Roo, roo, roo your sheep....

Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. (yep, I've finally gone completely wacko)

Thank you Tylor for your graphic expertise....

The kids loved it when we handed them some fleece to touch and take with them.

We had to blade shear this guy a bit to finish.

Another large crowd for the demo

Most of this one was roo'd easily, but the neck wool wasn't quite ready and she was finished off with hand  shears

Garrett showing the fleece to the crowd, this fleece was sold right off the sheep and Kim donated the proceeds to FFSSA....Thank you Kim!!! 

Display Booth.....next to the demo booth

Shepherd's Harvest was a great experience and loads of fun for myself, Kim and Garrett this past weekend.  We had planned on doing 4 demos, 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, but the response to the the rooing demo's were so positive and well attended, we just kept going and managed to do 10 sheep!!!!  The weather was perfect and I understand from the event organizer that there were over 8,000 people in attendance at this year's festival.  Sunday morning Sandy (part of the festival organization crew) commented to Garrett that our display and demos were getting a lot of buzz and some very positive comments about how interesting there were to watch.  The response exceeded our expectations, and despite it being a lot of work, we had a blast.  We were given permission to sell the raw fleeces we roo'd as long as the proceeds were going to our organization and we sold 2 fleeces right off the sheep.  We have been invited back for next year's event, and maybe we can use a few of the things we saw and heard at this year's festival to make changes for next year.

Some of the comments that were made were.... "I had no idea that Shetland sheep did that". The best part was that so many people said "This is Shetland? I didn't know Shetland was this nice". And that's why we are working so hard to educate and give the fiber community the chance to see how wonderful Shetland fleece can be.  We also had a range of finished garments that illustrated how to utilize the fleece from various areas of the sheep, as well as a handout that indicated how each fleece type could be used in a finished item.   And once again, Eek, the felted mouse sculpture created by Sabrina was a big hit.

A huge Thank you to Kim Nikolai for letting me stay with her this weekend, plus a giant Thank you to Bob for grilling those perfect steaks on the grill Friday night.  I can't forget to thank Garrett and Tylor for all their help too.  None of of could have done this alone, so I'm grateful for the time and money spent to make this whole thing a reality.

Shepherd's Harvest rooing demo

Shepherd's Harvest....here I come

That's right folks, I'm on the road again.  My over worked hubby is stuck, once again, doing the chores at home while I trot around the country side immersing myself in sheepy activities.  (yes, I'm aware that sheepy is not a word)  
We will be in the animal barn area and there will be a Shetland sheep there as victims models for our demonstrations on how to roo and hand shear a Shetland sheep.  So get your hinders over to the festival and look us up.  You can never talk to much about Shetland sheep, knitting, spinning, weaving......well, you get the idea.   
Click to visit Shepherd's Harvest

Toodles for now (hand waving furiously)

Something new

My good friend, Kristi, from the Argyle Fiber Mill was kind enough to lend me her triangular loom to see if it would be something I enjoyed before I took the plunge and bought one.  I watched the video that came with the loom, rounded up my supplies and got started.  The first day I worked on the shawl for 5 hours........and I was hooked.  I used a  light musket  and gray yarn that I hand spun, the black and moorit yarn is mill spun.  I can't wait to get started on another one, but the since I had to return the loom, I needed to either cough up the funds for a loom or make one.  Luckily, there's yahoo group that is for Tri-loom junkies and they have some great instructions for make a tri-loom in the files section.  

My first weaving attempt..100% OK Acres Shetland wool

Saturday I loaded up my 1" x 3" x 8' boards and headed to my mom and dad's house where a fully equipped wood shop resides in my parents garage.  My dad and I spent the better part of that day building the tri-loom that you see in the picture below.  The only change I made was to add nails every 1/4" so that I could weave with DK weight yarn as well as the bulky yarn.  

Triangular loom that my dad and I made this past weekend

A very simple felted mouse and my first felting experience.  LOVED IT!!!
Body is made from 50/50 blend of Shetland and Alpaca

This little fella was created while I was is in Waukesha at the WI Spin In.  My mouse in nowhere near as spectacular as Sabrina's that she lent to FFSSA for the display booth.  Mine is kind of like what a 1st grader would create and Sabrina's is what a college aged art major would make.  :)

One more ewe

I can't say enough good things about the 2 ram lambs I got from Velma this year, she never disappoints me, always gives me top notch lambs no matter what ram I use.  I have to see how these guys mature, but if they look close to how nice they are now, I don't know how I will decide who goes and who stays.  Lambing is bittersweet for me, it means I have to make hard decisions.  But I can certainly put those off for a bit yet.

Elvis
Velma x Thor ram
divets instead of horns, great structure and very promising fleece.
As Corinne would say, Crimpy Purse too!!!  

Let me introduce you to a few of our new flock members.

Bing Crosby
Challis x Bug ram
being retained for further evaluation

Everything Bing does seems to scream........"Look at me"
I'm almost done lambing.....27 lambs to date, Purebred Shetland count is: 9 ewes and 13 rams. Crossbred lamb count is: 2 ewes and 3 rams.
I purchased Bee Sting late in the fall and while at Lil Country Acres, Juliann exposed Bee to Bug, she leased him for a month after I pulled my rams from their breeding groups.  This puts little Bee about one month later than the rest.  She's round and has an udder, so I'm thinking she won't be too much longer now.

