tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83626265499672500832024-03-15T18:12:09.988-07:00Whispering Pines Farm Registered Shetland SheepSuperior Genetics and Fine Fleeces for the discriminating handspinnerJen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.comBlogger582125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-31080682428961102502023-11-14T15:21:00.000-08:002023-11-14T15:21:02.047-08:00Rhinebeck Fiber Festival 2023<p><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">It is Autumn
here in Western New York, maple trees are in full color of brilliant hues of
red and burnt orange.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik30Maa98OGbJ9MFSLV2_v2C5oZhSI_hfoTBR6jKRnRIK8CWPdl1TDPrA4pf1ZAi04fYZWzq4JcRvpyUmlJd0GseIJQ-iGJiamzdnsguboJPo_u-hXaie52SEhEuFTgVnZhI3Ley5Or6ajFXBwgn8AV3jbTcKcqWHBF6LbuMl2cmCoUZqHsjnVLkcT7Nw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEik30Maa98OGbJ9MFSLV2_v2C5oZhSI_hfoTBR6jKRnRIK8CWPdl1TDPrA4pf1ZAi04fYZWzq4JcRvpyUmlJd0GseIJQ-iGJiamzdnsguboJPo_u-hXaie52SEhEuFTgVnZhI3Ley5Or6ajFXBwgn8AV3jbTcKcqWHBF6LbuMl2cmCoUZqHsjnVLkcT7Nw" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">The
temperatures and cooling down and the wildlife around the farm are getting
ready for the harsh winter months ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnSXhA6RorLbRAuJyGGUfGWuJCXcQ9iXvgG08Wpa5V7pZKcRCok0c5fs0bBdMLpiIFJaJqrvdHYJOWxHQnTVLAGHQC-Fo7p0Zw6WgHlc2A6PhfHn0gHYEcdVRMw1fq1RYlneMZonS8hWA5_r9Wxlqv7v1vZ28OCgcUQtUJ5sNw7aI0LYF5oKkqRUO1UrY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnSXhA6RorLbRAuJyGGUfGWuJCXcQ9iXvgG08Wpa5V7pZKcRCok0c5fs0bBdMLpiIFJaJqrvdHYJOWxHQnTVLAGHQC-Fo7p0Zw6WgHlc2A6PhfHn0gHYEcdVRMw1fq1RYlneMZonS8hWA5_r9Wxlqv7v1vZ28OCgcUQtUJ5sNw7aI0LYF5oKkqRUO1UrY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Autumn also is
the time when our festival season peaks in a grand finale for the year - the
largest fiber festival in the country, the New York State Sheep and Wool
Festival.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAG40a3FL_z9sQsqNKJqRBB8ElTkRyKbL7sLLR5WfO0mT9oP_2NMpn5evnAoOiRNH1dqrSH2F_3Dsdn7xNbJgU8pP2q2z-5nuhKnIc1ntsf9C7dKAzcOk6-pf1zhfJahGxjUGHbOpR_v1DgoAYwoVKEl4bqxC-QvtYy532e3MNVXuxvq_0rtndVwLiosk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAG40a3FL_z9sQsqNKJqRBB8ElTkRyKbL7sLLR5WfO0mT9oP_2NMpn5evnAoOiRNH1dqrSH2F_3Dsdn7xNbJgU8pP2q2z-5nuhKnIc1ntsf9C7dKAzcOk6-pf1zhfJahGxjUGHbOpR_v1DgoAYwoVKEl4bqxC-QvtYy532e3MNVXuxvq_0rtndVwLiosk" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Important
Festival Details</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">The festival is
commonly referred to as Rhinebeck, because it is located in the village of
Rhinebeck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But technically it is the New
York State Sheep and Wool Festival<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">It takes place
at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds which is situated in the Catskill mountains,
close to the hudson river, about 100 miles north of New York City.<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 263.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 468pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/jen62/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span>Rhinebeck always takes place the 3rd weekend in October and
always at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk0IfRE8ShXMRQ1-vGfizRLYDApdPxM2TvFi3HsNElaEiz0abe0oCYvgrkf_zTPV0h71gU4pfh31o5lqSzYcMwL0nGFLKFPBE-4XOF-s6Baxg0qenKqEQty1hS8aHHuOEtkMQdwzFXw_JQ6GUMqjcORNrJJbt4SOCs9ejzX46Io_-tJv7baQQ4arUJ_yg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk0IfRE8ShXMRQ1-vGfizRLYDApdPxM2TvFi3HsNElaEiz0abe0oCYvgrkf_zTPV0h71gU4pfh31o5lqSzYcMwL0nGFLKFPBE-4XOF-s6Baxg0qenKqEQty1hS8aHHuOEtkMQdwzFXw_JQ6GUMqjcORNrJJbt4SOCs9ejzX46Io_-tJv7baQQ4arUJ_yg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Our History
Vending at the Rhinebeck Fiber Festival</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We have had a
vendor booth at this festival for 4 years, starting in 2019.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still working full time for a company
in addition to having the farm compared to now where I am a full time farmer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I only had the Rose for demo spinning,
and I still had a lot of raw fleeces on offer where now they sell in the spring
during my annual fleece auction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 340pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 364.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhELZFzdLON1xPmVtJtrXxxUXUBryg-wFE1euNoeXAx9LQpiWf4r0kiOGLZDn_Mb4h6fHchdGwwet854MXG4xOgw8iP-Q07JRjrXvSpwuOUxGsvQsSB1_5Hq1H73SOeyycLKA-sHf2qcHwQw1DFM8SRQ6kB4ExiI7uFH4C7X2x_bhpx2WLNNOmHHYSY9GA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="2160" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhELZFzdLON1xPmVtJtrXxxUXUBryg-wFE1euNoeXAx9LQpiWf4r0kiOGLZDn_Mb4h6fHchdGwwet854MXG4xOgw8iP-Q07JRjrXvSpwuOUxGsvQsSB1_5Hq1H73SOeyycLKA-sHf2qcHwQw1DFM8SRQ6kB4ExiI7uFH4C7X2x_bhpx2WLNNOmHHYSY9GA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">In 2020 the
festival went virtual due to Covid 19, so I just set up my booth in the garage
and sat in front of my phone in a day long zoom session.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">We didn’t have high speed internet at the
time, so I was relying on my cellular service in order to serve the customers
that stopped into my “shop” the 4 days of the event. I had a lot more Majacraft
supplies, and the sheep heid kits which I don’t make any more, and I had a
small amount of roving, I hadn’t started offering combed top yet.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqRRDIbEpJAPYTagZcHnjDP7szPlTuaWpdBvaeGYcNlTn1z0xOxLVqlpHTxbmX8Yaxu1_QIqaMpEGz99QIRnFabCCHXi_6cN-zJGcvM-WrdXbZiJxXmjton1Eh1EeYT2E51HVmh1RF0XTfz2cAnQiW_oq1XFsWxAA2Km2lGKvYX55qVXLWwgXjDhYY2CI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1980" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqRRDIbEpJAPYTagZcHnjDP7szPlTuaWpdBvaeGYcNlTn1z0xOxLVqlpHTxbmX8Yaxu1_QIqaMpEGz99QIRnFabCCHXi_6cN-zJGcvM-WrdXbZiJxXmjton1Eh1EeYT2E51HVmh1RF0XTfz2cAnQiW_oq1XFsWxAA2Km2lGKvYX55qVXLWwgXjDhYY2CI" width="220" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">In 2021 they
controlled ticket sales to 20,000 and spaced the vendors out, and were
monitoring the direction of lanes inside the buildings to prevent face to face
contact.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">I remember how happy I was to
be back talking to all my fibery friends, and because of controlled ticket
sales I was able to spend time with people that were interested in learning
more about the craft of handspinning.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">My
niece Gigi came along to help that year.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">And this year I had the full lineup of demo equipment and combed top was
now the mill prep.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">And this was the year
I realized I had outgrown our minivan and would need to consider renting a
larger vehicle!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuMd96p0h8qnCZnOJqTe_q0juwdvFhybUHFgdxtvnbf_tuGfYUF44moPcWcxIs_OguDIo568cD7E1trIDos_vrEFchpZt4-xAKNMw04zk6a3U1Di9ExHz3Ih63ETr0rXNTxLDu3DM9eqrnMkmeLdBawOASG4Zj-nrdR61MEhFloCVGiDMtpZOoRbGcb5Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuMd96p0h8qnCZnOJqTe_q0juwdvFhybUHFgdxtvnbf_tuGfYUF44moPcWcxIs_OguDIo568cD7E1trIDos_vrEFchpZt4-xAKNMw04zk6a3U1Di9ExHz3Ih63ETr0rXNTxLDu3DM9eqrnMkmeLdBawOASG4Zj-nrdR61MEhFloCVGiDMtpZOoRbGcb5Y" width="240" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">2022 was busy, we had a lot of people browsing and enjoying the wheels, and I
was still able to spend one on one time with people which is really important
to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, 2023, we were slammed,
to the point where I was taking care of three customers at once for practically
the entire day on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2N4dG_sYuMvJyI-Udm_Vx-ehAeZPd-fUpjXO-uso95T4c-XTg5NqisUW7kHwNB7Zle_f-J03fFBKO0CNCY5uxI2YnoZc9DgvE2WAlhWKqBcXmSVShgqQ84UrZPU10rK5-eKB7_b-4M7XrJWUgVNcx26VwJW-yOlYkXl_EWWFoCPyskDIZSHzV5FNo3Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2N4dG_sYuMvJyI-Udm_Vx-ehAeZPd-fUpjXO-uso95T4c-XTg5NqisUW7kHwNB7Zle_f-J03fFBKO0CNCY5uxI2YnoZc9DgvE2WAlhWKqBcXmSVShgqQ84UrZPU10rK5-eKB7_b-4M7XrJWUgVNcx26VwJW-yOlYkXl_EWWFoCPyskDIZSHzV5FNo3Y" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Products
Featured in our Booth</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We raise
shetland sheep with the singular purpose of producing wool that is ideal for
handspinning. </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">I am also an
authorized Majacraft dealer, and I hold stock of al the wheels, fiber
