Are you prepared?

Do you really need a toolbox for your spinning wheel? After watching the Know Your Wheel DVD from Interweave Press, I believe you do. I have been to plenty of Spin-Ins, guild meetings, volunteer spinning events, etc where I always had at least oil, tissues, and a drive band. But after viewing the DVD, I realized that I definitely needed more even when spinning at home.

Alden Amos mentioned how Ashford wheels have a sliding flyer assembly so that the whorls will always line up with the drive wheel. Oh! Is that what that special hinge is for. Of course! All you need to do is adjust the screws. Cindy Lair goes in depth into fine tuning a Schacht Matchless wheel and also talks about care for other wheels. After hearing what she had to say, I would love to take my Matchless back from the baby. (Don’t worry, I won’t. She loves that wheel.)

So what are some of the things suggested by both wheelmakers to put in a Spinner’s Toolbox? I will share with you what I put in based on the wheels I have. Now, onto my Toolbox components!

Oil
Drive Band String
Scissors
Q-tips
Tissues
Hex wrench set
Phillips and slotted screwdrivers
paste wax
tack cloth
beeswax
vice grips
ivory bar soap

When the baby gets older, I may add some White Lithium Grease to the bag for her Matchless.

Checking to make sure that your wheel is in good working order each time you use it and adjusting it to the specific yarn you are sitting down to spin makes common sense. This video will give you a better idea of what you could be looking for and how to correct common problems. I highly recommend getting Know Your Wheel so that you can stock your toolbox with things necessary for your wheel. I learned a lot of new things as well especially about using Scotch tension while spinning. Learn from these two masters! It is never too late.

© Louis-M. Landry

Hemp is a bast fiber and has been spun since antiquity. Mainly thought of as useful for making heavy ropes and canvas, today’s hemp sliver is far from being tough. With the advent of an enzymatic removal of lignin from the fiber, de-gummed hemp is now as strong as ever but with a new soft touch. Hemp is water absorbent, resists mold and UV light, breathes well, and takes dye easily due to its porous qualities.

Sounds like a great fiber but how do you spin it? Hemp is easy to spin. If you would like to try spinning hemp on a drop spindle, a light weight top whorl or support spindle may be your best choice. Modern hemp is very fine and slides easily like silk. If you would like to spin hemp on a spinning wheel, set your tension low to and increase it gradually as you get the hang of it. Whether spinning on a spindle or wheel, try spinning the singles clockwise. Do some sampling to see the wide range of possible yarns you can make with hemp. For a more woolen type yarn, try spinning from the fold or carding with silk. We like a 60/40 hemp/silk mix. You will want to use fine carders or cotton carders for blending. For a worsted yarn, you can use a forward short draw. For an even smoother yarn, try spinning wet like you would for flax. There should not be many fly away fibers but spinning wet will ensure that the yarn is perfectly smooth. Just put a small bowl of water near you and dip the fingers of your forward facing hand in the water and smooth it on as you spin.

When plying, spin the yarn in the opposite direction. There is no need to boil your finished yarns. We suggest that you set the twist by holding your skein with two hands over a steaming pot of water or tea kettle.

Resources:

Anderson, Enid, “The Spinner’s Encyclopedia,” 1987, David and Charles Publishers, Devon, UK, 288pp, ISBN: 0-7153-8794-4

Kadolph, Sara J., “Textiles, 10th edition,” 2007, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 496 pp, ISBN: 0-13-118769-4

Kolander, Cheryl, Hemp! for Textile Artists, 1995, 7th Printing, Review Edition, MAMA DOC Inc, Portland, OR, 109pp

Introduction:

While browsing through eBay about fifteen years ago, when I was a relatively new spinner with a love of longwool, I had a chance encounter with a wool that I continue to treasure. I was like many new spinners looking for a new flavor of wool so I took to the internet in my quest for something new and interesting. It was on the famous auction house’s site that my eyes feasted on Fleecewood Leicester for the first time. As usually happens when faced with lustrous locks of longwool, I fell in love at first sight.

©Anne Grassham

After receiving samples, I decided on my fleece. The big day arrived when my wool arrived in the mail. My fellow spinners, you know how exciting this can be. I opened the package to find something unique. I immediately got to work washing, flicking, and spinning those delightful locks. Here I am, fifteen years later, holding the original sample I made.

It still vibrates with a life force of its own. It is silky, smooth, and as perfect as the day it was made. I wish you could feel the fibers. They have so much life and inner beauty. Fleecewood Leicester wool gives me joy like no other. Read on and see for yourself.

History of The Breed:

First nearly complete map of New Zealand, drawn by James Cook.

Fleecewood Leicester’s can trace their genetic history back to English Leicester sheep and NZ Halfbred sheep. In 1843, English Leicester flocks were imported to New Zealand for the first time. They were one of the initial breeds to be relocated to the country and were very successful in surviving the wetter regions where Merino sheep were struggling. English Leicesters were often used for crossbreeding purposes. They were coupled with Merinos in hopes to help Merinos develop a resistance to footrot. These offspring, and also Romney/Merino crosses, would then be bred with others of the same crossbreeds. The resulting “halfbred” sheep is now known as the New Zealand Halfbred, or as the Colonial Halfbred.

