[bumpkins]

We have 10 Jacob sheep fleeces sitting in the shed.  Every time I open the door they shout "find us a good home". 
I haven't a clue what to do with them.  I'm happy to give them away to someone who would use them.  Anyone have any ideas/know of someone?  Thank you all. 

[Bionic]

I am sure you will have a. Local spinning group who would love them. They are very popular at my group but we are in Wales

[Fleecewife]

When were they shorn?  Have they been sitting on the floor since the summer?  Or have they been properly stored in moth proof bags with air circulation all round?  Have you skirted them to remove dags and draggles?  Have you opened them out to look at the quality?   Before you offer them for sale you need to know that they are of good marketable quality. If they have been dumped on the floor of a shed then they are likely to be damp, maybe with a few mice in there, and in poor condition.  If that's the case, you are better to ditch them and try again with this year's clip.  There's info in the crafts section on how to check over and store your fleeces, and some of the places you can sell them.  It's not an easy job selling fleeces - it's a buyers market, and those buyers are not willing to pay enough to cover the postage unless it's a very good fleece - hence the questions about quality.
Of course you could learn to spin yourself  and have a variety of end products to wear and give 

[devonlady]

I couldn't give my Jacob fleeces away last year and put them in this years runner bean trench.

[Slimjim]

Neither could I, but what a good way to use them. Hadn't thought of that before. Good for lining hanging baskets too.

[SallyintNorth]

As Fleecewife says, fleeces are only any use to handspinners and other crafters if they are looked after properly. 

Some Jacob fleeces are delicious and will be much appreciated by handspinners.  Unfortunately a lot of Jacob fleeces are not particularly nice for handspinning, and spinners know that.

If you can take them to your local Spinners Guild (map of all affiliated Guilds here) or other local spinning group, you will get some feedback on whether they are suitable for handspinning and how to skirt and wrap them for spinners.  If they are nice for spinning, most spinners will happily pay £5 to £8 for a fleece in good condition, more if it's particularly nice fibre, well-presented.

[bumpkins]

Thanks for all your replies.  I was actually only planning to give them away - not sell them - and yes, they have been stored properly.   They were the result of the first time that we have experienced our sheep being sheared (newbies) so were quite precious to us!  Happily though I have had a spinning club contact me, so all is well.  Thanks again everyone.

[SallyintNorth]

That's great 

I know it seems bizarre - spinners hate to hear of good fleeces ending up in bean trenches or hanging baskets  , but equally all spinners have been in the position of feeling obliged to take cotted fleeces that will simply end up in bean trenches or hanging baskets    (I got rooked into taking two such quite recently.  Thankfully a friend says she can use one of them in needlefelting.  The other is getting used as a cover for my 'milking stool'  )

[FiB]

Yes I have a dark fleece that has been given to me that I think is Jacob.... But it seems to be a bag of fluff! Can't work out what to do with it....

[bumpkins]

 

[FiB]

.... Almost like a bag of Icelandic thel... Wondered if Jacobs had a double coat, but fleece source book says not.....

[Fleecewife]

FiB - many Jacob keepers also show, and Jacobs are one of the breeds which are thoroughly 'dressed' before entering the show ring, which includes keeping the fleece to a certain length with obsessive topiary work (seems that way to me as if I show, it's breeds which are shown straight off the field).  This means there are always bags of shortish fluff, plus even when they are shorn there is little length to it.  I was given a number of these - they looked very pretty on the bonfire 

[FiB]

Ha, that'll be tree mulch then, or stuffing.

[bumpkins]

Fleeces all gone - nine to Castletown Spinners group and another to be posted down South!  Thanks everyone for being so helpful 

[SallyintNorth]

Brilliant!