preparation tools and accessories.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV6L-6j8H6AC8FnEfr7nW0wx7qcpeTmgwh_J2yU-WQE2wycR9VeagNktxWtrwUTqgglwPNOz0XwmoYXegPwpPywEujdRtUWopWLS9rEEfAV8pilXHdtvjHZtQKo3fCiNkeQ9jO3T8VvqCARDrbxiv-bKWCRJornDPHkfrjIs6z2ZrjWy525RhjlCh_jjc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV6L-6j8H6AC8FnEfr7nW0wx7qcpeTmgwh_J2yU-WQE2wycR9VeagNktxWtrwUTqgglwPNOz0XwmoYXegPwpPywEujdRtUWopWLS9rEEfAV8pilXHdtvjHZtQKo3fCiNkeQ9jO3T8VvqCARDrbxiv-bKWCRJornDPHkfrjIs6z2ZrjWy525RhjlCh_jjc" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Our fiber
festival booth always has Majacraft demo wheels for people to try, all the
fiber preparation tools to play with and then wool from our sheep in various
forms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to offer wool products that
satisfy the diverse range of fiber crafting possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxH-Rsh7OWTiQ7p5jJBf9al5ar4OO96ohK-w9UJYxQHw3-x3XeCl0zcxq0Q0LsNtlePLAjpTV8Q8S2oEMdjpiia0-lh2NZZiK7GRNeRxNueCzCPmNCBg75vxNxiXFjmhwWCDYPgGf3riTKm6m2ysagqahT60LJghfglCs6EHQry5TZ6-1JdXzu0t8jlBs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxH-Rsh7OWTiQ7p5jJBf9al5ar4OO96ohK-w9UJYxQHw3-x3XeCl0zcxq0Q0LsNtlePLAjpTV8Q8S2oEMdjpiia0-lh2NZZiK7GRNeRxNueCzCPmNCBg75vxNxiXFjmhwWCDYPgGf3riTKm6m2ysagqahT60LJghfglCs6EHQry5TZ6-1JdXzu0t8jlBs" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">So I offer hand
processed bats that I hand washed, flicked and then drum carded into batts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHJKweIBQAOy-n86jQkJWSqkWXYJBUKxyBquHxrqkA-BbTvCUjrftxaGjcTWp-h0K1WOKLe4FULHgMWfmVjl8XC-csqFMkyIgq0583xXMNTnfhoMzgFFGPeVwRNVkRmEHNSCWiIvYsmV3fF_421muTaGmVGpF_vNFKHnFnvghokY1KCSmmhqaXpznjgnk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHJKweIBQAOy-n86jQkJWSqkWXYJBUKxyBquHxrqkA-BbTvCUjrftxaGjcTWp-h0K1WOKLe4FULHgMWfmVjl8XC-csqFMkyIgq0583xXMNTnfhoMzgFFGPeVwRNVkRmEHNSCWiIvYsmV3fF_421muTaGmVGpF_vNFKHnFnvghokY1KCSmmhqaXpznjgnk" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Hand processed
handspun yarn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFLERDYZX2hgPSTsya3tkc0OawX8J8I3EEe7fuIvlcNYeDtxfGnIP1pXlppjjSEUNJJ-1nyXOlgHnfzMi2XQGAMrW5fyRpjThvzktyHlPiuuyFBVz86YzmyjObQW377mD1gdJCkMmQivTJe-Ffeymafn9A8OKhG_7UfCT-uQlw2dRyE5sVuhLVw5tLvhk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFLERDYZX2hgPSTsya3tkc0OawX8J8I3EEe7fuIvlcNYeDtxfGnIP1pXlppjjSEUNJJ-1nyXOlgHnfzMi2XQGAMrW5fyRpjThvzktyHlPiuuyFBVz86YzmyjObQW377mD1gdJCkMmQivTJe-Ffeymafn9A8OKhG_7UfCT-uQlw2dRyE5sVuhLVw5tLvhk" width="320" /></a></div>Then I try to
provide mill preparations of our wool, so I offer mill spun yarns<o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK2fyweylfJWjJElyT8ESb7AAMXDfa3P9lM_gJix0pIRHDYHlIRhS90qnBJRCsYJqX9hKMAG5_leT10ZRnimmxPan1wdIs0_SN17SfMLs4crBWZ-RDJDUQPz2WNk-PkW8CRwF93WNChNmKTYRB-vkdp_uZYnvMNJCSxe1B9ysLnqp6_By-RL7xjd7Bgxo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2007" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK2fyweylfJWjJElyT8ESb7AAMXDfa3P9lM_gJix0pIRHDYHlIRhS90qnBJRCsYJqX9hKMAG5_leT10ZRnimmxPan1wdIs0_SN17SfMLs4crBWZ-RDJDUQPz2WNk-PkW8CRwF93WNChNmKTYRB-vkdp_uZYnvMNJCSxe1B9ysLnqp6_By-RL7xjd7Bgxo" width="223" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">And combed top
in all 5 natural colors<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgC8EE5dTg0R4YCS4TMEB39JZNP7yy9n157PC10m8r74i2EbCoLj7B43doW9B1vufGBExUrdeaek1SXVODzxBLrqVDFIDsLnzenVbhZ_Fbo-Ehs91W9Ze2-KfxDVKhfD1VNxqiEBn5d3XEP2WonlNLbMaVQYGFe2vlsnbTBMeyQ6yAhW8s9SyBo4wwhO4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgC8EE5dTg0R4YCS4TMEB39JZNP7yy9n157PC10m8r74i2EbCoLj7B43doW9B1vufGBExUrdeaek1SXVODzxBLrqVDFIDsLnzenVbhZ_Fbo-Ehs91W9Ze2-KfxDVKhfD1VNxqiEBn5d3XEP2WonlNLbMaVQYGFe2vlsnbTBMeyQ6yAhW8s9SyBo4wwhO4" width="181" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>I usually have
some samples of knit accessories on hand to provide inspiration <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">These are the
staples, then I’ll sprinkle in other farm related things just based on what
materials I have available<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgINY8zvCzcsusfme6F11DJdcGX-CghWWr3PAVBkE80haKjUpiarcpeV6JXBeX9_FKJ9oI065P-YS5e8F-t72b9MQhnYNtc_ENK-6W9Bo4lxKSBhCaWQF-NIWhC9r3gwGAcIn1gWnRdqugp9spZrfQQDH3jCZODnxVeGwaG_Djcg_vL3mf98gSpnrtEn-0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgINY8zvCzcsusfme6F11DJdcGX-CghWWr3PAVBkE80haKjUpiarcpeV6JXBeX9_FKJ9oI065P-YS5e8F-t72b9MQhnYNtc_ENK-6W9Bo4lxKSBhCaWQF-NIWhC9r3gwGAcIn1gWnRdqugp9spZrfQQDH3jCZODnxVeGwaG_Djcg_vL3mf98gSpnrtEn-0" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Friday</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Our drive to
Rhinebeck is a 5 hour road trip.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo8uKDWxQbQqf7al8TRRYpRHti7rQzohBk9C1e0WiJm2GGhS_qvUcKxD_4wEFZBzFOOZB6GmpI7UGGzfZVdgj93mORE65YADp8kGgHU7zmNdJAyHPsS4hRmYYl7hujHYs-FdOImqOD1lUllEViB-u5ST_D_wFfyiW-ybvooPmhrm8E6rsXTgIugMjjcLQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo8uKDWxQbQqf7al8TRRYpRHti7rQzohBk9C1e0WiJm2GGhS_qvUcKxD_4wEFZBzFOOZB6GmpI7UGGzfZVdgj93mORE65YADp8kGgHU7zmNdJAyHPsS4hRmYYl7hujHYs-FdOImqOD1lUllEViB-u5ST_D_wFfyiW-ybvooPmhrm8E6rsXTgIugMjjcLQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">The van is
packed the night before so that on friday morning all we need to do is take
care of the sheep and then hit the road<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We made
arrangements to have our son take care of the sheep for the festival weekend<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihgsxdruAk4uKjxybLZgPxb_OABu0JlfzWtlFh08NCcerJRZacYf2pB8JJhGtSbCVV9Sd7LfOCMBXx2mVs6MFL7CxbFts1KHp__tEnp0hUaKD4RM5cz9DN8197bkihIObdlj7QDzrcem3XCNRLpsvd69my-a351eHPUg5RHH-iF3YB7X_wbyl7ZUjHXjo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihgsxdruAk4uKjxybLZgPxb_OABu0JlfzWtlFh08NCcerJRZacYf2pB8JJhGtSbCVV9Sd7LfOCMBXx2mVs6MFL7CxbFts1KHp__tEnp0hUaKD4RM5cz9DN8197bkihIObdlj7QDzrcem3XCNRLpsvd69my-a351eHPUg5RHH-iF3YB7X_wbyl7ZUjHXjo" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Only a few more
miles to the fairground once we pass this famous landmark - the festival
billboard <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRTid-HKovWXBxFCRFZBUfTuJFM5JINSIyCbymqnJSAdfM1mZeYMuS9lo3bxQnUaI9sgXxIP_YCDVtoGWJYnQtUtI2rFw-n8pn7Rn94HbSS-kvRzaz07vozssFyFUQAdHtkRkl5Zdx9ofZ8xjZ1k0Z9Eh5_yO9CazULBzE4k9_rLyh5YX_D-zelPaccTw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRTid-HKovWXBxFCRFZBUfTuJFM5JINSIyCbymqnJSAdfM1mZeYMuS9lo3bxQnUaI9sgXxIP_YCDVtoGWJYnQtUtI2rFw-n8pn7Rn94HbSS-kvRzaz07vozssFyFUQAdHtkRkl5Zdx9ofZ8xjZ1k0Z9Eh5_yO9CazULBzE4k9_rLyh5YX_D-zelPaccTw" width="319" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Saturday</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We arrive at
the fairgrounds a few hours before the festival start time of 9 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the booth is ready, we like to walk
around and check out other booths<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOMbp2go7FDKOeaIUDqeVAjLvpL7nHIjQpTIGl2GErzTHcrww8SrJmlyqaVNQUH_Q-FgFWNMIiapcMCUF2suvwlCmk2HjH46i17PfLNYqMZtJGEV5MK7tq7dExbE2O_zw1H1GGnX8EkOt7OMzM9fosOjgjnWLqm5N4EvMxfCoS0IGxYF6z3Qq0t-d7Tbw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOMbp2go7FDKOeaIUDqeVAjLvpL7nHIjQpTIGl2GErzTHcrww8SrJmlyqaVNQUH_Q-FgFWNMIiapcMCUF2suvwlCmk2HjH46i17PfLNYqMZtJGEV5MK7tq7dExbE2O_zw1H1GGnX8EkOt7OMzM9fosOjgjnWLqm5N4EvMxfCoS0IGxYF6z3Qq0t-d7Tbw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">Rich and I have
split the booth duties during fiber festivals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rich is the one in charge of checking out
customers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">I am
responsible for consulting with customers to find solutions to their making
needs- ,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaPVeSyG-go_iRz1gxJFgAmq6xskYBLGGqqv66mzg2zysow5gzw7HabB86dGtFdOzUxJazl_oHJ8_3Vm808-ktef0XY1ZYE4n-qME1SKK6Kxd1hevjI-4XD21xx4w6dYo2UqqL7txuWi2sBNlDLzPLff309NkazLnG5wvNfaZ50LBMvREH_NFQFU8stto" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaPVeSyG-go_iRz1gxJFgAmq6xskYBLGGqqv66mzg2zysow5gzw7HabB86dGtFdOzUxJazl_oHJ8_3Vm808-ktef0XY1ZYE4n-qME1SKK6Kxd1hevjI-4XD21xx4w6dYo2UqqL7txuWi2sBNlDLzPLff309NkazLnG5wvNfaZ50LBMvREH_NFQFU8stto" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">helping them
understand the wool from our sheep in all its forms<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZCK7JzbdaalA53RPFX2k5H7IqCxkF67CZ2Ua1Dci7g6-3sAavV36tTWHYAbl2bHfW0tEMtikahoCkMmqCBOGE2KkxCMTPNCPgsxQJkxDC4vY5LyQLncRAJOa4r2HHhnvAUV162637tGb-JMXNx8yGF5pr9wupL-6bFCNyKTQby8KhPON-Lp-g0A1gInc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZCK7JzbdaalA53RPFX2k5H7IqCxkF67CZ2Ua1Dci7g6-3sAavV36tTWHYAbl2bHfW0tEMtikahoCkMmqCBOGE2KkxCMTPNCPgsxQJkxDC4vY5LyQLncRAJOa4r2HHhnvAUV162637tGb-JMXNx8yGF5pr9wupL-6bFCNyKTQby8KhPON-Lp-g0A1gInc" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Or assisting
them as they try out a majacraft spinning tool for the very first time</span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1bA20louvGrysV7YSV4r1Q6kouyGzhigq94Rj08ailIy3SNNBElew3jjabDQ1NjCOvxdL81h0uE9rVZ1qwgRnF7YAyJ0_bw5aR8IAOoV84h-wZdQ7swqhxbNmUXrfHDA5PTBKSpN6ypw145fQ74DRq8hVfHk6_HTz0uKUM4Xge9BBfq57Dok20Rtk-3c" style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1bA20louvGrysV7YSV4r1Q6kouyGzhigq94Rj08ailIy3SNNBElew3jjabDQ1NjCOvxdL81h0uE9rVZ1qwgRnF7YAyJ0_bw5aR8IAOoV84h-wZdQ7swqhxbNmUXrfHDA5PTBKSpN6ypw145fQ74DRq8hVfHk6_HTz0uKUM4Xge9BBfq57Dok20Rtk-3c" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">The Fleece Show
and Sale</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We arrived
early enough on Sunday, before the festival began to be able to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>look at the remaining fleeces from the Fleece
show and sale - It is important for us as breeders to examine the wool being
produced by other farms to see what we can learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8nakBIyZRLeyKcv5q0mjF48NV_lFkNyQE0gfZTbibTwYHJE4slbIJWcyeAbrPjz1g1zGA17U6zZHl3mGQ2nGi4q8ZOPSNntvsysBrLEHakUKcJv30CNUUwJtZwwxUWKvVbLARKBdUdaFuaFJuW1q0O4f1BeIQqnN4Q00kbG6lUzUeit5KvvmHWvG-_5A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8nakBIyZRLeyKcv5q0mjF48NV_lFkNyQE0gfZTbibTwYHJE4slbIJWcyeAbrPjz1g1zGA17U6zZHl3mGQ2nGi4q8ZOPSNntvsysBrLEHakUKcJv30CNUUwJtZwwxUWKvVbLARKBdUdaFuaFJuW1q0O4f1BeIQqnN4Q00kbG6lUzUeit5KvvmHWvG-_5A" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Shetland
fleeces in the US don’t have a uniform type.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Some are very long and straight, others are short with crimp.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">And then many fall in between. They are all
considered acceptable by the breed association.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">I think this variation makes it difficult
for a handspinner to source shetland fleeces - especially if they are looking
for a specific type.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">You can see this
variation here where these are all shetland fleeces but all look very
different.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsItGTHHbPNjpKQxX5dSwPk4MvTmd8fV4qOZnt8H1GxuXvsWEY-Xal-Ac5gl9o_e5zpWPKqHZ_jpkWEudwBs023RXRKN3tbDOQsCmXPv1TTfSqNIxP42ldeEzb1MzyH8wjVYbC0rWspyljcdcvj2ZRCyn06mJu3igDiAKCyo8uSJ4RS3seGJ27pgofCKM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsItGTHHbPNjpKQxX5dSwPk4MvTmd8fV4qOZnt8H1GxuXvsWEY-Xal-Ac5gl9o_e5zpWPKqHZ_jpkWEudwBs023RXRKN3tbDOQsCmXPv1TTfSqNIxP42ldeEzb1MzyH8wjVYbC0rWspyljcdcvj2ZRCyn06mJu3igDiAKCyo8uSJ4RS3seGJ27pgofCKM" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8QK7kags9NXctuiTFGtnylusdOTI8zunuDJTyPdHs1KBcmb3x5dgn2vaiz2RLtd9d8VzD4dGTF_nxVsLgO-GZaNeVBR_pbX7HUxZEnVIegVWehI-vGxtE2DT7RT6lv87xpBucRsOem4oGpMbl3rwT2z2WKEEcLURSUjNQXduz2fEWMiXxMDALycclvpQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8QK7kags9NXctuiTFGtnylusdOTI8zunuDJTyPdHs1KBcmb3x5dgn2vaiz2RLtd9d8VzD4dGTF_nxVsLgO-GZaNeVBR_pbX7HUxZEnVIegVWehI-vGxtE2DT7RT6lv87xpBucRsOem4oGpMbl3rwT2z2WKEEcLURSUjNQXduz2fEWMiXxMDALycclvpQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7WD3Y1Dv3h_q5HMEkK6I2xDczrv3G2ZzWQT_DG-b4uKVhOaxoEIZHJAv_XJFgW2dZmcakUINck8giDxhBYg4ZhnWZWtGUkaeavMc4lGMnMIyBVQ624KPbxqpHQyCAaLLR44rDUoJ47pMrqXT1zJTppt4jDuobUTCG8iI4pwy_TzccsIqDdw8IwM_44Tw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7WD3Y1Dv3h_q5HMEkK6I2xDczrv3G2ZzWQT_DG-b4uKVhOaxoEIZHJAv_XJFgW2dZmcakUINck8giDxhBYg4ZhnWZWtGUkaeavMc4lGMnMIyBVQ624KPbxqpHQyCAaLLR44rDUoJ47pMrqXT1zJTppt4jDuobUTCG8iI4pwy_TzccsIqDdw8IwM_44Tw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhklKU_QxZH6klckQMAtmlnR7vL2SZ1g9CieOyOvLk1GzvqCh4PTRCmQ4LXNYb1jNioXZegVOsjcQBJhlQEBnFPpURvi9bM73R7W8i4cIzD2Un8xS31zn2KHtHOB9mzpbKIK4PuHVb9LQpHrxAEuf93DGphTSezq2ecdtQ_3eedhQwfkEyZkOWhCKKnxXU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhklKU_QxZH6klckQMAtmlnR7vL2SZ1g9CieOyOvLk1GzvqCh4PTRCmQ4LXNYb1jNioXZegVOsjcQBJhlQEBnFPpURvi9bM73R7W8i4cIzD2Un8xS31zn2KHtHOB9mzpbKIK4PuHVb9LQpHrxAEuf93DGphTSezq2ecdtQ_3eedhQwfkEyZkOWhCKKnxXU" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4gnq7MG8sSwVXNqUSur4K5rBeSyZLNw3NXMekhApkMYUg96WTYFymR2o2TyInE0oHxEqDGG3a8BOpfdYAyLJc9xAbN_iDniQL094o_P57WgXhRSoDQy7HARQrknSvcYQ5XzoTB1kqRMM7PbJeoP8daaeU6-ZRCZgo9_L7KDhCuHAFYF4qnq8ya4Xopag" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4gnq7MG8sSwVXNqUSur4K5rBeSyZLNw3NXMekhApkMYUg96WTYFymR2o2TyInE0oHxEqDGG3a8BOpfdYAyLJc9xAbN_iDniQL094o_P57WgXhRSoDQy7HARQrknSvcYQ5XzoTB1kqRMM7PbJeoP8daaeU6-ZRCZgo9_L7KDhCuHAFYF4qnq8ya4Xopag" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-wgNzp1VjUtwVETosXxauV18p45HxTVsq7PKUYBAx1_Tt65nxUzdmJ81oKTwT-l6y5U-mKykgk1bxoOKJNkAQH6LKVtwafLHnIv8PtoG1JxYX7ZnAEfu5DV26IlpLhayYXHp1HfAvEviIsSZw08pucm2DxkBgMYFrtNsqDMKYngy1ctL5wOYnznl0-sY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-wgNzp1VjUtwVETosXxauV18p45HxTVsq7PKUYBAx1_Tt65nxUzdmJ81oKTwT-l6y5U-mKykgk1bxoOKJNkAQH6LKVtwafLHnIv8PtoG1JxYX7ZnAEfu5DV26IlpLhayYXHp1HfAvEviIsSZw08pucm2DxkBgMYFrtNsqDMKYngy1ctL5wOYnznl0-sY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-iwIoCHkG2WPq56lEFTVW027x7Nca9ugRFDEoAStWK0-ZhTGJuMyvEfHP5mvCm7s75UuXncjkF1xaY6k2hNHH10CqxvO8cVOOUK0hspF2tGAmM3r1LKE40-ruew09znizbC1QSogeZm7uueQ8TbaRMz3ujasONACWX2mrJGRC3O5YHgXCo9WoI0jhEeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-iwIoCHkG2WPq56lEFTVW027x7Nca9ugRFDEoAStWK0-ZhTGJuMyvEfHP5mvCm7s75UuXncjkF1xaY6k2hNHH10CqxvO8cVOOUK0hspF2tGAmM3r1LKE40-ruew09znizbC1QSogeZm7uueQ8TbaRMz3ujasONACWX2mrJGRC3O5YHgXCo9WoI0jhEeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We like to
breed for very fine, crimpy fleeces that are dense and nice and soft, this one was the closest to what I like to work with.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwifAS7k_8H_B9QaP3VRUmdp26mlsLawvI_hQ1jZTYr1dBigGFh9YvEezStUDrNtF5CnpLF7185xHpa0F3FnLuEFqfuCpWPcBfgZdILuzoX8398JDTKFmqUPp8Kvcnxptz5IzbLo9KOJQsB8Y-IrbsyyQ0rW3jRVb-tY49nMZBEdOkLlRFmIYeDxoBUBU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwifAS7k_8H_B9QaP3VRUmdp26mlsLawvI_hQ1jZTYr1dBigGFh9YvEezStUDrNtF5CnpLF7185xHpa0F3FnLuEFqfuCpWPcBfgZdILuzoX8398JDTKFmqUPp8Kvcnxptz5IzbLo9KOJQsB8Y-IrbsyyQ0rW3jRVb-tY49nMZBEdOkLlRFmIYeDxoBUBU" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">The Sheep barn</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We make it a
point to spend time in the sheep barn where you get to see a very nice variety
of fiber producing animals and speak to the farmers who raise them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPilHjj_QEt-fBL8rLattixCvPVB3jo3LChBnTgacBO-XktjbQQtbd92ocA9YaaNvPEcGsVI8Be_gjpUFY24n0eIrblT3QC1nvYORecaCSG2krxf7vaH-Gvgj3SpB8NP5v2SUOJRIFCzCOCarwQOS2kpYhP13Pc6uQSouzutAfkwNkx0jMPewnsZ8nE3Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPilHjj_QEt-fBL8rLattixCvPVB3jo3LChBnTgacBO-XktjbQQtbd92ocA9YaaNvPEcGsVI8Be_gjpUFY24n0eIrblT3QC1nvYORecaCSG2krxf7vaH-Gvgj3SpB8NP5v2SUOJRIFCzCOCarwQOS2kpYhP13Pc6uQSouzutAfkwNkx0jMPewnsZ8nE3Q" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxz7iMTCu9wNpR5RQS9ScC48CkQgIdR_LFjNhHYsoNsHfpZxEwnJJSlTNJ6PR4lrgt09p8h2DAo7HdKYHGYInbCb6mPQ9av0tJIYD70Z1DlCSsga_9rA99P83_Qc81Yyu3djcFSFh7SALz5sYyBcLxEijDmQ_RoeEBoHvIG5Q_gOzmOmUVTPTOJz7Syqo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxz7iMTCu9wNpR5RQS9ScC48CkQgIdR_LFjNhHYsoNsHfpZxEwnJJSlTNJ6PR4lrgt09p8h2DAo7HdKYHGYInbCb6mPQ9av0tJIYD70Z1DlCSsga_9rA99P83_Qc81Yyu3djcFSFh7SALz5sYyBcLxEijDmQ_RoeEBoHvIG5Q_gOzmOmUVTPTOJz7Syqo" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2aK_BoIgmRoMNiTVzVL1L5lxRfsRm_eV4gXig2VTAKAJtCmba44kpRCGafQt1iuDVSKCgLMS0V8gH0o-Zw4QTmAjvxcd0kjx9FGFwocMA7R1NCS9tATHIHl9L3YTWfIcXT5lkRL1ZPPlA1rQM8_GJzR_RfOoTu2JWglVkYjaGXoW7ZuGgTxSIx3eNYfk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2aK_BoIgmRoMNiTVzVL1L5lxRfsRm_eV4gXig2VTAKAJtCmba44kpRCGafQt1iuDVSKCgLMS0V8gH0o-Zw4QTmAjvxcd0kjx9FGFwocMA7R1NCS9tATHIHl9L3YTWfIcXT5lkRL1ZPPlA1rQM8_GJzR_RfOoTu2JWglVkYjaGXoW7ZuGgTxSIx3eNYfk" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9IRMQk9LAcV9pZV5HVurAoHK0Nn_74khkWnOAXqGrPu65qkh2oU3-PgpdqrRSy4WedNcbcUX500xfouzdAYQxq8eeKilIEya8ysjvl7iR_kUrdvyAAh6lFPhTqgANO_osnSsITmjDm11RdQ45WIyiPkEr2VoszgXmZL00re5HHAcl64PgmVIcU1D-eIM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9IRMQk9LAcV9pZV5HVurAoHK0Nn_74khkWnOAXqGrPu65qkh2oU3-PgpdqrRSy4WedNcbcUX500xfouzdAYQxq8eeKilIEya8ysjvl7iR_kUrdvyAAh6lFPhTqgANO_osnSsITmjDm11RdQ45WIyiPkEr2VoszgXmZL00re5HHAcl64PgmVIcU1D-eIM" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk7NAwdJamWSle5e-6V0oFNTcyLYeiNS-i2ztObNh_O4PbHB7VkWUKKBHwYB636we156VpKUeFaKB_rXzZTo3eoQFuX7faF1mX2wqvyMOTmgH_7LcjvAI5XOXTryDMmFTzkQxgcbMlidGLPSzywTXzjFFwfbsZ_R2aqv1CqrEtPb9wFhUUWyGlEepBoeI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk7NAwdJamWSle5e-6V0oFNTcyLYeiNS-i2ztObNh_O4PbHB7VkWUKKBHwYB636we156VpKUeFaKB_rXzZTo3eoQFuX7faF1mX2wqvyMOTmgH_7LcjvAI5XOXTryDMmFTzkQxgcbMlidGLPSzywTXzjFFwfbsZ_R2aqv1CqrEtPb9wFhUUWyGlEepBoeI" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHkKGcrzmjtdiWFw5AWbxJgiM6kc1UsVpihJKSpPfSgrTCWfHWz_i46k7A37700nmO0RXbj3PTSNB9ccA2PxMNPzpINlDPe633_czkBnbNf9fO9p8uXd5GWW2VIJhA2oupQuF15gv5L9LEdyvqFExIOVyQYqgkrrRfxBPoWWiz0xPL7JzuSJcyyzxGXv8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHkKGcrzmjtdiWFw5AWbxJgiM6kc1UsVpihJKSpPfSgrTCWfHWz_i46k7A37700nmO0RXbj3PTSNB9ccA2PxMNPzpINlDPe633_czkBnbNf9fO9p8uXd5GWW2VIJhA2oupQuF15gv5L9LEdyvqFExIOVyQYqgkrrRfxBPoWWiz0xPL7JzuSJcyyzxGXv8" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbsV5whmt9hZDz8PI7v3ohMin9d-nXul_iLHBgyj9Z0sAqqZaOaA8s6HrUY8nyEJIzvUM-IZCZecV5seAL5xLkZ69bagsBr_088YOPcWf_7OhfImQr7yuinN4Dyb8UnSkLgFDRzDs4mnXKij8kvjFRBc4C0gyVAXNgeZlt4-qGsJINeJM6Ir0Y7DHEWiI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbsV5whmt9hZDz8PI7v3ohMin9d-nXul_iLHBgyj9Z0sAqqZaOaA8s6HrUY8nyEJIzvUM-IZCZecV5seAL5xLkZ69bagsBr_088YOPcWf_7OhfImQr7yuinN4Dyb8UnSkLgFDRzDs4mnXKij8kvjFRBc4C0gyVAXNgeZlt4-qGsJINeJM6Ir0Y7DHEWiI" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWsGjJrM8_axzTx4-wK2M7DK71Si9aPCuqvd5b07v8Gl3K4aICM-3Nr51IMcp0prryjYI1YwFb-JpF66mvBomyumrOd52a3JF12wXlBEnr3XMkjH7W8536KkDdYSDrCFRjVzo2_4z1-Bl9eiZrS_9KgKELVVYD24QlgJNJSrALQ6kuWauMZ-yb7XUHmkY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWsGjJrM8_axzTx4-wK2M7DK71Si9aPCuqvd5b07v8Gl3K4aICM-3Nr51IMcp0prryjYI1YwFb-JpF66mvBomyumrOd52a3JF12wXlBEnr3XMkjH7W8536KkDdYSDrCFRjVzo2_4z1-Bl9eiZrS_9KgKELVVYD24QlgJNJSrALQ6kuWauMZ-yb7XUHmkY" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4gyc61Fz4GskjLuwy41pB6paHXPzv4FZg6Qh4hm_4UOjWAX-mo5rr5FKNJFuHFimXyVPftXIhfqQOOBaGXkJMDkEbHS4sazz336g_cUF-T9Fz4DCaXetOBqs3aTBtA-5Kf-8CBXBN29iYautIDLgAPLv33VE9M1zlgD3b_Ao7TULUtdk9y2kHRTVeevM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4gyc61Fz4GskjLuwy41pB6paHXPzv4FZg6Qh4hm_4UOjWAX-mo5rr5FKNJFuHFimXyVPftXIhfqQOOBaGXkJMDkEbHS4sazz336g_cUF-T9Fz4DCaXetOBqs3aTBtA-5Kf-8CBXBN29iYautIDLgAPLv33VE9M1zlgD3b_Ao7TULUtdk9y2kHRTVeevM" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJIFOCpNFeoCfsmjrZQXrNvvaAHrCvsp3YLLSh6jBOy1MJUBjyD6hF5Ef_oLslhyxaolFq27AspAUICyNHZSx9eojwuRjJLKB5LWt8em13nU-GBTma5OFz6xBobJcNB_L17VjT7lRKg1Nn73plpzhdoo5n4R5bKfqwIkE3O9eEclBafazg83Ht6RLOhRA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJIFOCpNFeoCfsmjrZQXrNvvaAHrCvsp3YLLSh6jBOy1MJUBjyD6hF5Ef_oLslhyxaolFq27AspAUICyNHZSx9eojwuRjJLKB5LWt8em13nU-GBTma5OFz6xBobJcNB_L17VjT7lRKg1Nn73plpzhdoo5n4R5bKfqwIkE3O9eEclBafazg83Ht6RLOhRA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9OrZtzRMebapPLI3wUVDiNkt5ATBK4-v79Z4zGYab9oluz_TIUCZfk_BDdThE-lLjNoF41qL2c5a9tEVzBbzLQecju_OwPeOnviFiIbs-8-0qzk38j8qruZ1sOCbzKj10D1107CWKb4hsKG95CDagCBaVXYJmpEWzLdWWuaLwnTLgfBDK_IyBAkzTX8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY9OrZtzRMebapPLI3wUVDiNkt5ATBK4-v79Z4zGYab9oluz_TIUCZfk_BDdThE-lLjNoF41qL2c5a9tEVzBbzLQecju_OwPeOnviFiIbs-8-0qzk38j8qruZ1sOCbzKj10D1107CWKb4hsKG95CDagCBaVXYJmpEWzLdWWuaLwnTLgfBDK_IyBAkzTX8" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Souveniers</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">We preordered
festival souvenirs this year and picked them up when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want souvenirs from the festival it is
best to preorder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put this link in the
description which you can follow to sign up for notifications when the
souvenirs become available next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
loved the artwork this year and because we preordered, I was fortunate to be
able to secure the very popular tote bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYZGZ4BiOnYI0seUpcWrjpY8aYyOw2nnnYvqn_m85-EIIdmZnTTp0YzNfdk4vuwiC1H5OTU6BCu1nsFrqZ3QG1rtSXeikP7h7PHtVatL6Dd8lGThItWRqGoB2YOD4Kfrhh0aLuzKrK8ex8UDTETgn7VUMfzOg3dEZO-qE-sqqSLswy38HLANtfLIW19gc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYZGZ4BiOnYI0seUpcWrjpY8aYyOw2nnnYvqn_m85-EIIdmZnTTp0YzNfdk4vuwiC1H5OTU6BCu1nsFrqZ3QG1rtSXeikP7h7PHtVatL6Dd8lGThItWRqGoB2YOD4Kfrhh0aLuzKrK8ex8UDTETgn7VUMfzOg3dEZO-qE-sqqSLswy38HLANtfLIW19gc" width="320" /></a></div><br />Every year the
festival holds an art<span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">contest.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Artists submit their designs for the next
year’s festival artwork.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">Attendees to
the festival can vote for their preferred design.</span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">The artist with the most votes has the honor
of having their design used on all the merchandizing, web graphics and signage
for the next year’s festival.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">This years
artwork was created by Jeanne Goodman -</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoM3s1qsp_3eU6CSKrwmuKMVQLAPRXyYeWpzrHj5KnjNygZ8knIZqkOijnh6QM7R-vUDwJDByjYpKakoGx7qvf2iHEWw-yPn73sbnYoSYT6sgWggI9_qJ80y078o5kNeubzlb257mG8nWMvvOVkEDHsaNmryhTnthBvKnrU0BetGu3P_dHs13mnwCrPnQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoM3s1qsp_3eU6CSKrwmuKMVQLAPRXyYeWpzrHj5KnjNygZ8knIZqkOijnh6QM7R-vUDwJDByjYpKakoGx7qvf2iHEWw-yPn73sbnYoSYT6sgWggI9_qJ80y078o5kNeubzlb257mG8nWMvvOVkEDHsaNmryhTnthBvKnrU0BetGu3P_dHs13mnwCrPnQ" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">and she is a
professional artist with an impressive resume and works all over the
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read that she primarily works
in colored pencils and color pencil art sticks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpQvHmWSKH9kYBW8LnqcPtv9RAwzNY39sa-qj_dG5_dXBqecIIwfiNhvusZql67ZET83wEBD7d7TTkkq8oQ8CwQSbDfsMKhlSQERbNDuEwP198v11t28Sd5wKcMRM8AaE5OnRYRlGbxAubmgZ_bYQkadIjd_uiyUScHDNXqQwgiT8gU3CQ-SSFuEvxK7g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="375" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpQvHmWSKH9kYBW8LnqcPtv9RAwzNY39sa-qj_dG5_dXBqecIIwfiNhvusZql67ZET83wEBD7d7TTkkq8oQ8CwQSbDfsMKhlSQERbNDuEwP198v11t28Sd5wKcMRM8AaE5OnRYRlGbxAubmgZ_bYQkadIjd_uiyUScHDNXqQwgiT8gU3CQ-SSFuEvxK7g" width="320" /></a></div><br />Never saw a sheep this color, but I’ve seen sheep that made me think
about these colors - perhaps a Gotland or a Wensleydale<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;">I keep on
running back thru my head the conversations and things I was told by people who
came into our booth and I have to say I am so grateful for everyones' support
and kind feedback about our farm, our YouTube channel and the products we are
trying to supply to this lovely community of fiber crafters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you so much to all who stopped by, and
those of my “locals” who saw how crammed we were and just gave me a friendly
wave or quick hug as they were swept by in the traffic flow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-60311080142495060592023-04-27T16:22:00.003-07:002023-04-28T06:46:02.740-07:00Rooing Our Soft Shetland Sheep<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our farm has a singular focus. We raise sheep for their wool so handspinners can use our fleeces to make lovely, soft, elastic yarn. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_EzzXORCtd4RxnDDDej3tNVY76QVsu_NbpKmKeidwlKsKWFXoCWNRWHD2Dr6kQDeeZDwtscTcLTuFxo_-QQ87yuX6p5TQ8HNkGbGihvh2eF70IKDRdYNLZijGup1Gy-or-Zeaf5-A0fEx6w4xzwsxNrcfYn6hB3PwpkuUx8ZUXnStgRHwRdruxy1/s3888/Group%20photo.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_EzzXORCtd4RxnDDDej3tNVY76QVsu_NbpKmKeidwlKsKWFXoCWNRWHD2Dr6kQDeeZDwtscTcLTuFxo_-QQ87yuX6p5TQ8HNkGbGihvh2eF70IKDRdYNLZijGup1Gy-or-Zeaf5-A0fEx6w4xzwsxNrcfYn6hB3PwpkuUx8ZUXnStgRHwRdruxy1/w400-h266/Group%20photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We raise sheep for their wool</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So when we harvest the wool from our sheep, we take very particular care to ensure it is harvested in a way that is optimized for hand processing the wool for spinning into yarn. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-25a1eb74-7fff-f9b5-141d-2f0f006c0f69"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQvlBd6xL9gLHPaLBNHq7UPbzpn8pqqJbXs_OBDsRsTWjfoQpgsSRMQC80ufJkfbtmfmsykThoI-XQ6F4s7TpEsAxLaf2-HDzsMUMNlqZ3NDc6pf1oDGNChydgwxTejgUrNvgOgTieSLQfdRHyJjm60F8JFA-Q-ShHgmSXzt2BtUrTKjwSqR5hnZ1/s4032/fleece.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQvlBd6xL9gLHPaLBNHq7UPbzpn8pqqJbXs_OBDsRsTWjfoQpgsSRMQC80ufJkfbtmfmsykThoI-XQ6F4s7TpEsAxLaf2-HDzsMUMNlqZ3NDc6pf1oDGNChydgwxTejgUrNvgOgTieSLQfdRHyJjm60F8JFA-Q-ShHgmSXzt2BtUrTKjwSqR5hnZ1/s320/fleece.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly sheared fleece from our Elara</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This means making sure it is clean and free of neps or second cuts. These faults that occur during the harvesting of fleeces diminish the efficiency for handspinners so we do everything we can to prevent them. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">We use two methods to harvest our fleeces. One is shearing, where our professional shearer travels from Massachusetts to our farm for a day of shearing sheep, always in the spring after the cold weather has passed and the sheep don’t need their fleeces to stay warm. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy7wrPuWd_1_lQoPDSnYQPmJDhPdgkKwXMdIegEDlgZpsil45ryzV97eDobwoxI8pqbNjNaULb9CENeOtZC9zWuiFGtK1r6LtIys2paQ2N-d2KyZKFOc0EbaZnHsm5W-bJfRPYZcnciCd_T7lKrJ3_NdNGa-KvpuEL5u6mdrqdISWMD65oZcptX6s/s2592/shearer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy7wrPuWd_1_lQoPDSnYQPmJDhPdgkKwXMdIegEDlgZpsil45ryzV97eDobwoxI8pqbNjNaULb9CENeOtZC9zWuiFGtK1r6LtIys2paQ2N-d2KyZKFOc0EbaZnHsm5W-bJfRPYZcnciCd_T7lKrJ3_NdNGa-KvpuEL5u6mdrqdISWMD65oZcptX6s/s320/shearer.