Bah Bah White Sheep, Three Bags Full

Will you look at the size of this box! FedEx delivery
men just toss our deliveries over the fence. Our dogs don't make it easy to come into the yard when we're not home. I'm always amazed at our propane delivery guy - he must have nerves of steel. This was waiting for me from Morro Fleeceworks. It's the last of the fleeces that I sent and is actually two fleeces, but processed and packaged as three. Last summer when we visit Anna Harvey's ranch in the Sierra's, Birdsong and I succumbed to temptation and purchased a hogget Rambouillet fleece, which we split.

This is Birdsong's part of the fleece. It is absolutely stunning. I'm a little jealous as I sent alpaca along to be blended with my half.

I had already sent it when Amy pointed out that my plan for a 70/30 split hadn't taken into consideration the grease and loss of weight in scouring that would occur with the wool. Birdsong's 3 pound portion came back finished at 2 pounds. And this is my "half" of the fleece. You can see there is a considerable increase in volume.

I figure it's nearly half and half, alpaca/wool. I don't know how how I feel about it right now, but I think I many have been too smart for my britches. I'm jealous when I look at the lively crimp in the half that's not mine.This is what I got. It doesn't have that spoing of wool with the alpaca added. You can click for big to compare. I've got a spinning project already in progress, so can't start on this yet. This gives me time to think and anticipate.

Last in the trio is our own Robbie the Ram. Even though Kiernan no longer speaks with a w-for-r substitution, I will always think of him as Wobbie the Wam - or as Mim laughingly corrects, Wobbie the Weatheu. I used up all of his last fleece in making the lap blanket for my brother. I know I could have processed this myself, but Shari does it so much better. Besides, I'd rather spin than process.

He's a double-coated Shetland, so his roving is already showing the hairs that will halo like mohair when spun into yarn. I absolutely love to spin his fleece. I love to spin most everything. I must because I do it every day.