Celine
Challis x Bug ewe
Being retained

Last night I sat on the hill and got a good ole dose of cuteness from the lambs, and coincidentally, I had my camera, so here are some of the lambs with a few weeks under their belts.  Let me know when you are sick of looking at lamb pictures, it won't stop me, but you can tell me.  :)

Buddy Holly
Dot x Bug ram
Can't let this guy go yet. 

Daughtry
Catherine x Thor ram (for sale)

Elton John
Salicional x Bug ram
Love this ram.......will consider selling, but reluctantly after evalutation 

John Lennon
Garnet x Bug ram
(retaining for evaluation)

Madonna
Meadow x Thor ewe
(I have two of these ewes, one is sold)

Axl Rose
Catherine x Thor ram
horned-will be offered for sale after evaluation

Mick Jagger
Hermoine x Thor ram
horned-will be offered for sale after evaluation

Olivia
Salicional x Bug ewe
Being retained

Ozzy Osborne
Hermoine x Thor ram
for sale after evaluations

Reba
Farrah x Camden ewe
Being retained

Ringo Starr
Velma x Thor ram
Being held for evaluation

Shania
Bailey x Bug ewe
Love this ewe, but I have several fawn kat so may be for sale

Tina Turner
Dot x Bug ewe
Being retained

Whitney
Catherine x Thor ewe
Being held for evaluation

Pick me, pick me

This is a shameless attempt on my part to win something from a fellow blogger and friend.  So go visit her blog  Boulderneigh blog link, it's  full of nice pictures and posts.  By linking back to her blog, I am entered in a drawing twice, that's right folks......2 chances for win.
Maybe she'll pick me.

Who said men don't knit and spin?

Below are a few shots of men doing...brace yourself............women's "stuff"...gasp!  Yes folks, I have actual digital proof that there are men out there that love to knit, spin and weave.  Contrary to what most men are led to believe, "male parts" do NOT, I repeat, do NOT fall off when men engage in these activities.   I'll admit, I did a double take when I first saw that there were several male artisans committing unspeakable acts of creativity, but upon closer inspection, I soon realized they were not only knitting, spinning and weaving, but they were doing it well.   It didn't take me long at all to become accustomed to seeing men sitting at spinning wheels, holding knitting needles or weaving at their loom, in fact, it was rather nice.

Male vendor knitting away the day

The man on the left is the vendor that has the rug loom pictured below.
The gentleman sitting at the wheel is 1/2 of a husband and wife team that dresses in period costume as part of the marketing strategy for their booth.  

Rug loom

Everyday is a gift from God.

Fiber Fix

I spent this past Saturday and Sunday in Waukesha at the Wi Spin In.  This was to be a maiden voyage for the FFSSA booth, and I was not disappointed.  I spent a lot of time coveting things from other booths, but did manage to spend a fair amount of time speaking to other vendors and customers that were shopping about Shetland sheep and their fleece.  Time and again I heard, "Wow, very nice, or This is Shetland?"  I like to see the reaction of folks when they realize that Shetland is not scratchy and coarse.  Right after you see "that look", they start looking around to see if you noticed and then they feel compelled to comment.

It was just nice to have some fleece/wool/yarn/sheepy fellowship and recharge my batteries.  

Great people, friendly vendors and a nice weekend of being immersed in everything fiber related.

Basket of needle felted balls in various grades with micron data key provided
One of many contributions from Sabrina)

Left side of the display table

Right side of display table

Double coat samples on left and single coat samples on right

Needle felted sculptures donated and on loan from Sabina with micron data attached
The mouse was, hands down, the star of the display!!!
 (you better give me a name for him soon Sabrina)

Display board and right side of table

Fine Fleece Shetland Sheep Association booth 

Mioget fleece

Fawn fleece

Everyday is a gift from God.

On the road again.........

Flowering crap at dusk

Woohoo, we are free...........(can you spot the cross bred lambs in this photo?

Flowering crab at sunrise

Close up of the flowering crap bloosoms

On my way to Waukesha, Wi for the WI Spin In this weekend.  I will have a booth there promoting Fine Fleece Shetland Sheep and I may even sell some roving.  :)

Maybe I'll see you there..........................

Toodles for now.
Everyday is a gift from God.

Spots...gotta love em'

Tuesday mornings gift  

Challis x Bug ewe 

Challis x Bug ram 

Great birth coat on both these babies and if the end up being built like their parents, they will both be staying right here.  No horn buds on the ram so far.  (crossing my fingers)

Challis is gernerally pretty wild and sticks to herself, but now that her lambs are here, she ubber quiet and very content.  There's so many things that I like about this ewe, but the first thing that struck me about her was her structure, she has a leg in all 4 corners and properly proportioned...not too small, not too large and has good fleece to boot.  Her fantastic mothering ability is just another reason to pass along her genetics.  Thank you to Lori of Sommarang Farm for allowing me to lease her.
Everyday is a gift from God.