Author Topic: Shetland Fleece (Read 4959 times)

cully_c · « **on:** June 28, 2015, 10:05:29 am »

Ok, so shortly I will have 10 mixed coloured Shetland fleeces, talk to me about my options, what do others do?

Is it worth having them sent away to be 'dealt' with and get back balls to use/sell? I can't do anything myself and although I'd love to, to be honest, I don't have the time

And what's all this about the Wool Board?

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** June 28, 2015, 12:07:57 pm »

If you want to show your fleeces, or have a large flock, you need to register with the Wool Board. However, if you have just a hobby flock, especially a coloured one, they're not interested. You would get a few pence each for the fleeces, and transport would be much more than that. This is why many people prefer to deal with fleeces themselves.
If you are a knitter or weaver, or have an outlet for yarn, then it could be worth getting them spun up, but if they are a variety of colours then somewhere such as the Natural Fibre Co would have to blend them into a grey, as their minimum order weight is 20 or 25 kgs. There are other Mills which will do individual fleeces, so you get your separate colours, but you would need to work out carefully if that would be financially viable. It's not a cheap option.

Have a look at some of the posts on this subject in 'crafts' for what you have to do to prepare fleece for sending to a Mill or selling direct to customers.

If carefully stored then one year's clip can be held over until the following year to give you enough for NFCo.

cully_c · « **Reply #2 on:** June 28, 2015, 03:22:33 pm »

Say I decided that I didn't want to bother with anything, just needed to get rid, what's the best option for that?

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** June 28, 2015, 05:00:58 pm »

A surreptitious bonfire? It seems a shame though if the fleeces are good quality

I think that legally fleece for destruction is supposed to go via the Knackerman to be incinerated in controlled conditions - burning fleece gives off a poison (I think it's cyanide). The Wool Board could be interested if you burn it and they knew.

cully_c · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2015, 07:00:07 pm »

Lol ok so avoiding the 'bordering on illegal' is getting the Wool Board to take it the most straight forward or is there some kind of spinners club that might take them?

fiestyredhead331 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2015, 11:59:35 pm »

certainly advertise the fact you will have fleeces, either facebook (which we use) or contact any local crafts groups in your area. Ours were sent down to a woman in Essex we met last year at a farmers market

Failing that, you could use them for stuffing cushions etc? I used some for making xmas decorations

Anke · « **Reply #6 on:** June 29, 2015, 10:09:43 pm »

If you really have no other use, they do make a good enough bottom layer in your muck/compost heap.

However if you only have 10 and got enough other stuff for a big bonfire in the autumn, who will notice a few fleeces in there....

Fieldfare · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2015, 10:24:47 pm »

...I've recently seen fleeces used as liners for hanging baskets... marketed correctly you might even actually be able to add value to them...

cully_c · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2015, 08:34:02 am »

Lots of good ideas here! Thank you people

?

lesbri · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2015, 08:39:35 am »

I did really well this year selling mine privately. Only had 5 fleeces to go, I sold 3 on ebay and the other 2 to a lady who bought a fleece from me last year when I advertised on preloved and wanted another 2 this year. I covered the cost of my shearer plus a bit extra which I was very happy with. Always worth a try before you destroy them, seems such a shame to me

collielaw · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2015, 08:33:41 pm »

I usually sell mine raw (straight from the sheep) privately. I find that this way you get more value and the fleeces find a good home.
Unfortunately the lovely lady that used to buy mine is now seriously ill and has had to give up her wool business. So I'm now trying to find new homes. Try advertising them on the forum, preloved and gumtree. I've sold quite a few this way.
It's such a shame to let them go to waste.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2015, 08:39:24 pm »

Are you in touch with your local Guild of Spinners, and other spinning groups?

I know of Edinburgh Guild, and the Haddington Spinners, plus there was a lady whose name I can't recall with a spinning corner at the Smallholder Show at Lanark...