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our shearer is an expert at shearing fleeces for handspinners</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shearing is fast work, we usually shear around 40 of the sheep in about 3 hours or less. It is safe for the sheep, and is a great way to get the wool off the sheep quickly. There is skill involved to ensure the fleece is good quality for handspinners - making sure the staple is preserved and the fleece all comes off in one piece. The only issue with shearing is that there is an unpreventable chance you will get little bits of residual wool that can’t be used by the handspinner, and in fact, can be a bit of a nuisance when prepping and spinning the wool. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_VnCtQVVlzv1ChlhoqZM_BPki4JL3TXimVbQMuBOsOA-LKujNHyV-5H4oImxlwmThxDfwe9T73R6mkPhtZhbCCCobXQOyC-YFwJGDc1GyBep8j40AsO7jWWXVCXXxLMAhyFkdO5wn7SZSmU7g8ID0yN49wZiEetsyI-gu53BJMaTYRjThM4YwLBr/s3803/problem%20fleece.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="3803" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_VnCtQVVlzv1ChlhoqZM_BPki4JL3TXimVbQMuBOsOA-LKujNHyV-5H4oImxlwmThxDfwe9T73R6mkPhtZhbCCCobXQOyC-YFwJGDc1GyBep8j40AsO7jWWXVCXXxLMAhyFkdO5wn7SZSmU7g8ID0yN49wZiEetsyI-gu53BJMaTYRjThM4YwLBr/s320/problem%20fleece.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of a fleece with neps due to the rise</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This happens regardless of the skill level of the shearer and is more the result of shearing a sheep that has a break or a rise in their fleece. This condition is very unique to a few breeds of sheep, and shetlands are one of those breeds that have this natural break in their fleece.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">For sheep with a rise, or break, in the fleece, the ideal method for harvesting wool is a process called “Rooing”, which is what this blog post is all about.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p></span><div><span><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shetland sheep have a unique trait where they reach a point in their fleece where there is a break in the staple. This break is also known as the rise. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-M4yCru7mq-gwz_-9-jpnt5-r9z09TfGEnFgTAC-YezkWpQZMVhc3izh6nCkAJeo5x0TPzd7r6RI2ic9aS6eMMjAAjmZIB1uep3eTZMciJl2seBxxXA7Oa2tLOmjG9sFmJ6pC-yK_UjudKBGX1XSUlRQMky3C7Z_62MXZmcpQhLHm1GKY_hdxiW8/s4080/rise.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-M4yCru7mq-gwz_-9-jpnt5-r9z09TfGEnFgTAC-YezkWpQZMVhc3izh6nCkAJeo5x0TPzd7r6RI2ic9aS6eMMjAAjmZIB1uep3eTZMciJl2seBxxXA7Oa2tLOmjG9sFmJ6pC-yK_UjudKBGX1XSUlRQMky3C7Z_62MXZmcpQhLHm1GKY_hdxiW8/s320/rise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very good example of the break in the fleece</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When they reach the rise, always in the spring, it is time to harvest their fleeces with a process called rooing. Rooing is where you pluck the wool from the sheep, taking advantage of the weak spot. This harvesting method is an alternative to shearing, which doesn’t require a break in the staple, so you can shear sheep anytime you like.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5mtDJgkY0vlGnyap9BKdPdXHI4s9svM8bcfZq8GCfXtadG2VKFRoEmhGj44V7rgxpggwZ3e6-NoXxGwfTownB70o1cDbqTmTdNpWc-Ae4Nke2Vq7Il9sFm6aLBj5usFu7txDffWytIDbLnUzdBGX7_R4Ezwe1Fy030W3nlqdV0FX49bGigVCRgzY/s4080/smiling.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5mtDJgkY0vlGnyap9BKdPdXHI4s9svM8bcfZq8GCfXtadG2VKFRoEmhGj44V7rgxpggwZ3e6-NoXxGwfTownB70o1cDbqTmTdNpWc-Ae4Nke2Vq7Il9sFm6aLBj5usFu7txDffWytIDbLnUzdBGX7_R4Ezwe1Fy030W3nlqdV0FX49bGigVCRgzY/s320/smiling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love rooing my sheep!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rise will occur at different times with different sheep. Some sheep “hit the rise” very early in the season, say February. Others hit it later in early summer. And some of our shetlands never even have a well defined rise, these will always be sheared by our professional shearer all on the same day. I have tried to come up with some sort of correlation to predict who will have a good weak rise, but haven’t yet. So not sure if it is the fineness of the fleece, staple length, crimp or some other trait that could be linked to having a good, weak rise.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another thing I’ve noticed over the years is that some sheep roo really easily at the britch, which is the area around their tail and back legs, but less so as you get closer to the neck. Before shearing day I actually check all the ewes I am thinking of rooing to make absolutely sure they are going to roo easily at the neck and side, in addition to the britch.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTFNAfr8M6ncXMrmftHlh-QU1hfshnLYGA2p_Fzd53SyJiezvkfDkX2he4es-Tx9QxLKtUb1gjnt6YngoiCFPV4FJP00pgA6k_kAC5UKU6XdaKeFe4u-N5M49VUJQHSu9bQnp1XEU6bNdW-xqbShBjzG7krQH8D2o_Nx669YcpXDV4Y_NFHh6klvO/s4080/britch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTFNAfr8M6ncXMrmftHlh-QU1hfshnLYGA2p_Fzd53SyJiezvkfDkX2he4es-Tx9QxLKtUb1gjnt6YngoiCFPV4FJP00pgA6k_kAC5UKU6XdaKeFe4u-N5M49VUJQHSu9bQnp1XEU6bNdW-xqbShBjzG7krQH8D2o_Nx669YcpXDV4Y_NFHh6klvO/s320/britch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooing the britch area</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I use the term “weak rise” to indicate that the fleece will come off the sheep really easily because the break in the staple is significant. Sometimes the rise is weaker some years over others with the same sheep. I’ve noticed that if a ewe carried a lamb over the winter, they are very much more likely to have a weak rise. Mrs Hughes was an example - the year she had lambs she was very easy to roo, the year she didn’t have lambs I couldn’t get the wool off and had to actually cut her fleece of with scissors (I don’t have shearing clippers, nor do I know how to use them!). Sadly her fleece that year was pretty mangled, but the positive side is I think this was when I figured out how to make my “bumbly” yarn as her fleece has a lot of shorter curly bits that are perfect for this type of spinning. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGNruCUi6ARCfZ51C-4xSAmpZtn5iVnjmJUIcN2YElHNbhEwu56KL6kQCvooUrZ4woHhHoXXCP2Tgf8Q2jM6y-TnbwV6GSwkqRslFVcrThMyX1rC5klrXIlg7uEFv-Zt47PJAmnEoLRN4nrVpzMgtM3a2NEH9c7r4XnRtJ1sWFH7-TuhlWit-waW6/s3024/mrs%20hughes%20bumbly%20yarn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGNruCUi6ARCfZ51C-4xSAmpZtn5iVnjmJUIcN2YElHNbhEwu56KL6kQCvooUrZ4woHhHoXXCP2Tgf8Q2jM6y-TnbwV6GSwkqRslFVcrThMyX1rC5klrXIlg7uEFv-Zt47PJAmnEoLRN4nrVpzMgtM3a2NEH9c7r4XnRtJ1sWFH7-TuhlWit-waW6/s320/mrs%20hughes%20bumbly%20yarn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly Invented Bumbly Yarn from Mrs Hughes Disaster Fleece</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, her fleece the following year had a lot of irregularity at the tip due to the hybrid method I had to use to harvest her fleece.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8ibVug_Yy7JGwNsHJtJORyY3I592wZ7Sz0lVuV6XJYJQgCdl4U28epZZDA972QxU7g7eWUSEtfqTkkZ_8Cc7hHQ3oGts7C626MRGNMDauVdTX1warp7Wmtoi8jH8ZgTqbCBIuXnXwkFvfY3dD7HuswCeRwSiIH0JFlVjFqIkHnmMBY2jbaSXJRYC/s3024/next%20year%20fleece.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="3024" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8ibVug_Yy7JGwNsHJtJORyY3I592wZ7Sz0lVuV6XJYJQgCdl4U28epZZDA972QxU7g7eWUSEtfqTkkZ_8Cc7hHQ3oGts7C626MRGNMDauVdTX1warp7Wmtoi8jH8ZgTqbCBIuXnXwkFvfY3dD7HuswCeRwSiIH0JFlVjFqIkHnmMBY2jbaSXJRYC/s320/next%20year%20fleece.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see the extra tip? That came from her prior years growth that I couldn't get off.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This year I had 74 sheep with fleeces to harvest. I sheared 42 of them, and am in the process of rooing the balance. Roo’d fleeces are really nice to process for handspinning as they don’t have any second cuts or neps from the clippers, and you can also determine what the exact staple length is for each sheep. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghur9Wm26P8dwqG-vXMbKopBunVFSeS6zx-4wMxKu8PXoKYpNPkxr6L2tVkfBY9hR235Hq8eEQVDExRTGj1yMTgz1zwA6WWgmQ-PFXZumMaXQLEhyEVC0qKVBS_9GUS6sSUbMgGL08u65mlsz8Jg-LvK_di35wnQA7DbjLIE2LWHucK-yZFqLUDpNp/s4032/backside%20of%20rood%20fleece.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghur9Wm26P8dwqG-vXMbKopBunVFSeS6zx-4wMxKu8PXoKYpNPkxr6L2tVkfBY9hR235Hq8eEQVDExRTGj1yMTgz1zwA6WWgmQ-PFXZumMaXQLEhyEVC0qKVBS_9GUS6sSUbMgGL08u65mlsz8Jg-LvK_di35wnQA7DbjLIE2LWHucK-yZFqLUDpNp/s320/backside%20of%20rood%20fleece.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underside of a rood fleece is just perfection</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is important information for breeding as we want ewes with longer staple length to increase our wool yield. Our shetlands have staple lengths from 1 “ up to 4” unstretched. If you stretch the staple, you can get an additional 1.5 inches usually because our wool is so very crimpy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoujpo2QCZCP8LCKUGRSG6lUMM23q7OPsoBKgyTg_qGQ0fBKPYSWBqrzMpt1Kw8NQftmPAnkB_1b0CyZO8Sf8cHy7sZ6_ACtxMQTQVDUr0PED1pODi4eAgHJsQg8iGQXecr2kVg5vjQKUeCbkQxeKyBJ1kPnzl614y2mi-SMnxyna5mKlv2ChIDml/s3072/sample%20lock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="3072" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoujpo2QCZCP8LCKUGRSG6lUMM23q7OPsoBKgyTg_qGQ0fBKPYSWBqrzMpt1Kw8NQftmPAnkB_1b0CyZO8Sf8cHy7sZ6_ACtxMQTQVDUr0PED1pODi4eAgHJsQg8iGQXecr2kVg5vjQKUeCbkQxeKyBJ1kPnzl614y2mi-SMnxyna5mKlv2ChIDml/s320/sample%20lock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical lock from our sheep</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I coat my ewes so the wool under the coat is nice and clean and free of VM. