The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on November 05, 2015, 10:11:40 am

Title: Fleece being sought - Highlands & Islands sheep, incl Cheviot, Borarey, Soay
Post by: SallyintNorth on November 05, 2015, 10:11:40 am
Just to let you know, the Tour of British Fleece is now undertaking a Highlands & Islands Fleece Fling, starting Burns' Night and running for about 6 weeks.

People all over the country - and world - will be spinning the fleece of sheep farmed and bred in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

There's a thread on Ravelry  (http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/tour-of-british-fleece/3311138/)where people are posting ISOs (ISO = In Search Of); already there are more people looking for Boraray than people with Boreray willing to share.

If you have spinnable fleece of appropriate sheep to sell, please go and place an offer on the thread.  If you really don't want to do Ravelry, post here and I'll direct people across.

Breeds and types being spun:

•Border Leicester
•Castlemilk Moorit
•Scotch Halfbred, being the daughter of a Cheviot x Border Leicester
•Scotch Mule, being the daughter of a Blackie x Blue-faced Leicester
•South Country Cheviot
•Boreray
•Hebridean
•North Country Cheviot / NCH ([member=28984]mowhaugh[/member] we could use more explanation and knowledge about Cheviots...)
•North Ronaldsay
•Scottish Blackface (all types)
•Shetland
•Soay
. Shetland x Cheviot

Types in italics are probably not really 'Highlands and Islands' sheep but we're spinning them anyway ;)
Title: Re: Fleece being sought - Highlands & Islands sheep, incl Cheviot, Borarey, Soay
Post by: ThomasR on November 05, 2015, 07:54:43 pm
I have bags of hebridean that you can have for free. If not I am going to dispose of it.
Title: Re: Fleece being sought - Highlands & Islands sheep, incl Cheviot, Borarey, Soay
Post by: SallyintNorth on November 05, 2015, 08:04:14 pm
Thanks, Thomas.  Would you know if it's in good condition for handspinning?  Sadly, Hebridean fleece often isn't; it seems to be particularly prone to felting on the sheep's back and also in storage afterwards.  Which makes a Heb fleece that's good for spinning an especially nice find, mind.




Title: Re: Fleece being sought - Highlands & Islands sheep, incl Cheviot, Borarey, Soay
Post by: ThomasR on November 09, 2015, 11:15:11 pm
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I'm not sure I could pst pictures. O might have some zwartble as well