Wool Days!

While I was working the Old Algiers RiverFest last weekend in New Orleans, my shearer phoned to say he had another shearing job. Did I want more wool? More wool?? What spinner in their right mind would say no? Not this one for sure!

So, Sunday night I arrived to find this on my back porch. Yes sir, yes sir, nine bags full !

Most spinners I know would not deal with domesticated fleeces, but I took a chance the first time Travis called and was extremely pleased with the wool he brought me. He told me that the first shearing was always his best breed; suffolk. Granted, it is not the suffolk that you purchase on the internet....all cleaned and colored and ready to spin, but you won't hear this girl complaining.

So now I have to get to work and sort the bags of wool. I will end up with three piles in the skirting station hubby helped me set up.

1) The highest grade wool

2) the lower grade wool and

3) trash pile.

As a nature conservationist, it is extremely difficult for me to throw away wool. So I settle for a lower grade wool pile which usually ends up with wool that will end up in the trash pile when I get around to scouring it. (Later....much later for that part)

I was pleased when I opened the first few bags and saw the grade was close to the first fleeces Travis brought me. The blankets was huge! These must be some very large sheep! I sort of felt like I was skirting Shrek's fleece.

So I spend a few hours skirting before the boss decides it is time to close the skirting station so he can mow the lawn. I ended up sorting through 4 bags and ended up with 2 high grade bags and 1 lesser grade. We won't talk about the trash pile... ;)

Here is a small bit that I kept out to scour. I'll post a photo of it after I've cleaned it up so we can compare.