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxuhxpKEixdWAc1B2KJreRDZhTetxx3cmMGVn-7G1yuPxXaoOEpn7yAqR0_gPRVihY1w8X84gtO5Q8gaWfZPSyFO66fRNVh-7dvsixgUdha4EuO_LOKJMJrqjwQ2tluOkG0mDBNPz9ShS9GYiY9ex3OYKclSKTxrNpAWk1R538fLworcLejtIajZT/s3888/IMG_7439.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxuhxpKEixdWAc1B2KJreRDZhTetxx3cmMGVn-7G1yuPxXaoOEpn7yAqR0_gPRVihY1w8X84gtO5Q8gaWfZPSyFO66fRNVh-7dvsixgUdha4EuO_LOKJMJrqjwQ2tluOkG0mDBNPz9ShS9GYiY9ex3OYKclSKTxrNpAWk1R538fLworcLejtIajZT/s320/IMG_7439.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coated ewes on pasture</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">VM is short for vegetative matter, bits of hay and poo that embed in the wool and make it difficult to produce a nice clean skein of yarn. The wool outside of the coat is usually very dirty and full of vm. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKr-t751Apyf2RHlyW_1MZnevazFFCEr89PE7dIqaaDf9TxqLeLpfKwCdhfR1if5ESyTKdlGJNCpdFijjDEtruY0i5t4IvlwKyd6QPJdnppWfcrsgAbdW0d4yDiwEbFfdFrK_7om3wJS_7ZqEAgFoE5mFRsGGvmOpNc7zEIMlFGtSMYlpmHkf5FQa/s4080/neck%20wool.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKr-t751Apyf2RHlyW_1MZnevazFFCEr89PE7dIqaaDf9TxqLeLpfKwCdhfR1if5ESyTKdlGJNCpdFijjDEtruY0i5t4IvlwKyd6QPJdnppWfcrsgAbdW0d4yDiwEbFfdFrK_7om3wJS_7ZqEAgFoE5mFRsGGvmOpNc7zEIMlFGtSMYlpmHkf5FQa/s320/neck%20wool.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neck wool loaded with "VM"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And ewes that are 1 year old (yearlings) have the most amount of VM as they are smaller than the adults, and the hay tends to fall from the adults mouths into the back of the neck of the younger, smaller sheep. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh0taAzoGScyhcRo_80Xj3UWLmQIuBeGpqteiDaEqh9oQMYR2oz4Kkm3GnqkOYHw5Con8Y6fAx43szr_tPF7WlKRx0AvOLQlqNRNORn8Q_fH45PDZqnAXDThSjlokb3nEOLJu7acb2R8nr3rfEwyusCW640uDpoJ4RifzqUAzlGZawfv19W8FBanu/s3888/yearling%20vs%20adult.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh0taAzoGScyhcRo_80Xj3UWLmQIuBeGpqteiDaEqh9oQMYR2oz4Kkm3GnqkOYHw5Con8Y6fAx43szr_tPF7WlKRx0AvOLQlqNRNORn8Q_fH45PDZqnAXDThSjlokb3nEOLJu7acb2R8nr3rfEwyusCW640uDpoJ4RifzqUAzlGZawfv19W8FBanu/s320/yearling%20vs%20adult.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yearling ewe on right, adult with ripped coat - can see the size difference</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So the wool from the roo’d sheep is offered as full raw fleeces for the wool under the coat. The neck, britch and belly wool goes into a pooled bag of wool, sorted by color for being made into combed top by my fiber processing mill.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq0HDik8hFbv7i_NeB98zrzwuDB54P_TuUQL80Aq8RXUoUnGK09Ys5NgPkr60p1X4fwQ3NHiTM1DtQKQVS2ylsw0m5287HC9b8iNis0iWntMqaC1SlYUYsms7Z9hQZOnoQ7YuE5vc7wZT-PZ36uo9a7iRrXsBQabvACXj21d1qAeSSTvsLoGF98TC/s4032/combed%20top.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq0HDik8hFbv7i_NeB98zrzwuDB54P_TuUQL80Aq8RXUoUnGK09Ys5NgPkr60p1X4fwQ3NHiTM1DtQKQVS2ylsw0m5287HC9b8iNis0iWntMqaC1SlYUYsms7Z9hQZOnoQ7YuE5vc7wZT-PZ36uo9a7iRrXsBQabvACXj21d1qAeSSTvsLoGF98TC/s320/combed%20top.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skirtings, ram fleeces and older ewes wool is used to make our combed top</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t coat my rams as I have concerns that they might get tangled in the back leg straps, which would make them vulnerable to attack from other rams. Ram behavior is very different from ewe behavior, and we try to minimize situations where rams would harm each other.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnC_UA85DB-mpZkuDicmNYYNaZis12vGNfh826_4ynDSbWY1GO2gqy-28jbeuYxm9tTN_xesdKZHP0VbAQEmrenot5OLTpyKgHH0in7-oQUFR8BRQ8DdkSzBrLy7gdzyj8JCgSytwLsKDK7P8sWr5o9jdGFj2z9ycnlrJBb_GFQP0yy1yPSBEC3LS8/s3888/IMG_7469.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnC_UA85DB-mpZkuDicmNYYNaZis12vGNfh826_4ynDSbWY1GO2gqy-28jbeuYxm9tTN_xesdKZHP0VbAQEmrenot5OLTpyKgHH0in7-oQUFR8BRQ8DdkSzBrLy7gdzyj8JCgSytwLsKDK7P8sWr5o9jdGFj2z9ycnlrJBb_GFQP0yy1yPSBEC3LS8/s320/IMG_7469.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rams ready to be roo'd</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I try to keep myself to rooing one sheep a day. Many times I complete a ewe, and then really feel like I want to tackle another one. But the problem is many times at about 25% into my second ewe, my hands start to get very tired and sore, because the motion is very repetitive. Also, I get blisters and wear on certain parts of my fingers that get exposed to a lot of pressure during the process. Towards the end of rooing season, I take to wearing wrist braces and icing down my hands at the end of the day. When rooing a sheep, you really have to finish what you start. This is because you want the fleece to be all one piece, or ½ as is the case with a roo’d fleece. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a sheep stand with a neck brace that works really well for rooing. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69iw8W6vtNDVasJwUs9CGUrHeVHKnEl959E68uX-Kpw0N-cnKkBYnqE5fdnUl5bjTV_M6VUjeKRZtDkmcCXiVXUyYpS7NIY1hBgu3m856XjJH0j8XKHyHu40H5UqBvdvnBRSWNCBzsvmin5hazsyOyigXxEPlmVkdrOe_4H25SzGAqadxAbpJR2rD/s4080/start%20with%20bags.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69iw8W6vtNDVasJwUs9CGUrHeVHKnEl959E68uX-Kpw0N-cnKkBYnqE5fdnUl5bjTV_M6VUjeKRZtDkmcCXiVXUyYpS7NIY1hBgu3m856XjJH0j8XKHyHu40H5UqBvdvnBRSWNCBzsvmin5hazsyOyigXxEPlmVkdrOe_4H25SzGAqadxAbpJR2rD/s320/start%20with%20bags.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheep Stand is a great piece of equipment</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It has two removable sides which I make use of to keep the ewe from falling from the stand, and they also make very nice holders for the bag that I use to catch up the wool. I have received feedback that the stand appears to be cruel to the sheep because it’s head is immobilized on a frame. The fact is I have tried all sorts of ways to set the sheep up to make for a safe and efficient rooing session. I haltered them and tied them to a post, laid them on the ground, held them on my lap as I attempted to roo them. My conclusion is that the stand method results in a faster session, with less injury to me and to the sheep, and the fleece doesn’t get damaged by flailing legs or debris. And the sheep learn over time that the stand isn’t bad, just part of their routine that they just endure. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I have two bags at the ready before I start, and I make sure they are nicely opened and ready to receive wool. You don’t want to be cracking and snapping a plastic bag one handed with a ewe on the stand and lovely wool in the other hand, so have it ready to go before you start. I also make sure I take a quick photo of the ear tag of the ewe so I can create an index card that goes in the bag after i have finished. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvNfJCGVcVEzctJfAoBpBziNuHcyN_EhX9Oj9a6GsDIcU2UnytGzQSpXCafWPhV_uQK-UgXAgLcjuNUuFEezL_MCEqmZYOWPwzogo5hqTnPZc7Ef3fkcDsw9Q6z01TejFYNxdLuehF9m8zN-KUYHibKizYHq3FRON3jraw4S9_JlIH9XS7yZ-qroC/s4080/ear%20tag.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvNfJCGVcVEzctJfAoBpBziNuHcyN_EhX9Oj9a6GsDIcU2UnytGzQSpXCafWPhV_uQK-UgXAgLcjuNUuFEezL_MCEqmZYOWPwzogo5hqTnPZc7Ef3fkcDsw9Q6z01TejFYNxdLuehF9m8zN-KUYHibKizYHq3FRON3jraw4S9_JlIH9XS7yZ-qroC/s320/ear%20tag.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tag# 1475 is our Janet - a lamb from last year</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I collect all the dirty wool first and put it in a bag. This is wool from the neck, belly, britch and legs. I do this with the coat still on so the coated wool doesn’t get all dirty. Plus, if you are rooing the side, it is difficult to know when you have reached the dirty wool toward the belly, especially if you are on the opposite side of the ewe looking over her back, which is my method. So I remove all the dirty wool first, and put in a separate bag. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6bynEYmDzwqV0hkZpeRrdH8TlCTm0GbjWs0UlMVPFBJxFmrUg_2KV0WzYRzogmrBdpU2ImHggB9WX6lYs_VMOUvrZtNiYCG6Y6b5dBQYRe3Pi_e6XrPApjKFjL2obfsujt08CEgGM2iQz_RwQV6LcaGp0U72MwfmBfnq40STf2wqciHg0bvKMIT3/s3072/dirty%20vs%20clean.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2291" data-original-width="3072" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6bynEYmDzwqV0hkZpeRrdH8TlCTm0GbjWs0UlMVPFBJxFmrUg_2KV0WzYRzogmrBdpU2ImHggB9WX6lYs_VMOUvrZtNiYCG6Y6b5dBQYRe3Pi_e6XrPApjKFjL2obfsujt08CEgGM2iQz_RwQV6LcaGp0U72MwfmBfnq40STf2wqciHg0bvKMIT3/s320/dirty%20vs%20clean.