Week 41 of 2026

This week was all about spinning and washing fleece -

It started with buying some minimally processed wool from a local shepherd - I recently decided I wanted to try spinning some different breeds of sheep just for the spinning experience. This first one is Wendsleydale - a sheep with long curly locks. When I spun it the yarn was smooth, but after washing the finished skein the curls popped out. About 100g, and over 300m of light fingering weight, 2 ply yarn.

The day after buying some different types of roving for spinning, a friend gave me different types of raw fleece.

I spent a couple days washing fleeces. It always surprises me how dirty raw fleece can be, and then how beautiful it cleans up.

I received six different types of fleece (I don't know what they are), and these are the first two I spun. These both had quite long staple lengths, and some other similar properties, so I think they are the same sheep breed, they are just different natural colours. I drum carded the clean fibre, and used a diz to prepare the fibre for spinning. The finished skeins are about 50g and over 100m each, of fingering weight, 2 ply yarn.

This was the biggest lot of fleece (photo before washing),

it came out amazing after washing, long, shiny locks - the most beautiful fleece I have ever prepared! I should have enough to knit a garment with this one. 

Even GingerSnap! was involved with spinning this week.

All the best!♥︎

Week 40 of 2026

This week has been about getting the yard and gardens ready for winter, but progress is still being made on a couple of projects I am working on -

This week I finished knitting the sleeves on the cardigan, and I am back knitting on the body.

I tried out a different tie-up and treadling pattern on the Big Top towels.

Photos from Around -

Miss Maggie and GingerSnap! taking turns at the water dish (GingerSnap! didn't have much patience and took a swipe at her, but he was the one that ended up with a cut on his nose!).

This Great Blue Heron flew around the yard and frightened the chickens.

Molly kept an eye on the chickens.

She was not the bravest when someone got the scale out to weight themselves, and had to hide in the basement.

All the best!♥︎