While waiting for the storm to start on Saturday, I busied myself with fleeces. I have joined a smaller group within our Spinning Guild called the Explorer’s Club. This group gets together about every other month – together they make a decision to do an in depth study of a particular breed’s fleece, buying the fleece, washing it and taking it through all the steps of preparation and production and sharing their thoughts. This month is the Corriedale. My friend Peggy has also joined this group and Friday we were hard at work washing the fleeces ……
before the bath
it may look like hot chocolate
but it didn’t smell like hot chocolate!
All of this Friday fleecy goodness led to a great amount of drum carding on Saturday. I have been collecting bits of fleeces here and there and have never worked up the confidence or the energy to do anything with them. Well, that all changed and through the drum carder they went! Some Coopworth and loads of Jacob – I can’t remember why I have so much of the Jacob, pounds of the stuff. At the moment I have some on my wheel – don’t know if it is my rudimentary fiber prep skills or something about the Jacob fleece itself, but it is very tricky to spin and the results are a tad coarse ….. thank goodness I start those spinning lessons tomorrow!
We ended up with about 18 inches of snow, although I am hearing 20 and more for the city. Schools are either closed or having delayed openings (D#2 just left to catch the bus) and it is a winter wonderland for now. Temps will be on the rise during the week, so by Friday it will all be a slushy mess.
purlingswine 
I finished my Grandmother’s sweater this weekend! I put up pictures: http://fiberfish.blogspot.com/2006/02/weekend-knitting-part-one.html
Spinning still doesn’t tempt me! But the snow was great, huh?
Dis. Gust. Ing.
If I ever get the hang of spinning I’ll only buy lovely rovings. Ick.
I haven’t washed a whole lot of fleece, and I’m thinking it might be just as well to skip that part of the process. Yes, I am a weenie.
hey ann,
i left for a business trip the day after kripalu, and was gone the whole week. im just getting around to e-mail. i checked out your blog and cece’s blog…awesome! i miss you all lots! what a great week-end. do you guys want to come to norton, ma for a reunion? we could also get the “script” finalized for cece’s show. xo cathy w
ps- a shout out to ricki, lorraine and cece!