Fleecewood Leicester sheep at Fleecewood Farm ©Anne Grassham

The Fleecewood Leicester’s beginning was by chance. Anne Grassham, a native Auklander, had moved back to New Zealand after completing her PhD program in Geology in the United States. Even though she was raised in the city, she was called by the country, as many of us are. She found a place with rolling hills and 80 acres that was just right for her. Fleecewood Farm was about to be born. Anne and her family developed the land to clear secondary growth while building a home. They started out by farming Angora goats. Anne found herself attracted to colored sheep and found some locally to have on the farm. It turned out that Anne and her family found sheep much easier to manage than goats so they devoted their attention to them full time.

The first flock of sheep they acquired was a half a dozen English Leicester ewes and another six Awapawa Merinos. Awapawa Merinos are a sheep breed that originated from merinos that were brought to Awapawa Islands in the late 1800’s by Captain Cook.

Captain Cook, oil on canvas painting by John Webber, 1776, Museum of New Zealand Tepapa Tongarewa, Wellington

The Awapawa Merinos that Anne purchased were five ewes and one ram. One thing led to another and the ram was bred to the English Leicester ewes. These resulting lambs were New Zealand Halfbreds but through continued breeding Anne was able to consistently produce an animal that grew a distinctive woolcraft fleece that was long, lustrous, and soft. She realized that she had something special and concentrated her breeding efforts to bring out recognizable color lines in the breed as well as a superior handle. After 20 years of intensive efforts, the Fleecewood Leicester has become the handspinner’s best friend and owes its name to one woman’s love of fleece and to the farm on which she raises them.

Although Anne has dedicated herself to the breed, she has decided not to register it officially. She continues her excellent farm management to bring out the highest caliber wool in all her sheep.

Breed Characteristics:

©Anne Grassham

Fleecewood Leicester sheep are gorgeous creatures. Strongly built and straight backed, they are average sized sheep with ewes weighing in between 110-220 lbs. The face, legs, and ears of the Fleecewood should be free of wool though the top of the head has an impressive mop of locks. The breed is hardy, living on regular pasture. Anne likes to improve their diets with lots of herbage. She feeds not only meadow and lucerne hay but tree lucerne as well. This is especially important for ewes in late pregnancy, as this fast growing shrub is high in nitrogen. The ewes are excellent mothers having twins 50% of the time.

The Wool:

Fleecewood Locks ©Anne Grassham

The breed is considered a longwool cross. The fiber has a fineness of 28-32 microns and a Bradford count of 52s-48s. Fleeces weigh in at approximately 8.8 lbs. Anne heavily skirts her handspinner’s fleeces to about 5.5 lbs. She sells the excess fleece for commercial use. The annual length of an average fleece is 4.5 – 6 inches. The wool has a luminescence and has a wavy crimp with a flat, tippy staple. Fleecewoods have been bred specifically for their wool quality and rich colors that range from black and greys to moorit and white. There is often variation in the colored fleeces some of which can even have spots.

Can you resist? Imagae by ©Anne Grassham

The fleece is easy to wash due to Anne’s ruthless skirting and the wool’s wavy locks. It also takes dye very well. Overdyeing the grey toned fleeces can produce a spectacular result.

As with many fibers, there is a myriad of ways to spin Fleecewood Leicester wool. Anne suggests worsted or long draw. I chose to spin my fleece in a worsted manner because I was working with combed locks that I processed from raw fleeces. However, Anne sells roving that is ideally spun long draw. It is light, airy, and will practically spin itself. Yarn made in this style will have a mohair like nap to fabric made from it.

So yummy!

My original worsted yarns look as sound as the day I spun them those many years ago. It is a testament to Anne’s high standards that the wool of the Fleecewood Leicester is such a delight. I highly recommend this wool for beginners and to the serious fiber enthusiast. You may commence stalking your mail provider forthwith!

Many thanks to Anne Grassham for her generous sharing of pictures and information used to write this article. You can contact Anne Grassham to ask about her lovely wool at: http://www.woolcraft.co.nz/pages/about.htm

Resources:

Fleecewood Farm, http://www.woolcraft.co.nz/pages/about.htm
,Retrieved on Sept 14, 2001.

New Zealand Sheep Breeders Organization, English Leicester: Origin and History, http://www.nzsheep.co.nz/index.php?page=english-leicester, Retrieved on Sept 14, 2011.

Ross Galbreath, ‘Agricultural and horticultural research’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 1-Mar-09, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/agricultural-and-horticultural-research/1/2, Retrieved on Sept 14, 2011

Thank you sir! May I have another?

