my Nash Island fleece.....and others

I'm cold soaking most of it (the best stuff) for 24 hours. 

The dirtiest stuff, I'm dyeing in cochineal so I can get it a bit cleaner. 

Spinning some Churro I dyed a couple weeks ago. From my friend Karen in Sullivan, ME. 
 

 

 

Nash Island Shearing

I feel pretty lucky to have been there for shearing this year. Alfie and Eleni Wakeman and their awesome kids, Jani Estelle of Starcroft Fiber Mill and Geri Valentine and Donna, my friends from Wednesday spinners (and ROCKSTAR shearers), welcomed Kylie and me to attend and help. We left early and picked up Liz (from Darthia Farm). We hurried and thought we were late because the dock was way at the end of a very long and windy road. We made it in time and all boarded boats.

There was a lobster boat (Alfie's) and a small boat with an outboard (Donna's). Kylie, Liz and I rode in Donna's boat with all of the food and Eleni's mom, Jane (Ya-Ya) who was the kitchen boss. She ran a tight ship, but smiled the whole day. The food was delicious and I helped on and off throughout the day.

As for the shearing…..first, we all swept the island and herded the sheep into a pasture that funneled them down to the shearing pen. We had to grab the lambs (82!) and put them in a different pen so that their tails could be banded.

The adult sheep (110 of them) were waiting to be shorn. It was amazing. There were four shearers and a bunch of sheep wranglers and everyone was happy and the lambs were noisy. It was a long and gorgeous and perfect day.

Jani graded the fleeces while Rob and Sarah threw them up onto the skirting table. The fleeces for her different grade/weight yarns went in HUUUUGE burlap bags and the very special fleeces for hand spinners to buy went into sheets and were wrapped individually. A few of us were lucky enough to pick fleeces to purchase. Today I will open mine up in the sun and sort it, admire it, wash it, maybe dye some……so excited!

When we were done, we loaded everyone onto the Eleni Wakes (Alfie's) except for a few of us (me clutching my fleece in its sheet like a newborn) who went on Donna's boat with the two rams. We had to take them to a neighboring island for the season.

it was a wonderful day.

getting ready for Nash Island Shearing!!!!!

 

 

 

Beachy rags....

24x32 inches

 

 

first day

Today I get to start my apprenticeship with Susanne Grosjean. I'm excited. I am to "bring a notebook". She's like the fountain of weaving knowledge. I'm so lucky!

I also get to go to Darthia Farm and learn about worming and hoof trimming my Thelma and Louise!

 

 

Drift

Today I went to Three Pines B&B where my friend Karen was having her sheep shorn. It was a really fun day and I bought a fleece from a Navajo Churro named Drift. She's sweet and nice and grew me a gorgeous fleece. 

Drift before shearing

Gwen shearing her

My fleece!

Meanwhile, Cyrus made friends with Inca, the llama
 
 

 

 

waiting on my deck

Goin spinning today!

It's gorgeous out. I can hear my wind chimes, lobster boats in the harbor and birdies. This is happiness. 

 

good morning to me.

Now that I am, what I am playfully calling a "lady of leisure" (unemployed...).....an artist.....whatever, I am enjoying coffee and Maine morning sunshine. I can hear seagulls and other birdies and it smells of saltwater. I hope I never stop feeling it to be a blessing to be here. 

 

love my tiny loom!