So, I decided I have learned enough to really get started on this adventure of fiber & wool. It all started with eggs....I was talking to a woman about purchasing eggs to hatch out at my preschool. She suggested that IF I was the kinda of preschool teacher who enjoyed hatching chicks out for the inner city kids in my classroom, perhaps I was the kind of teacher who would enjoy teaching them where wool/yarn comes from.
Through a series of emails she proceeded to draw me deeper into the world of sheep. Sheldon was rejected by his momma at birth. Spent the first few nights in the house trying to save him. Momma still didn't want him so he became a bottle baby. A few weeks later, he became my first lamb. His name comes from the nerd show 'The Big Bang Theory' my 19 yr old daughter named him. Not wanting him to be alone, we started our quest for Leonard (yup, another charactor from the show) and found another wether (neutered male sheep) that was half Jacob sheep (sheep known to have 4 to 6 horns, gulp) and half Finn, like Sheldon. As luck would have it, Leonard takes on most of the Finn traits, they are naturally polled sheep, so NO horns, pheew!
Sheldon is black but seems to have the fading gene and it appears he will be silver after shearing. Leonard is an oatmeal white with a few large chocolate brown spots. He wasn't a botttle baby and is taking his time warming up to us. Sheep are very addicting. If I had more land, I'd have more sheep.
I have added French Angora rabbits to the mix. Teasel is a REW buck (ruby eyed white) he is a very cheeky boy, lots of nibbling on clothes from this one. My does/girls - Fern is a Blue Tortioise Shell, Blue Tort for short. Which is to say she is a sandy color with bits of grey thoughout?? Thistle is also a REW. My herd buck, Timbers is a Satin, from another rabbitry. I have to get picture of him today. I am on the hunt for blues, blacks and creams. LOVE those colors. Need more does! I will be breeding them as soon as they hit six months old!
At this point, I have the critters in place. I have bought a drop spindle and a bag of rovings. I have also bought some felting kits. THIS will be the weekend I play with them, over Thanksgiving break. I am suspecting I won't be the crafter but the fiber supplier in this world of fiber and spinning. But never say never....more later.