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wool on left is uncoated parts, right is under the coat - these are from the same ewe.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will weigh this wool and note it on the sheep’s information card for that year, so I can get a yield number, which I use in breeding decisions. Yield is important, I want ewes that have minimal britch wool and more wool under the coat since our focus is producing fleeces for handspinners as opposed to mill processed combed top. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PNoFCD7Y3KAa3aPrNKFF3CZcev2yLuVQxCH6MNKNMjx5x131nDdfMacHtuSIPYJiFgCmTqdS4Fbdu9qIBb3zVOuhP4xxJitBTUfVOBX_0SB_enSEYJByACb7nrPHQhCMRLu7EgvwNjwNoITs3inlZ6rtOi-2ksi5ehTOJpLHm-GJQrONPI9GELhk/s3072/info%20card.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2137" data-original-width="3072" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PNoFCD7Y3KAa3aPrNKFF3CZcev2yLuVQxCH6MNKNMjx5x131nDdfMacHtuSIPYJiFgCmTqdS4Fbdu9qIBb3zVOuhP4xxJitBTUfVOBX_0SB_enSEYJByACb7nrPHQhCMRLu7EgvwNjwNoITs3inlZ6rtOi-2ksi5ehTOJpLHm-GJQrONPI9GELhk/s320/info%20card.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One side of the info card on Juliet - other side is a copy of her micron report.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The combed top is nice, but we look at it as sort of a by product to the premium product which is the raw fleeces.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once I have the ewe secured on the stand, I will start to remove the wool that is outside the coat. This includes her britch wool, (which is the wool around her tail), her belly wool, the wool on her legs and her neck wool. If her neck wool is particularly nice, I will hold on to it and process it myself. Otherwise, it will all go into a pooled bag of britch and ram wool, sorted by color, destined for the mill to be made into combed top. Then I remove her coat and start rooing down her spine, from the neck to the tail. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtTDaX-ojyEp-5dmL7M-VYR0LuDkGNWhj-tq7lMSLnaKxjSpe6uYCyo7NggdDvS99lXTCGtDdSPuW1tRjDDiskJHHlyGwqhaWASlh5FFMNx-iU87me7EktzhhfYE5Rtk1XeHHkhNPf0RgtGNrgsZExxjR5nsmTwsZv9y433AwptFqHJf3CekLpQOS/s4080/rooing%20down%20the%20backbone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtTDaX-ojyEp-5dmL7M-VYR0LuDkGNWhj-tq7lMSLnaKxjSpe6uYCyo7NggdDvS99lXTCGtDdSPuW1tRjDDiskJHHlyGwqhaWASlh5FFMNx-iU87me7EktzhhfYE5Rtk1XeHHkhNPf0RgtGNrgsZExxjR5nsmTwsZv9y433AwptFqHJf3CekLpQOS/s320/rooing%20down%20the%20backbone.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I start rooing along the backbone to start</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This creates a separation of the two halves of the marketable fleece. Then I start working from the top down, moving along her body so as not to concentrate the stimulation on one part of her side for too long. It doesn’t hurt them, but I am pretty sure it irritates some of them, so I try to dissipate the stimulation as I go. I also change my hand position and alternate hands frequently so as to minimize repetitive motion. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzSKhK9ySqG4zKiA4p9Z_HWwXb7HQm-37-s_EtuXIUL5cHIz5tXSizZS8l4hoYfcH69Mlims2B8cyF8fVcU8q1QjdUcqov-HvRXAXsqqEVL-bmvUf0nFkuQHYDq2Wg4ZhdJE9n--L6fXBGjAudxh3N3457gQ2Lp-VRQu7l0mOWz_iHl1w9Mk9NkZ4/s4080/rooing%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzSKhK9ySqG4zKiA4p9Z_HWwXb7HQm-37-s_EtuXIUL5cHIz5tXSizZS8l4hoYfcH69Mlims2B8cyF8fVcU8q1QjdUcqov-HvRXAXsqqEVL-bmvUf0nFkuQHYDq2Wg4ZhdJE9n--L6fXBGjAudxh3N3457gQ2Lp-VRQu7l0mOWz_iHl1w9Mk9NkZ4/s320/rooing%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooing is a workout for your hands and forearms</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>I pull out small bits at a time - approximately ½ a square inch or less. I make sure not to pull the lock from the fleece, and put all my effort into ensuring that the fleece is held together by as much tip as possible so it is easier for the handspinner to process it later by either combing or flicking the locks. I’ve learned that wool roos easier from certain sections of the body if I tug in a certain direction. For example, leg wool comes off easier when I tug from the bottom up. Britch works better if I pull away from the tail. And her body wool comes off easier if I pull front to back. I’ve also learned that if I grab hold of loose skin on her side I can pull on it as I am tugging on the wool, to offer resistance and lessen the stimulation she feels as I am rooing her wool. As I make progress down the side of her body, I will drape the roo’d fleece over the rail and toward the opening of the bag to prevent her from stepping on it and from landing on the ground and picking up dirt and hay.</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJizKMZIkTlGr8sqh8wnejAVPbvcEHmJVZX9WEvtX8NSO4sWP3C0hll6FJ3-HWEXPaH-npMTXfWL3FQgydQ5x2nYdm9PMHWgp79kFYO7Q-E96JPq0qw5_PKQZwJdMftdwRohSkFUk6rSPMxm5oLAfuB5ABGxk_U4_25LRRjrN9w_wnyVeZmpjAUhd/s4080/rooing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJizKMZIkTlGr8sqh8wnejAVPbvcEHmJVZX9WEvtX8NSO4sWP3C0hll6FJ3-HWEXPaH-npMTXfWL3FQgydQ5x2nYdm9PMHWgp79kFYO7Q-E96JPq0qw5_PKQZwJdMftdwRohSkFUk6rSPMxm5oLAfuB5ABGxk_U4_25LRRjrN9w_wnyVeZmpjAUhd/s320/rooing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use the rail to protect the fleece</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the process, I try to figure out what the ewe likes as I am working on her. So if she responds well to belly scratches, she gets them intermittently during the session. Or a cheek rub, chest massage or tapping noses. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcVSYz2jJ1kKc7mEIXk-pLBnbXrd_pCJIQXn_Fs86aGGyuxpwkW6iJP7k6rxKnRWvsCHbTJPYr8RG0PqVmvzuofWj7RCGQqednEahiSORvhoENMI-y-pYEB0xQJWu1QOxxL6mYyS3FXgdYzJZze_6ZJ343kybU_vU18bse_7y-6RLXPpstY7LfRga/s4080/scratching%20cheeks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcVSYz2jJ1kKc7mEIXk-pLBnbXrd_pCJIQXn_Fs86aGGyuxpwkW6iJP7k6rxKnRWvsCHbTJPYr8RG0PqVmvzuofWj7RCGQqednEahiSORvhoENMI-y-pYEB0xQJWu1QOxxL6mYyS3FXgdYzJZze_6ZJ343kybU_vU18bse_7y-6RLXPpstY7LfRga/s320/scratching%20cheeks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Janet liked cheek scratches!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not all sheep are the same and all like to be comforted in different ways. In fact, I just roo’d a lamb named Lucia, and when I tried to scratch her cheek she nipped at me, but she liked it when I rubbed her belly! When I am working on the wool around her head I like to rest my head on hers if she likes it, it is a nice chance for intimacy between us, like how a mother sheep touches the lambs with her head.</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOvMOT6rnmGZtv3KuPjYhw-sbNnHi_OzpdIxhLvL9HBUuFXMPOKgMvgJmNzzKaSBA2rt4tRIM9qi8MFcavNQRy3OQUkLGCOCE96-Yz31rDxRhXmlvaGvRlbHUvG5xdG-af5R4iVxtF7bPX_vqNBzVCgNqioZJ5vIN3gM6XfCT1xF6NL8h3rZflzHq/s4080/touching%20head.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOvMOT6rnmGZtv3KuPjYhw-sbNnHi_OzpdIxhLvL9HBUuFXMPOKgMvgJmNzzKaSBA2rt4tRIM9qi8MFcavNQRy3OQUkLGCOCE96-Yz31rDxRhXmlvaGvRlbHUvG5xdG-af5R4iVxtF7bPX_vqNBzVCgNqioZJ5vIN3gM6XfCT1xF6NL8h3rZflzHq/s320/touching%20head.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooing your sheep is an opportunity to show your sheep how much you love them!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>After I’ve finished rooing a ewe I just send her back into the flock. I try to roo her early enough in the day so that she has a chance to reintroduce herself to the balance of the flock before they are locked in the barn at night. <p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCndFCFMPU6BI47ptxVyuxTtPQLw-fCrxx6vLr-A_dxjWioZH8BYFoZi_cpOC_KHuzEPMrFb8YzC6NHh9qnP-WqlMZw_0AcBCH9wCKCfdygUv03YKtEehjwJ-3v3PaA55OTMoXw3OvBq_PHWDVmpfUPdDMNO68DKNcNQxF3Hywu86asU7GBfMjBVCU/s4080/finished.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCndFCFMPU6BI47ptxVyuxTtPQLw-fCrxx6vLr-A_dxjWioZH8BYFoZi_cpOC_KHuzEPMrFb8YzC6NHh9qnP-WqlMZw_0AcBCH9wCKCfdygUv03YKtEehjwJ-3v3PaA55OTMoXw3OvBq_PHWDVmpfUPdDMNO68DKNcNQxF3Hywu86asU7GBfMjBVCU/s320/finished.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All finished and ready to get back with the flock</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The reason careful reintroduction is important is because sheep flocks operate with a very clear hierarchy of power. There is the flock leader - she/he gets the best spot to sleep, is left alone at feeding time, and pretty much everyone steers clear of the flock leader. Then the ranking goes down from there all the way to the flock weakling who knows to get out of everyone’s way and if she/he doesn’t they will get knocked around. Every so often you will see middle ranking sheep decide it is time for a shift in the ranking, and there will be fights until it is resolved - which happens when one of the sheep backs down from the altercation. Once one of the sheep backs off, all is fine and dandy, no more fighting and everything settles down. Usually within a few minutes, but I have seen a couple ewes go at it hatefully for a couple of days. All of the sheep in the flock know the ranking, and are able to identify each sheep and her rank based only on appearance and smell. So, when you remove the coat and shear or roo a sheep and then send him/her back into the flock, that sheep is considered new and has to regain its position as if it was a new sheep being introduced into the flock. