A blog about my life, knitting, and other stuff.

June 24, 2007

Wool Fumes

What a great time. I learned so much about fleece on this trip to Black Sheep. Judith Mackenzie is a born teacher and a wool goddess. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. If you didn't already know, she has a new book
out about handspinning. It is excellent.

I remembered to take out my camera. On the first day I walked past a car in the parking lot and noticed something funny. It was a small four door sedan. With a picnic blanket in the backseat. And lots of hay.



I guess someone wanted to bring a sheep (or goat or alpaca???) with them to BSG and didn't have a truck. I guess it wasn't a goat since the seats are still there.

You'd think goat owners would know to keep yummy things like paper away from their animals.



But this show goat's owner didn't. I can't tell you anything about the goat because he ate his own sign. Last year I saw a goat that had eaten its own ribbon!
Good thing they're cute.



That's one sweet looking angora goat.

On Saturday I went to the fleece viewing after the judging ended. During the judging I fell passionately in love with a milk chocolate brown merino fleece. From 20 feet away I knew I loved it. It won third place in its class.



Drop dead gorgeous.
And the most expensive, yet smallest, merino fleece I saw in the entire show. A whopping $18/pound! Well worth it, I'm sure, but too rich for my blood nonetheless.

Folks start lining up early for the fleece sale.



These people mean business. I wasn't planning on buying a fleece so I let them have at it. About an hour later I went back and did buy a fleece. You'll need to wait until Tuesday to see a picture since Sarah was kind enough to schlep it home for me. (I was worried we wouldn't have room in our car).

This morning there was lots of sheep shearing going on. This Lincoln was not being all that cooperative.



But the fleece was so beautiful. I have a lot of admiration for the shearers.

And I'll leave you with one parting shot of a Shetland was really into his hay.