Getting ready for Shepherd's Harvest!

Wow, it's May already and that means Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival is right around the corner!

I will have a booth in Building D again this year -- right next to my neighbor and friend, Denise Morris, of Morris Pottery.  I will be selling my homegrown TeeswaterX raw and washed locks, BFL and Shetland combed top and roving, and maybe a few skirted fleeces.  I will have plenty of felt pelts, a couple felted vests, some ecoprinted nunofelt cowls/scarves, handcrafted soap and lip balm, and a few washable tanned hides.

Sid and I will also have some fiber equipment for sale. Including this nice Swedish 28" four harness Lillstina loom. And it's already warped! SOLD

We also have this single treadle Louet S10 with a jumbo flyer and 5 bobbins (2 jumbo, 3 regular) and built-in Lazy Kate for sale.  SOLD

We've updated it with a new drive band, brake band set, footman connector, and footman to treadle connector. Come and give it a spin! SOLD

The bobbins included are the older style with two ratios, but newer bobbins with three ratios are compatible with this wheel.

On Sunday, May 14th I will be teaching a Cobweb Felt Floor Lampshade class from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We will be using fiber from my ewe, Wanda. She's a Wensleydale/Bluefaced Leicester cross with lustrous locks. I think there are still a few spaces left in the class. You can find more details and register here.
 

If you're closer to eastern Wisconsin, I will also be teaching this class at Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival on Sunday, September 10th.

 

I've been experimenting with eco-printing  and nunofelting the lampshades. They can also be gradient dyed, embroidered or beaded as desired. I just love them -- they impart a warm glow to any room.











Yesterday I decided to try making a raw locks collar from one of Wanda's lamb's fleece. It is a Teeswater/Wensleydale/Bluefaced Leicester. I cringed at the dirty greasy tips, but went ahead and gave it a try.

Thankfully those locks washed up sparkling white and almost all of the VM shook out after it was finished! The little that remained was easily picked out.

Now I feel more comfortable offering it for sale. I have six bags of it on hand and more growing on the hoof!