Most spinners will tell you they have at least tried spindle spinning even if they do not own a spindle. The spindle bug has also bit plenty of knitters and weavers along the way. There are a plethora of spindles on the market made from classic wood to non-traditional materials such as mammoth tooth whorls or Legos. They come in a variety of sizes and unusual shapes and, as the Trindle has shown us, they can work quite wonderfully with a whorl made of three rods and some stones.

If Spock spun, he would use this.

One thing we spinners have in common – indeed, all fiber artists – is curiosity. In the back of our creative minds we look for new horizons to explore and to create. So, why not have a spindle for every day of the week, month, or year? A spindle collection can be viewed as inspiration to further your artistic endeavors. Have you ever sat back to admire your equipment while pondering what to do next? How many of us have plucked a spindle out of the herd just to experience the comfort it provides from just being held? It is obvious to me that this ever-useful tool that has clothed people throughout history has an indisputable deep connection to our souls and collective humanity. The act of spinning unravels a tactile thread that binds us to other artists/providers throughout history as we struggle to provide and care for our own.

So the next time you crave the latest beauty you come across and you grapple with the voice of “supposed” reason that says: “Why do you need another spindle?” remember that an artist lives in a world not only of logic but of feeling and of dreams too.

See what I mean?

Does a painter have only the colors she will use for each painting? Or does she have a studio full of the things she feels she may use one day or just likes to have around because it meets a need in her soul? Does she need to justify that to herself or anyone else? Admit it, if you walked into an artist’s studio whose medium was painting you would except a room chock full of canvases, paints, brushes, and supplies. You would be shocked if there was one brush and seven different colored paints arranged (gasp!) neatly on a table. That wouldn’t seem right at all, would it? So why is it that I am constantly reading about how people feel guilty for buying another spindle or struggle to justify their fiber arts expenses. Aren’t you an artist too? Would it be easier to justify if you thought of yourself as a struggling artist? You don’t have to be starving in SoHo using less crafty-type materials to be a real artist. You are one. Realize it and embrace it.

Pictured in Order:

Antler Scrimshaw Spindle by www.facebook.com/pages/Grizzly-Mountain-Arts/112397435454704 Image ©Grizzly Mountain Arts

Trindle Spindle by http://www.etsy.com/shop/trindleman#

Frédéric Bazille peignant à son chevalet, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1867

Image: Ifremer/A. Fifis

#10: A yeti crab’s pincers are covered with sinuous, hair-like strands. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4785482.stm

#9: In the original Wizard of Oz movie, the Cowardly Lion suit worn by Bert Lahr weighed 60 + lbs and was made of lion hides.

#8: When the Cowardly Lion costume was restored, the mane alone cost $22,000. It was made of human hair.

#7: DNA analysis of the discovered “Yeti” hair in 2008 revealed that the elusive rock bear’s hair was actually the hair of a Himalayan Goral. Sorry to disappoint!

Not a Yeti! Image from Himalayan Goral, wikipedia

#6: Woolly Mammoth fur was dual coated. Their outer coat measured more than 3 feet and they also had a soft down like coat which was similar to muskox.

Woolly mammoth restoration at the Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, by WolfmanSF, creative commons

#5: Armorweave can withstand blaster bolts and is defensive against lightsaber attacks. Ben Kenobi should have been wearing this during his fight with Darth Vader. You know Darth was.

#4: Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak was most likely made from the hair of a Demiguise, which is a gentle beast that has the ability to be invisible.

#3: Captain Jack wears a great coat made of a fine cashmere/wool blend in the Torchwood: Miracle Day series. I will let you contemplate Captain Jack with cashmere.

John Barrowman, image en.wikipedia, creative commons

#2: Falkor, from the NeverEnding Story movie, was made of 220 lbs of angora fur that was dyed pink.

#1: I know it is hard to believe but Tribbles from the original Star Trek TV series were made of artificial fur and were stuffed with foam. Jacqueline Cumeré was paid $350 to make 500 of them.

©Krokuswww, creative commons

As I sit looking at our home page on our staging site, I feel humbled and empowered by all of you who expressed their support towards the new direction of International Fleeces. We were happily surprised at the positive response towards our new concept. We will try very hard not to let you down.

Here is a behind the scenes look at what we have been doing. We spent the last two weeks closing out the store. Thank you to everyone who made one or more purchases. You really kept us busy. The baby has had some late nights and even got to watch some “Wonderpets” episodes, all in the name of helping Mommy. Isn’t she a trooper? It is three days to launch and we are just about done with the business side of things.

Next up, how to make the site pay for itself? Now that was a hard one. We considered making the site have a “member’s only” access section but that didn’t feel right. The next thing we considered and decided to try out was an optional donation button. Think we are doing a good job and want us to continue? Please make a donation to help us cover the costs of the site. A customer suggested to me to create an advertising space for fiber arts businesses within the site to help defray costs. I thought that it was a brilliant idea. After talking with our most excellent designers, we were able to create our new Marketplace page. The Marketplace page will be a place for readers to check out our advertisers offerings. Please let us know if you would like to advertise on our website.

