I just had to share this link! The several pounds of Maine Island Sheep fleece that I'm carding, spinning, dying, and then knitting into a sweater is from this small island flock. I didn't know there was a website about this flock so was very excited to stumble upon it!
http://www.starcroftfiber.com/nash_island
I did not realize that my fleece came from a flock of 120 or so Coopworth-Romney-Corriedale sheep.
Coopworth sheep are from New Zealand and are a dual sheep meaning it's a meat and wool sheep. Its wool is considered to be of the coarser nature. Corriedale sheep are also from New Zealand as well as Australia and are also a dual sheep. Corriedale are a result of Merino Lincoln mix. That seems like an odd mix to me. Merino known for its softness and Lincoln which has a long coarse staple. Corriedale are a parent of today's Targhee. Romeny on the other hand is a common sheep here in Maine and unlike the Coopworth and Cooriedale comes from England. It is also considered a long wool. It's a wonderful wool for beginning spinners and is most often used for outer garment wearing. So based on the ancestry of these lovely Nash Island Sheep I think making an outer sweater is a perfect use for this wool.
On the Starcroft website it says you can purchase a fleece directly from them, a local spinning mill, or from the fleece tent at MOFGA's Common Ground Fair. That's what I did. I purchased it from the fleece tent. Here's the link to Common Ground Fair - http://www.mofga.org/TheFair/tabid/135/Default.aspx
Happy spinning!
Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment