Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

Black, white and grey sheep...
have you any wool?


Yes Ma'am, yes Ma'am...
three rugs full!!

Yes, these gals have grown super-thick fleece again this winter.
I can hardly wait to shear them this spring and harvest that wool.


Right now their wool is about 2 inches thick...
with about a half inch of grime on the outside.
Winter is hard on these fleeces.
I will try to clean them up a bit before shearing season (April).


Believe it or not, Faith is not a brown sheep, but rather is a black one.
It's just that the outer layer of her fleece gets sun-bleached.



After shearing she will be inky black once again.

Faith, shearing, 2016
This past spring I had their wool milled and spun together into a super thick
product know as core-spun.
Their wool was actually spun around a skein of pink wool yarn...
the pink being the "core" of the core-spun.
Babydoll sheep's wool is not soft enough for garments,
but makes a rather luxurious rug.
I crocheted this rug yesterday.



(I don't crochet....not really... I just tried my hand at something basic.)
This rug is 32 inches across and at least 1 inch thick.
It feels luscious underneath your toes!

Yesterday was the perfect day for indoor play...
it was positively soggy outside...
with rain helping to melt last week's snow.


As you can see...
some don't know enough to stay in their shelter
(and they have several to choose from!)


So, with a fire burning and a hot mug of tea,


and Celtic music playing softly in the background...
I knitted and crocheted....


while everyone else slept.


Why is it that I am sitting on the floor,
while everyone else occupies the furniture?



Perfect Sunday!

I finished the grey and maroon sheepy cowl...


and started another in a different green and blue.
This one will have white angora sheep knitted into it.

Comments

GeorgiaHoneyBee said…
I can't wait ti see how much fleece you get this year! My spring package arrived Friday, and it fueled me to start my pruning and mulching activities. Thank you so much for the beautiful bag, the handkerchief, the seeds, and the magazine. It really made my weekend special! Have a wonderful day!

I have never been a knitter, but recently it's peaking my interest as I would love to have something easy to do with my hands on cold winter nights in front of the fire, and lately all the reading seems like too much -thinking-. Is it easy to get started? Because I'm deaf, a class or a tutorial without closed caption won't work for me.

The JR said…
Love your cowls. I don't knit. They are beautiful.
daisy g said…
Those cowls are so wonderful. They bring a smile to me each time I see them.
I know nothing about the fascinating process of sheep shearing. Do you wash the sheep before they are sheered or is there a process to clean the wool after they get sheered?

Sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend. I really need to take a knitting class.
Hope you get to see some sun today!
Bee Haven Bev said…
I will clean the sheep before, but a lot of the cleaning happens after shearing. The wool is picked over to get the debris out and then washed to get the dirt and oils out.
Cindy said…
I also love those cowls. I made the baable hat when I saw it on your blog. Actually I made several for gifts! Did you make up the cowl pattern yourself or was it a new pattern?
Bee Haven Bev said…
Cindy...
You can find the cowl on Ravery. Or you can email me and I will send it to you.
This is really lovely! Love your sheep...so, you can't use your wool for clothing??
Your knitting is beautiful....
Actually a bit jealous of that as it never really took with me...I sew instead...quilts mostly. (see my blog)
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
jaz@octoberfarm said…
hahaha..whose the boss in your house? i love that the dogs make you sit on the floor! those cowls are awesome!
Anonymous said…
Those cowls are really cute! Your knitting is beautiful. How long have you been knitting?
Bee Haven Bev said…
I taught myself to knit years ago....just one stitch. Then about 3 years ago I decided to get serious about it and spread my wings a little. And....thank you.

As for who is the boss in our house? You can guess the answer to that one!
Lynne said…
Talents many . . .
Hope we can view the shearing . . .
Surprise, surprise that the Brownie is really a Blackie!
Katmom said…
luv how the rug turned out... I luv my 'Q' hook for rag rug crocheting (from old bed sheets)... the only think I can crochet! lol!