As you can see, our web designers, Web Design People, have kept the branding and overall feel of the site the same but amped it up with a powerful new search engine and rebuild from the ground up. It should be faster and easier to use than ever before.

What we want is a friendly place for you to come and hang out. Check back frequently for new articles and content. We have some fun things planned for our readers. Thank you again for sticking with us through this major change. We look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Talia

©Brian and Jennifer Larson of Larson Lincoln Longwool Sheep, Facebook

Introduction:

The Lincoln was one of the first sheep breeds that really spoke to me. It kick started my intense and ever lasting love of long wools. After all, what is not to love? Lincoln fiber and longwools in general have irresistible locks that are lustrous, silky smooth, and, of course, long. This fiber appeals to me like no other. So why is it that this inspirational sheep breed went from being a top seller of wool to one that the Rare Breeds Survival Trust has listed as “Category 4, at risk.” Let us embrace the Lincoln, once again, as in years gone by, and help bring back a truly magnificent breed of sheep all the while enjoying its lovely wool.

History of Breed:

Map of Lincolnshire, UK from National Geospatial Intelligence Agency

Lincoln sheep originated from Lincolnshire, England where farmers at the time of Julius Caesar raised mostly small, short-tailed, primitive sheep. It is thought that through the Roman conquests and their introduction of larger Roman sheep that the first longwool sheep were derived. Archeological evidence dates early longwool fleece samples from the 2nd century AD.

Fast forward to 1664 when, in Cheape and Good Husbandrie, etc., Gervase Markham wrote an early description of Lincoln sheep: “Lincolns, especially on the salt marshes, have the largest sheep but not the best wool for their legs and bellies are long and naked and their staple coarser than any other.” It appears that Mr Markham’s assessment is corroborated by wool samples found from that time period.

So when did the wool improvement begin? As you may remember from our last Focus on Fiber series about the Blue Faced Leicester, Robert Bakewell developed a new and improved breed of sheep through advanced and revolutionary breeding techniques, which was eventually called the Dishley Leicester. In the General View of Agriculture of the County of Lincoln, Arthur Young (1799) states: “great energy at present exerted in consequence of the introduction of the new Leicester sheep, by some to spread that breed, and by others to improve their old race, will not only have excellent effects, but has set them to think upon all other sorts of stock.” It was debated between different farmers whether the new “improvements” would be detrimental to fleece quality while being an improvement to meat quality. But Bakewell fever had caught on, as shown in Mr Young’s first-hand observations. Soon, many new agricultural strategies were being employed including the addition of new Leicester bloodlines to existing old Lincoln lines. This was the beginning of the Lincoln breed as we know it today, though a breed standard was not created until about 1870 where the first class for Lincolns appeared at the Royal Show. In 1796, the initial Lincoln breeder society was formed, while the Lincoln Longwool Breeders’ Association coming into being in 1892.

White Lincoln Ram

©Brian and Jennifer Larson of Larson Lincoln Longwool Sheep, Facebook

Lincoln was such a profitable breed of sheep that it was exported to countries around the world. It has been used to create some of our most popular sheep breeds like Polwarth, Corriedale, Targhee, and Columbia.

There were approximately ½ million Lincoln sheep in the UK at the beginning of the 1900’s. The number of Lincolns has drastically declined as breeding ewes in the UK is thought to be about 1500 at this time. With the advent of synthetic fibers for rugs, upholstery, and outerwear plus a shift in preference to softer fabrics, Lincoln wool is no longer the in-demand fiber it once was.

Breed Characteristics:

Bain Valley Fay, Lincoln Longwool Lamb born 24th January 2007. Girthchicken

Lincoln sheep are the largest of the longwool breeds and is one of the largest, if not the largest, sheep in the world. Average weights for rams range from 264-308 lbs and ewes weigh in between 165-187 lbs.

They are covered in long, wavy to curly ringlets of wool except for their front legs and face. A forelock of wool hangs between their forward-facing, erect ears and onto their forehead, which gives them an appealing look that is reminiscent of Cousin Itt from the Addams Family, or to the King himself – Elvis.

Hail to the King, baby!

White House photograph by Ollie Atkins

The Wool:

It is not only their strong-boned size that is larger than other sheep but also their fleece size. Lincoln sheep carry the most wool weight than any other longwool sheep, with an average fleece ranging from 11-15 ½ lbs. The heaviest fleece recorded was 46 lbs.; it had a staple length of 37 inches. The usual staple length is approximately 8-15 inches for a years worth of growth.

White and Natural Colored Lincoln Rams

©Brian and Jennifer Larson of Larson Lincoln Longwool Sheep, Facebook

In the UK, it is only permissible to register white Lincolns, although color variations to their wool do exist. Ranges of black to various greys occur and are accepted in the USA.

