Scarf Class and Shearing

It's been a busy few days lately.  Last night's scarf class at Pine Center for the Arts was a lot of fun.

It always amazes me the way people choose colors and embellishments.  I marvel at their choices and the resulting scarves.  I know they must think I'm nuts, but I do get pretty excited about fiber.

We had nine students and only 5 tables, so they worked two to a table.  We used silk gauze and various wools blended with tencel and silk and then embellished with silk, wool locks and some brought yarns from home.

None of them had ever felted before, except for an art club friend of mine who took the class before and came back with two friends.  No one had problems and all their scarves turned out beautifully.  Here's a shot of Leslie's scarf before fulling.  

I think most of the students were happy with their scarves - I know I was thrilled with them.  I'm sorry I didn't get photos of all the students' work. When I left the building, moon was bright and the art center windows were totally fogged up from all the physical effort and the hot soapy water.  :-)

Then I got up bright and early this morning to set up the barn for shearing.  Jim Peterson arrived  right on time at 8:30.  He didn't take long to get set up. He sheared our 16 sheep plus a Shetland Mule ewe that we gave to our old neighbors a couple years ago.  Her fleece is really nice and I get to keep it.  The weather was great for shearing -- our highs will be close to 50 the next two days.  Just perfect!

  

Four of my five Bluefaced Leicester ewes were bred - including Rhisa the natural colored yearling.  Her three year old full sister Rhaya did not take again this year.  I'm afraid she will be moving on...

Hansel covered 5 of his 6 ewes, only the little moorit didn't take.  I've been wondering what Hansel's fleece was like under the coat he's been wearing.  And it's a lovely grey!  He's registered as a grey gulmoget and that seems to be right - unless one would call him emsket?  There was a spongy layer of lighter coloring, you can see some of it in the photo above.  But he is still grey on his saddle and according to his pedigree he can't be Ag.  It's going to be so exciting to see what color his lambs are.  He sired a set of twins born at Meghan's farm, one mioget and one emsket. 



Yearling granddaughter of Bramble Hetty looks just like her.



 Hattie's 2010 Ag grey lamb, that we called Pepper, has a lovely light grey fleece. She looks so much like her grandmother (Bramble Hetty) that I decided to change her name to Heddy.  She's bagging up along with Darla, shown below next to her twin sister Ginger.  Ginger and Heddy were coated too, so now I have sheep laundry to do.  I'm looking forward to skirting their fleeces. 

The Shetlands are due to start lambing in early April.  Rhisa is due in late April, or early May (if Pokey is the sire).  I don't know when the two white adult BFL ewes are due, their bags look like it could be any time now.