# Spinning



## nellig (May 10, 2016)

Look what arrived on my doorstep yesterday. It is a Cheviot fleece from Shepherd's Croft in Pennsylvania. I met her and her sheep at Rhinebeck. She is a fellow KPer. It is the cleanest fleece I've ever obtained and it is so soft for a medium wool. The sheep's name is Jeb. Can't wait for some time to start washing it. Plan on making some socks. I think it will be strong and it is soft.


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## Spooly (Oct 22, 2011)

I don't know much about fleece yet, so really appreciate seeing information about the process.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Looks beautifully soft.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Looks snuggly.. Like you just want to sleep on it. Have fun...


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## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

That looks so luscious!!! Bet you can't wait to get your hands on it!


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

My that is one clean fleece! Enjoy!


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Looks great, and beautiful dark color.


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## nuclearfinz (Feb 23, 2011)

Are you going to wash and card it yourself or send it to a mill? Doing it yourself will preserve the color changes in the fleece but it is more labor intensive.


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## Goodshepfarm (Jul 20, 2014)

I am so tempted to look into buying one of those fleece given that it is so clean!!


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## Babalou (Jun 3, 2012)

It is beautiful, looks so soft.


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## Condia (Jul 24, 2012)

How sweet is that! I wonder if they keep their sheep covered? It does look very nice and clean. Enjoy!


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

I am really puffed - thanks for the great post! Jed is a Cheviot wether (gelding). My Cheviots come in only 2 colors - white and dilute black. We call Jed a dilute black because his fleece has black and white fibers (the brown is sunburn on the tips because he was not coated). Some dilutes have more black, some more white. His is quite dark. I have very clean fields - no brush. And my feeders are set up so that the sheep do not get a lot of VM (vegetable matter) in their fleeces. I rough-skirt them as they are sheared (set up a screen table and get rid of the poopy and rough wool) and later I fine-skirt and pick them. Jed is the last dilute fleece I have left from this year. My next job is to get to work and list the white ones on my website. Looks as though I'd better hop to it!

Was great seeing Nellie at Rhinebeck - always nice to put a face with a name. And here is Jed to say "Hi"


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## henhouse2011 (Feb 20, 2011)

Don't you just want to plunge your hands and your nose into that fleece. I love knitting from yarn I know the name of the sheep it came from.


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

Jed smells good - not like a ram. Once their hormones slow down from wethering they small like ewes - right now my rams smell like rams. But that does wash out, thank goodness! You are smelling lanolin, too!


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## Lillyhooch (Sep 27, 2012)

Lovely color. Will you post photos after fleece has been scoured so we can see the finished color?


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## bakeknitsew (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks for sharing the picture of Jeb! He is a handsome fellow and his fleece looks marvelous.


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## nellig (May 10, 2016)

nuclearfinz said:


> Are you going to wash and card it yourself or send it to a mill? Doing it yourself will preserve the color changes in the fleece but it is more labor intensive.


Going to do it myself. No more mills for me.


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## marianikole (Aug 29, 2011)

Wow looks so beautiful


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## nuclearfinz (Feb 23, 2011)

nellig said:


> Going to do it myself. No more mills for me.


Thats nice. Should get a pretty heathered look then.


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

Cheviots were part of the Tweed industry in Wales


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

shepherd said:


> I am really puffed - thanks for the great post! Jed is a Cheviot wether (gelding). My Cheviots come in only 2 colors - white and dilute black. We call Jed a dilute black because his fleece has black and white fibers (the brown is sunburn on the tips because he was not coated). Some dilutes have more black, some more white. His is quite dark. I have very clean fields - no brush. And my feeders are set up so that the sheep do not get a lot of VM (vegetable matter) in their fleeces. I rough-skirt them as they are sheared (set up a screen table and get rid of the poopy and rough wool) and later I fine-skirt and pick them. Jed is the last dilute fleece I have left from this year. My next job is to get to work and list the white ones on my website. Looks as though I'd better hop to it!
> 
> Was great seeing Nellie at Rhinebeck - always nice to put a face with a name. And here is Jed to say "Hi"


Jen is standing there looking very regal. Very handsome, he is.


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## Bummy (Sep 6, 2013)

Does anyone know where we can get fresh fleece? You'd think in montana we would have lots, but most are not spinning fleece!
Thanks!


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Bummy said:


> Does anyone know where we can get fresh fleece? You'd think in montana we would have lots, but most are not spinning fleece!
> Thanks!


I bought some from someone who has an alpaca farm. Do you have any farms near you? There are a few farm owners right on this site that may sell and ship. Shepherd may be able to help you. The poster got her fleece from her.


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## Milocat (Sep 5, 2012)

I have a friend with a small flock of sheep just a way out of Sydney. All her sheep are pets and have names and they are all coloured merinos or moorit which is a coloured merino. Their fleeces are always referred to by name, ie Blackie, etc. I have spun several of these fleeces which like yours are always beautiful to spin. The funniest thing was that I spun one into yarn for one of my other friends, it was the wool from MaryLou and for many years my friend who has the sweater always calls his sweater MaryLou. He is a sailor and he does get some strange looks when he says things like "do you know where I put MaryLou" Hope you enjoy spinning your beautiful fleece as much as I did.


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## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Beautiful fleece! And Jeb is one handsome fellow. I can't wait to see your fleece as it progresses to yarn.


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## JlsH (Dec 21, 2012)

nellig said:


> Look what arrived on my doorstep yesterday. It is a Cheviot fleece from Shepherd's Croft in Pennsylvania. I met her and her sheep at Rhinebeck. She is a fellow KPer. It is the cleanest fleece I've ever obtained and it is so soft for a medium wool. The sheep's name is Jeb. Can't wait for some time to start washing it. Plan on making some socks. I think it will be strong and it is soft.


Beautiful....makes me want to snuggle into it. Great choice in my book. I needed something this morning to make me smile and this did! Thank you.


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