The wool is similar to mohair. As mentioned before, it has excellent luster and has a silky feel. It also takes dyes extremely well showing off its clarity and sheen. It is a hardwearing fiber, which is why it is typically used in textiles and the like. Spun with a soft twist, Lincoln gets a halo effect. In Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools, edited by Deborah Robson, there is a picture of a beautiful lace weight shawl knit by Pat Noah of Colorado using Lincoln. I have knit a softly spun 2-ply Lincoln lace scarf from combed locks. The hand of the fabric was very appealing as was the halo effect of the yarn. It was warm, strong, and a wonderful garment that lasted for years.

Lincoln wool

From weaving, to knitting, to felting, Lincoln wool is lovely wool that has many more uses than carpets. This historical breed deserves your attention. Try blending it with other wools to get a mohair effect without the heaviness. Experiment with different spinning techniques on your largest spinning wheel ratio to see how little twist it takes to get a stable yarn. Finish your new yarn off by dyeing it royal colors in a medium depth of shade to show off the fiber’s true potential. You can achieve great things with just a little bit of experimentation plus you’ll be spinning a bit of history while you are at it.

Resources:

British Wool Marketing Board, “British Sheep Breeds: Their Wool and Its Uses,” 1984, 84 pp

Dohner, Janet Vorwald, “The Encyclopedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds,” Yale University, New Haven, CT, 2001

Dun, Kathryn, “Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds,” 2008, Thomas Dunne Books, 112pp, ISBN-13: 978-0312385125

Fournier, Nola and Jane, S, “In Sheep’s Clothing, A Handspinners Guide to Wool,” 1995, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, 222p, Hardback (ISBN 1-883010-11-X)

Lamb, Sara; Swett, Sarah; Miller, Kim; Spanos, Mary; Cusick, Pia; D’Agostino, Carolyn, “Lustrous Lincoln,” Spin-Off, Fall 2004, Vol XXVIII, Number 3, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, pp 32-41

Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders Association, “History of the Breed & Breed Standards,” http://www.lincolnlongwools.co.uk/, Retrieved on Jan 31, 2011.

Markham, Gervase, Cheape and Good Husbandrie, etc., Edition 11, G. Sawbridge, 1664, pp 146

Ponting, Kenneth G, Sheep of The World, 1980, Littlehampton Book Services Ltd, 155pp, ISBN-13: 978-0713719414

Rare Breeds Survival Trust, “Watchlist, Sheep, Lincoln Longwool,” http://www.rbst.org.uk/watch-list/sheep/lincolnlongwool, Retrieved on Feb 1, 2011

Robson, Deborah, editor, “Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools,” Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, 2000, pp 95, ISBN: 1-883010-84-5

Royal Agricultural Society of England, “Journal of the Roval Agricultural Society of England, 2nd Series,” Vol 25, Spottiswoode & Co, London 1889

Young, Arthur, “General View of the Agriculture of the County of Lincoln,” W Bulmer and Co, London, 1799

Camel is one of the softest fibers out there yet one of the least spun. We absolutely adore it and recommend it to spinners who want to learn how to spin long draw for future cashmere spinning. It is a great fiber to practice this technique on. At less than 1/2 the price of cashmere, camel is nearly as soft with a micron count of 15 – 22. (Cashmere falls in the micron range of 14 – 18.5.)

The bactrian camel (with two humps) is the animal from which camel hair is harvested. There are only 800 wild camels in the world which makes them crictically endangered. The domesticated bactrian camel numbers in at approximately 1.4 million. These camels are often used to carry heavy loads weighing up to 400 pounds. It is common for a basket to be placed on the back of the last camel in a caravan, as the animals shed, the person last in line can pick up the discarded hair, putting it in the basket for sale along their route.

©kuibo of flickr

One camel grows about 5 pounds of hair a year. Camel hair is warm without being heavy or bulky. A finely spun yarn knit into lace can be as warm to your neck as a heavy knit wool scarf. It is a beautiful luxury fiber that is often paired with wool or with silk, which gives the garment extra luster and beauty.

Camel Down

So how do you spin it? Here are some tips for you to try.

1. Spin a yarn with multiple plies. Try spinning fine singles to create a lofty, bouncy soft 3-ply yarn instead of spinning thicker singles for a 2-ply. The yarn will be airy, soft, and stunning. A round 3-ply yarn will show off the true potential of the fiber and you also get the added benefit of spinning an extra ply of fiber meant for royalty.

2. Use a lot of twist. Camel fiber is very slippery which is why I consider it a great primer fiber before the pricey jump into cashmere. When spinning this fiber for the first time, relax! Spinners often worry about putting too much twist into their wool yarns. Here is your chance to use your smallest whorl without fear of over-twisting. How refreshing is that?

3. Use low tension. Set your spinning wheel up for as little tension as you can. You do not want the wheel to be pulling the yarn in until there is sufficient twist. Check to make sure that your single yarn will not drift apart before winding on. Once you get the hang of it, you will no longer have to check.

4. The most recommended way of spinning camel is using a long draw or supported long draw technique. This is where the fun begins! Make sure your wheel is well oiled and get started. Newbies who are trying long draw for the first time may sometimes be discouraged by a yarn that isn’t as consistent as the yarns they have spun as they mastered a short forward/backward draw. Don’t worry about it especially if you are making a 3-ply as the inconsistencies in the singles yarn won’t show up as much in a 3-ply. This is a technique that you will need to practice but, as a newbie who is already making pretty nice worsted yarns, you will conquer it in no time. Make sure to keep an eye on your drafting triangle to stay a little ahead of the twist as you draft backward.

5. Want to spin short draw? No problem. It will take more care and patience but the smooth worsted yarn you produce using this method will be something to be proud of. Try different drafting techniques when sampling to see which one you like best.

Resources:

Anderson, Enid, “The Spinner’s Encyclopedia,” 1987, David and Charles Publishers, Devon, UK, 288pp, ISBN: 0-7153-8794-4

Casey, Maggie, “Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn,” 2008, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, 119pp, ISBN: 978-59668-065-4

Fournier, Jane, “Fiber Basics: Camel,” Spin-Off magazine, Vol XIX, Number 1, Spring 1995, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, pp 26-29

Kadolph, Sara J., “Textiles, 10th edition,” 2007, Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 496 pp, ISBN: 0-13-118769-4

MacKenzie McCuin, Judith, “Down Fibers Handout,” Exotics Fiber Class, Boston Area Spinners & Dyers workshop

Image ©Bellvalley

Introduction:

My first introduction to Blue Faced Leicester wool was in a wonderful class that I took at the Maine Spinner’s Weekend given by the Maine Spinners Registry in 1999. The class was taught by Karen Hoedtke and Diane Trussell, and was called “Three Bags Full.” We had 10 different samples of raw wool from 10 different sheep breeds. The purpose of the class was to experiment with different fiber preparation and spinning techniques and, afterwards, to share your thoughts with the other students and teachers. It was such a fabulous class. The funny thing is that when I went back to look at my notes – yes, I still have some of each of the raw wools and my samples – next to the Blue Faced Leicester entry, I found that I wrote “Awesome.” It is the only one of the 10 fleeces that I had written a note about but when I went on to read more of my notes on the BFL, the fleece actually had a break in it. But I still loved it! That is one special fiber.

I hope you will love this fiber from a very notable sheep breed. It is so soft yet has the luster that often attracts me to fibers. See if you can resist!

History of Breed:

Image ©Carol Bator

To really appreciate the Blue Faced Leicester’s origins, we will begin with a quick glance at typical and haphazard sheep breeding practices of the 18th century. It was common practice to keep all one’s sheep, regardless of sex or breed, together in one field. Of course, breeding happened at random. Whatever qualities came forth in the resulting lambs in regards to conformation, health, and wool were by chance. It must have made for some fun spinning and surprises.

A young man named Robert Bakewell changed all that. He revolutionized the way people approached agriculture. His ideas of irrigation and land management were quite extraordinary. But what matters most to us and our interest in the Blue Faced Leicester is his innovative technique of selective breeding where he kept the sexes apart and would choose which sheep he wanted to have mate to bring out desired traits in the lambs.

Robert Bakewell

His efforts began with bringing out the best qualities of the old Leicester longwool breed. He bred the sheep to develop a certain body type and flavor for mutton sales. At first, wool quality was disregarded as longwool sales were on the downward slide. His new breed of improved sheep was called many names including Bakewell Leicester, New Leicester, but mostly identified with the name Dishley Leiceseter in modern times. It is from this sheep breed that we get our Blue Faced Leicester.

Blue Faced Leicester sheep, also known as Hexham Leicester, BFL, or just Blues for short, developed in the early 1900’s in Northumberland England near the town of Hexham from which it gets one of its names. It was originally conceived as a cross breeding sheep to improve the carcass quality and increase lamb production of the hill breeds, a function of the BFL that is still widely used today. In fact, the Blue Faced Leicester is one of the most often crossed sheep in the UK. One of the marketable crosses to come from Blues is the North of England Mule where a BFL ram is bred with a Swaledale ewe. Mule wool is so popular that it makes up 20% of total commercial British wool.

The Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders Association of the UK was established in 1963 to create a definitive breed standard. Quality fleeces is an important part of the standard and is reflected in the wool’s high caliber.

Breed Characteristics:

Image ©Borough Farm

The Blue Faced Leicester is a hornless, broad muzzle sheep with a distinctive Roman nose. They hold their long ears straight up in a dignified manner. The bluish skin, which gave them their name, shows through the white hairs on their heads. BFL’s should have broad shoulders and be strong boned. BFL ewes are known for being wonderful mothers and prolific breeders. Luckily, their excellent wool qualities seem to be inherited by their lambs when cross-bred with other sheep breeds.

The Wool:

Blue Faced Leicester Wool, the stuff dreams are made of!

