Fleece for spinning

Latest Articles

Fleece for spinning

Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY

Author

Message

quixoticgeek

Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Posts: 296
Location: Canterbury

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 12 9:49 pm Post subject: Fleece for spinning
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

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 12 9:53 pm Post subject:
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...

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 3:32 pm Post subject:
There is a spinners guild in Canterbury, they might have fleece for sale, or at least know people who will have some soon.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 8:13 pm Post subject:

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'.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 12 8:45 pm Post subject:

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.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 10:27 am Post subject:
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.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 3:27 pm Post subject:
The washed & carded fleece is going well here at Wonderwool today.

Rich.h

Joined: 26 Jun 2011
Posts: 29

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 6:49 pm Post subject:
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.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 12 6:53 pm Post subject:

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

Blacksheep

Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 196
Location: Shropshire

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 12 7:52 am Post subject:

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?

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 12 8:32 am Post subject:
I did, but the details were on my old pc but I have sent enough parcels & never had one delayed by customs.

Blacksheep

Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 196
Location: Shropshire

Posted: Tue May 01, 12 9:12 pm Post subject:
My mistake was probably asking Defra!

	Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

View Latest Posts