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quixoticgeek
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 231
Location: Canterbury
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 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 12 9:49 pm Post subject: Fleece for spinning |
 
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I would like to have a go at spinning my own wool. I am wondering if there is anyone in the East Kent area who will be shearing some sheep in the coming months and would be interested in selling a fleece or 2?
J |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 26503
Location: York
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| Posted: Wed Apr 25, 12 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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If not we have Kerry Hill fleece on our website, all sold out at the moment but we have an order book for the 2012 clip - usually they go to the US, the Brits don't seem to appreciate the Kerry as much as the Americans do... |
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Woodburner
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2479
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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There is a spinners guild in Canterbury, they might have fleece for sale, or at least know people who will have some soon. |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 26503
Location: York
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Rob R wrote: |
| If not we have Kerry Hill fleece on our website, all sold out at the moment but we have an order book for the 2012 clip - usually they go to the US, the Brits don't seem to appreciate the Kerry as much as the Americans do... |
Of course I forgot to mention that we do have some washed & carded fleece currently available - I'm in the middle of dividing up a mountain of the stuff into 100g 'lots'. |
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Midland Spinner
Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2736
Location: Under a green roof
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| Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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If you haven't spun before it might be a good idea to buy a small amount of washed fleece and see how you get on before you commit yourself to a couple of fleeces straight off the sheep. They can be a bit of a handful if you don't already know how to skirt, sort & scour a fleece. Rob's is already carded, so you wouldn't need to buy, borrow or beg carders straight away either.
If you don't have a wheel, a drop spindle is a good start - OH & I make a range of historically accurate spindles for re-enactors (but they are nice to spin with even if you aren't a re-enactor) or Sally-in-Wales's OH makes nice boxwood ones, and I think that other DSers also make them. |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 329
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 10:27 am Post subject: |
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We make them too, but we are in Hampshire.
I would recommend a drop spindle too. The thread disappears up the hole in a spinning wheel awfully fast, and with a drop spindle things happen more slowly. Good exercise too until you get used to it.  |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 26503
Location: York
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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The washed & carded fleece is going well here at Wonderwool today. |
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Rich.h
Joined: 26 Jun 2011
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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Just have a chat with any farmer and offer him a pound or two per fleece and you will have more than you know what to do with. |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 26503
Location: York
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Rich.h wrote: |
| Just have a chat with any farmer and offer him a pound or two per fleece and you will have more than you know what to do with. |
Wool prices have gone up recently, although you're probably right I resisted the joke about making sure the farmer kept sheep there |
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Blacksheep
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 193
Location: Shropshire
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 12 7:52 am Post subject: |
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apologies for slightly hijacking the thread but noticed that Rob R sells fleece to the US and wanted to ask about this as I have had enquries from people in the States and in Canada, having checked with Defra I was advised that I would need a specially trained vet to carry out an inspection of fleece being sent and complete a health certificate for export (apparently it is training additional to exporting live animals and my vets don't have the additional training). Managed to find a vet you did have the necessary training and was advised it would cost £80!! This adds on far to much to the cost of a kilo or 2 of fleece being sold so ended up telling people that I couldn't sell it to them. The mind boggles at the extra training needed for vets to be able to detect a bit of poor or blood in the fleece. Would certainly have plenty of customers for our fleece if I could send it to the States etc, do you have an USDA contact that confirms the export certificate is not required for sending your fleeces Rob? |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 26503
Location: York
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 12 8:32 am Post subject: |
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I did, but the details were on my old pc but I have sent enough parcels & never had one delayed by customs. |
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Blacksheep
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 193
Location: Shropshire
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| Posted: Tue May 01, 12 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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My mistake was probably asking Defra! |
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