One Blue Faced Leicester adult will produce a fleece weighing about 2 – 4 ½ pounds. The locks should be tightly curled. Staple length is 3 – 6 inches long. The wool is semi-lustrous and is one of the finest wools of the UK breeds. Thus, it has a silky hand that is pleasing to the skin. Fiber diameter is 24-28 microns and a Bradford Count of 60s – 56s. BFL wool is perfect for any project that requires a smooth, silky yarn with a lustrous appearance. It truly is a fiber that has captured the heart of the handspinner. Will yours be next?

Resources:

BBC, Historic Figures: Robert Bakewell, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bakewell_robert.shtml, Retrieved on Jan 5, 2011.

Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders Association, Breed Description, http://www.blueleicester.co.uk/breed/breed.html, Retrieved on Jan 5, 2011.

British Wool Marketing Board, British Sheep Breeds: Their Wool and Its Uses, 1984, 84 pp

Dohner, Janet Vorwald, The Encyclopedia of Historic and Endangered Livestock and Poultry Breeds, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 2001

Dun, Kathryn, Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds, 2008, Thomas Dunne Books, 112pp, ISBN-13: 978-0312385125

Fournier, Nola and Jane, S, In Sheep’s Clothing, A Handspinners Guide to Wool, 1995, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO, 222p, Hardback (ISBN 1-883010-11-X)

Henson, Elizabeth, British Sheep Breeds (Shire Book), 2009 8th Printing, Shire Publications Ltd., Buckinghamshire, UK, 32pp, ISBN: 978-0-8526-3779-1

Wikipedia, Robert Blakewell (agriculturalist), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bakewell_%28agriculturalist%29, Retrieved on Jan 5, 2011.

Introduction:

“The Flemish (Texel) sheep carries nothing about him that in the least detracts from his beauty. His wool is white without spot – it is of a dazzling whiteness; he is contented everywhere—everywhere he becomes a citizen of the place he inhabits.”

—Anonymous French writer, in 1763 (Report of The Commissioner of Agriculture for The Year 1864)

Let us savor these words of high praise for the Texel sheep breed for they are now mostly prized for their lean, muscle mass that produces another thing that people savor: their meat. Where is the love? Our French writer appreciated the charms of our friend the Texel’s wool and so do I. Their fleece is somewhat spongy, lofty, bouncy, and fun. Let us introduce you to a breed of sheep that you may have overlooked or may not have heard of before now. Perhaps after meeting the Texel and spinning her wool, this beautiful sheep breed will inhabit a place in your heart.

History of Breed:

Island of Texel, marked in red

According to the Texel Sheep Breeders of the Netherlands, Texel sheep have been listed in recorded history from 1477. They originally inhabited the island of Texel, which lies off the northern coast of Holland. Texel Island is the largest of a chain of islands known as the Wadden Islands. A rare and beautiful habitat for all kinds of wildlife, approximately one third of the island has been made into a nature preserve. It is perfect place for our story to begin.

©OP of flickr, Texel sheep on Texel Island

Texel sheep of yore were not the muscle bound sheep that we know today but were native sheep called Pielsteert, meaning “pin tail” due to its short tail. They were less muscled than our modern day Texel but had desirable wool. The first written record of cross breeding dates back to the early seventeenth century where “long-legged African or Guinea sheep” were crossbred to the native sheep of Texel Island. Tales of their incredible lambing ability and fine, long wool abounded when these animals were introduced into Europe. This crossbreed sheep was further crossed with English Leicester and Lincoln sheep around 1860.

The first imports to the USA take place around this time. There are reports that “long wooled” sheep from the Netherlands were imported to Somerville and Brookline Massachusetts as early as 1823 but they were not specifically listed as Texels. Nathaniel Sylvester, the first white settler of Shelter Island, NY, is rumored to have raised Texel sheep around the mid 1600’s.

It is the Hon Winthrop W. Chenery who writes of importing 1 ram and 7 ewes in 1863 to Highland Park Farm in Belmont, Massachusetts. He was pleased to receive not the 8 sheep he purchased but a total of 17 animals. The ewes gave birth to 9 lambs on the voyage. Mr Chenery recorded 30 head of sheep a year later. He writes, “Their fleeces average over ten pounds each, and their wool is considered by manufacturers superior to either the Cotswold or Leicester.” (Report of The Commissioner of Agriculture for The Year 1864) It is interesting to note that it is widely accepted that the first Texels were not imported to the US until 1985 by the Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska. There is written evidence to indicate that this is incorrect. Hon Winthrop Chenery sold Texel sheep to farmers across the country including shipping them by “rail” to California and “are probably the first consignment of improved stock that crossed the Rocky Mountains by the Pacific Railroad.” (New England Farmer, 1870)

Chenery, Winthrop W., “‘Texel’ or ‘Mouton Flandrin’ Sheep”, Plate XL from Report of The Commissioner of Agriculture for The Year 1864

The Texel Sheep Herdbook of North Holland was created in 1909 in order to promote high meat quality and breed standard but breed development programs were instituted as early as 1802 by the government. To this day, the breed plays an important economic role for Holland. Seventy percent of the nation’s flocks are Texel sheep.

