The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on June 19, 2014, 03:08:26 pm
-
This is a plea for Jan of Fibre East. They have Deb Robson giving workshops at the end of July and are still trying to source a few of the fleeces they need for the workshops.
If anyone has Castlemilk Moorit or Kerry Hill fleeces they would be prepared to package up and send to Jan, please post here, or PM me, or contact Jan (Dizzyspinner on Ravelry.) Jan will cover carriage costs (MyHermes costs £5.48 for up to 5kg, if it comes to your area) and I am sure would pay a sensible amount for the fleece itself too, if required.
She needs about 600g of each when washed and dried, so probably needs at least 2 Castlemilk Moorit. (Mine weighed 22oz skirted but unwashed, and they typically lose about 1/3 to 1/2 of their weight on washing.)
I may be adding a plea of my own in due course; we have Deb Robson coming here on 7th August :excited:
-
I've got four Zwartbles fleeces sat in my shed at the moment, no-one is interested in them and the Wool Board have offered me 20p per fleece :roflanim: so it's probably going to be chucked away or used as insulation/mulch/something else vaguely useful.
-
Zwartbles is spinnable, doesn't felt easily and can be quite nice. Have you approached your local Guild to see if anyone would like one of your fleeces?
Meanwhile, I think I have located Castlemilk Moorit, but am still wanting Kerry Hill.
-
I've got four Zwartbles fleeces sat in my shed at the moment, no-one is interested in them and the Wool Board have offered me 20p per fleece :roflanim: so it's probably going to be chucked away or used as insulation/mulch/something else vaguely useful.
Oh, I would take the money and run :roflanim:
-
Grr, have literally just sewn up our wool bags this morning, with the Kerry Hill fleeces at the bottom of one. Have kept the black cheviot ones out for you, though -will honestly get one to you at some point!
-
Ach, never mind on the KH.
I had hoped Craig and/or Zoe would've had a chance to pick it/them up before leaving, but I guess they were pretty busy with all the packing and so on - I know I would have been!
I wonder if any of your neighbours / friends are coming down to Woolfest... :innocent:
-
Have you approached your local Guild to see if anyone would like one of your fleeces?
I did last year but only one woman contacted me back - she wanted me to skirt it, wash it twice and then deliver it...and not pay a penny in return, even for the fleece let alone all the other stuff I did to it! Cheeky mare! :huff:
-
Most spinners would want you to skirt off the yukky bits but I've never heard of them expecting the farmer to wash the fleece! And then to not want to pay even a fiver, and for such a large fleece! Well! :huff:
-
Sally, I have plenty of Castlemilk fleece - some that I hand clipped (carefully) but it is in pieces and a few that the shear did - they were very clean, not looked over them yet as been away but if you could help me with the maths of what is needed, if you still need it I can do that today.
-
In pieces doesn't matter :) as long as we have a good selection from all parts of the fleece. (Not the bits you skirt off, but all areas apart from that.)
Jan will need about 600g when washed, I have only one fleece this year so will also need some to 'top up' for my workshop(s)
CM is heavy with grease, so I think may lose 1/3 to 1/2 of its weight on washing.
So to be safe, 1.2kg for Jan (two fleeces? Goldie's last year weighed 22oz, c. 600g) and about 400g, or a whole fleece, for me.
I'll PM you about costs and logistics ;)
-
I have KH fleeces left from last year, but should have this years shortly and would be happy to send some, if you want to PM me about it.
Simon