 fleeces this year, which is more than I'll get through without a wheel. The ewes were dipped at the beginning of October, but have had no chemical treatments to their fleeces since. Will that be acceptable to spinners?

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2017, 01:15:23 pm »

Quote from: CarolineJ on May 18, 2017, 08:35:41 am

I'll have 14 fleeces this year, which is more than I'll get through without a wheel. The ewes were dipped at the beginning of October, but have had no chemical treatments to their fleeces since. Will that be acceptable to spinners?

Yes, should be fine. Although... what were they dipped in? We reckon about 4 months for the Crovect nasties to wear off.

Alternatively, can I help to enable you to acquire a wheel?

CarolineJ · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2017, 07:01:50 pm »

Quote from: SallyintNorth on May 18, 2017, 01:15:23 pm

Quote from: CarolineJ on May 18, 2017, 08:35:41 am
I'll have 14 fleeces this year, which is more than I'll get through without a wheel. The ewes were dipped at the beginning of October, but have had no chemical treatments to their fleeces since. Will that be acceptable to spinners?

Yes, should be fine. Although... what were they dipped in? We reckon about 4 months for the Crovect nasties to wear off.

Alternatively, can I help to enable you to acquire a wheel?

Embarrassingly, I have no idea - it's a mobile service and the whole village brings their sheep up to the communal fanks and they get run through the system, which is all on a big trailer. It's done the trick, whatever it was; we've had an absolutely horrendous 6 weeks or so for ticks and I've taken umpteen of the little gits off the horses, but the sheep don't seem to have been touched.

Please don't tempt me!!! Someone was selling an Ashford Elizabeth locally, which I messaged about the moment I saw it, and got a reply saying, 'I've got someone coming to see it in the morning, but if she doesn't want it, you're welcome to come and have a look. Nothing wrong with it, I just had to give up due to health issues.' I am very envious of the person who bought that for £150....