France has the second oldest national flock of Texels, starting in 1933. It was in the 1960s that Texels made their way to Ireland and the UK. Australia and New Zealand imported Texel sheep from Finland and Denmark in the late eighties and early nineties. Texel sheep can now be found all over the world including Africa and South America.

© Copyright Evelyn Simak and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Most Expensive Sheep in History:

In August of 2009, Texel sheep became famous for more than its brawny frame and lovely wool. Mr Morrison, a sheep farmer in Banffshire, UK, sold “Deveronvale Perfection” for a staggering £231,000. Jimmy Douglas who said, “Perfection had a good body”, purchased the eight-month old lamb. The previous record holder of most valuable sheep (£128,000) earned over £1 million in siring lambs. His name was “Tophill Joe” and he was a Texel too.

Breed Characteristics:

©Ralf Schulze, rs-foto of flickr

Texel sheep are exceptionally well-muscled sheep with a sweet and cheerful disposition. They have white faces and legs that are free of wool. Rams weigh about 250 lbs and the ewes weigh about 200 pounds. The breed is easily recognized from their distinct wide heads and black noses.

The Wool:

Soft, white, and beautiful, Texel wool has been spun by handspinners for outerwear for centuries. It is listed as a medium wool by the British Wool Marketing Board, and as a longwool and crossbred wool in the book In Sheep’s Clothing, by Nola and Jane Fournier. Average fleece weight is 8 – 12 pounds. The staple length of this moderately crimped wool is 3-6 inches. Fiber fineness can vary from 26-34 microns (Bradford count: 56s-46s). I find Texel to be fine enough to be made into a scarf but some Texel wool may be coarser. It would be perfect for knitwear and for woven projects, would take dye well, and would also blend well with fibers like mohair and alpaca.

The French writer who described Texel wool as “dazzling” certainly knew quality when he saw it as Texel wool is a welcome addition to any handspinner’s fiber palette.

©Evelyn Simak and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Resources:

Australian Texel Stud Breeders Association Inc, “About The Breed,” http://www.texel.org.au/_asn/About_the_Breed.htm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

BBC News, “£231,000 sheep sets price record,” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8226054.stm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

BBC News, “UK’s most expensive sheep is dead,” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8191563.stm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

British Wool Marketing Board, British Sheep and Their Wool, http://www.britishwool.org.uk/factsheet1.asp?pageid=94, Retrieved on Dec, 1, 2010.

Chenery, Winthrop W., “‘Texel’ or ‘Mouton Flandrin’ Sheep” from United States Dept of Agriculture, Report of The Commissioner of Agriculture for The Year 1864, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1865, pp 248, http://books.google.com/books?id=mWcTAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA242&sig=KA4Pzqs7s3Y2KQdsKV9YAMJ0msw&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

The Cultivator and Country Gentleman, Advertisement: Winthrop W. Chenery, 1867, Volumes 29-30, pp 341, http://books.google.com/books?id=NqtMAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA341&lpg=RA1-PA341&dq=Winthrop+W.+Chenery+sheep&source=bl&ots=qOVsuN5a5n&sig=fpFNBcTRLGXgqmy4DptYJCOc9NQ&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Winthrop%20W.%20Chenery%20sheep&f=false, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Irish Texel Sheep Society, “History of Texels in Ireland,” http://www.irishtexel.com/origins.asp, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Martin, James, “Texel Island Travel,” http://goeurope.about.com/od/texelisland/a/Texel-Island-Travel.htm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

New England Farmer, Sales of Improved Stock, 1870, Volume 4, pp 17, http://books.google.com/books?id=QLIEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=Winthrop+W.+Chenery+texel+sheep&source=bl&ots=GZTCubxPq9&sig=wD_mvN0HPirsGA7lLPR7ANWMN74&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Winthrop%20W.%20Chenery%20texel%20sheep&f=false, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

New Zealand Sheep Breeders Association, “Texel New Zealand,” http://www.nzsheep.co.nz/site/texel/index.htm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

NorthShed, “Texel Sheep,” http://www.rala.is/beta/15%20Texel%20sheep.htm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Oklahoma State University Breeds of Livestock, “Texel,” http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/texel/index.htm, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Texel Sheep Breeders, http://www.texels-schaap.nl/engels/, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Texel Sheep Breeders Society, “Texel Breed Information,” http://www.usatexels.org/, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Texel Sheep Society, http://www.texel.co.uk/thebreed/thebreed.php, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.

Wikipedia, “Shelter Island (town), New York,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelter_Island_%28town%29,_New_York, Retrieved Nov 30, 2010.

Wikipedia, “Texel (sheep),” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texel_%28sheep%29, Retrieved on Nov 30, 2010.