The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: langfauld easycare on August 01, 2013, 06:45:28 pm
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hi :wave: i have last years and this years fleeces from my 2 daughters sheep. total 4 fleece .i was wondering if there was anyone in my area who could spin them . if so how much would it cost and how much wool would you get from 2 fleece. would it be enough for them to make a wee scarf ? if no one in my area then i have family in aberdeen area , central belt and scottish borders if it helps :sheep:
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Well, depending on the breed of sheep and the weight of fleece, it would take a normal human being several months to spin that lot up into yarn, working several hours a day. In fact the actual spinning is the least of the time spent - there's the sorting and scouring and picking and carding or combing and making into rolags or roving, before the spinner can even start to spin. All those hours at even minimum wage will quickly tot up.
It would be far far easier for your daughters to learn to spin themselves. You don't say how old they are, but children of 6 or 7 learn the quickest. Or they could felt the fleeces or make peg loom rugs.
If they are a tiny breed with short wool such as Soay, yes you could make a scarf from two fleeces, maybe a hat too. If they are big sheep with fleeces weighing several kilos then you could easily make enough yarn for a jumper from each.
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hi fleece wife :wave: , they are lleyn x soay ewes . no hugh fleece but bit more than a soay . is there anywhere more commercial that processes small amounts of fleece ?with what you say we could probably get away with one fleece each . or is it just not viable . just had it in my head if i got my old grate aunt to knitt them a scarf each they should last them forever
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If you google HALIFAX WOOLEN MILL its near Selby they offer a service to process small amounts of wool,there is another company which advertised in the RBST ARK magazine,earlier in the year but I cant find at the mo,and have just changed computer and not put the new info in yet so will try find out for you.
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Halifax Mill are very helpful and do a good job. There are other places which could do it, but I think they all have quite a backlog - try googling 'mini mills'
If you get all four fleeces spun by them, the girls could have hats too - Soay fleece is very cosy, so perhaps the cross is too. It would be lovely for them.
Keep us in the loop :knit:
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thanks balloch and fleece wife ,will have another go had googled fleece processing but didnt really get any where . the idea of the scarf was whatever age or size :innocent: they become the scarf will always fit . they are growing that quick(7 and 5) that jumpers or hats etc would be not much use within a year. i may try holding back the feed see if i can stunt there growth a wee bit :roflanim:
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If all you want is a scarf, you may be able to find a spinner or spinners who would take all the fleece in exchange for spinning and knitting or weaving a scarf for your daughter from some of it.
Either try your local Guild (look them up here (http://www.wsd.org.uk/guilds.htm)) or advertise on Ravelry in UK Spinners (http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/uk-spinners/1295775/) or UK fleeeece (http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/the-uk-fleeeece-people/715921/) people.