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrxL-iS8CQK03eXJMg5WvKDhQbzTUdFrqfAIz_t8S2Ch9a0nVMQ9U6JfRCJxvH4TXsQP-FgWbpvxwMftcHkg8UjkLpJQSV3W3okHmsVBmPta_vtwSH6PcxYEBUlrf44ZHpznYTTu2H9YnXF7egTWM9kXM31u9zIrnWdgIuzA6BAyYZpOXjvYVej9m/s2460/you%20smell%20funny.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1693" data-original-width="2460" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrxL-iS8CQK03eXJMg5WvKDhQbzTUdFrqfAIz_t8S2Ch9a0nVMQ9U6JfRCJxvH4TXsQP-FgWbpvxwMftcHkg8UjkLpJQSV3W3okHmsVBmPta_vtwSH6PcxYEBUlrf44ZHpznYTTu2H9YnXF7egTWM9kXM31u9zIrnWdgIuzA6BAyYZpOXjvYVej9m/s320/you%20smell%20funny.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You smell funny. Do I know you?"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On shearing day, this results in absolute mayhem as a “new” sheep is introduced to a flock of “new” ewes every 7 minutes or so. Much more so with rams than with the ewes - we have had rams die as a result of the violent work they do to establish their rank after shearing. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtNEPeGkR6UbhNT-ceNaNI5KMqXbQ60rdTzb9K3DYsbUDVnvKHQJvLe8L2r7JAWt1nnsUg9ZT7F5Eq3rzWg47mcNrwOGhERt5OTrbefXhQL96LcwlrWZbJyOwZ9r_6sSRfcDqhqKE9uh4vzT2XyHfJG8LAt-fRTWWkbKKryDelSDq5Q11-aUvMVTy/s3024/mayhem.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1556" data-original-width="3024" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtNEPeGkR6UbhNT-ceNaNI5KMqXbQ60rdTzb9K3DYsbUDVnvKHQJvLe8L2r7JAWt1nnsUg9ZT7F5Eq3rzWg47mcNrwOGhERt5OTrbefXhQL96LcwlrWZbJyOwZ9r_6sSRfcDqhqKE9uh4vzT2XyHfJG8LAt-fRTWWkbKKryDelSDq5Q11-aUvMVTy/s320/mayhem.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chaotic introduction on shearing day</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So as I roo only one sheep per day, when that ewe gets sent back into the flock I want to give her the ability to have plenty of space to escape any possible aggression as she tries to find her spot in the ranking.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the sheep has been released and I am happy that she is blending back in with her flock, I bag up the fleece from under the coat in one plastic bag, and the belly/britch/neck wool in another bag. I use plastic kitchen garbage bags, with colored ties as I use the ties to identify the fleeces. This year the sheared fleeces have a blue tie and the roo’d fleeces have a red tie. I then weigh both and record the weights on individual sheep cards where I compile the information on their fleeces including micron data, staple length, weights and any notes I may deem fit to record. I use these cards for a lot of things, Primarily I use them to upload information for the fleece auction, when I am creating the data sheets for the fleeces, and reference when making breeding decisions. I also enter the weights into a spreadsheet for all the fleeces I’ve harvested so I can calculate yields, sort by various traits like staple length or shearing quality and have as a reference during the year.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roo’d fleeces are prized by handspinners because of the pristine results at the base of the staple, and also because it is such a unique trait and method of harvesting fleeces. I strive to roo as many of our sheep as I can in order to offer this special type of fleece to our handspinners.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT-_a-2dSqgVT1132pcJyd1gu5891h9YnAoSSSRSrf9cV9bgAKYNBgoQNUxS-0OFUWIqWFFIt5ijuUS_f0iz2InqTfJcUWk4I4eSN19fhM5e4qUuRDWqi9OHt4zuLSPlYMZo-rDvm2Wg3vYsBAeGUSTjqsm_0yXW72C-ZLwMino6V5nuhQv0QNT6h/s4080/touching%20nose.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmT-_a-2dSqgVT1132pcJyd1gu5891h9YnAoSSSRSrf9cV9bgAKYNBgoQNUxS-0OFUWIqWFFIt5ijuUS_f0iz2InqTfJcUWk4I4eSN19fhM5e4qUuRDWqi9OHt4zuLSPlYMZo-rDvm2Wg3vYsBAeGUSTjqsm_0yXW72C-ZLwMino6V5nuhQv0QNT6h/s320/touching%20nose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nose kisses</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-20838082804593597392023-02-02T08:54:00.002-08:002023-02-02T08:54:43.435-08:00New Majacraft Category - "Discounted Items"<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I have created a new category on the website under the Majacraft section, it is called "</span><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/scratch-and-dent" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" target="_blank">Discounted Items</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">". So I thought I would explain what that is about in this blog post.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The items on this page all have minor damage that doesn't impact the performance of the wheels. In most cases, they were gently preowned wheels which were returned to me for various reasons. During the time (usually fairly short) of their pre-ownership, they sustained damage such as dents or minor dings in the wood. I have stockpiled these over the last year or so with the intention of unpacking, assembling, documenting damage, repairing if needed, repacking and listing them on my website. As you can imagine, this is pretty time consuming effort. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">So as it happens, January and February are very quiet months on the farm, and this was the perfect time for me to tackle this project. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Other months are very busy with aspects of the farm:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">March we spend getting ready for shearing and lambing</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/37BIpuqT2OY?start=28" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">April is lambing and shearing</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FnRjJhX81m4?start=28" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">May is caring for lambies, skirting and evaluating fleeces.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kjoD0XzN9qg?start=28" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/raw-fleeces" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fleece Auction">June is the fleece auction</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">July is selecting sheep for sale and getting their information published on our <a href="https://whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Blog post">sales page on the blog</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">August is getting product ready to sell for fiber festival season</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PV0XPtKxywQ?start=28" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">September and October are peak fiber festival season</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7yBbI0UJ0v4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">November is breeding</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-r4DGFUlbWk?start=28" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">December is family!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">So there you go! The months of January and February, I take a breath, read a book, do a jigsaw puzzle</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20230122_180425963_1_480x480.jpg?v=1675356635" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">and work on projects like going through all the returned products and getting them up on the website for you to peruse!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is the <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/scratch-and-dent" title="Discounted items">link to the entire collection of "Scratch and Dents" </a>as I call them. Each listing has very detailed information on the damage as well as a video of me spinning on that exact wheel so you can hear what it sounds like. The wheels are all packed up now, no longer assembled - but are ready to ship right away.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">They are no longer under official warranty, but if you need any troubleshooting support on them, I am always happy to help you figure out how to optimize your wheel's performance. Also, I won't offer the free return on these like I do with the brand new wheels. If you aren't happy with the Scratch and Dent wheel, just contact me and we can discuss a fair and equitable arrangement (probably some sort of restocking fee).</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">So as always, any questions just pop me an email jen6265@gmail.com, or use the chat feature on my website or give me a call 7165253347 and I will be happy to provide any additional information you may need.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-32485686658124753012023-02-01T05:45:00.000-08:002023-02-01T05:45:32.702-08:00Tina Turner Knits Fiber Festival 2/19/2023<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Tina's annual event is coming up. I have a booth here every year, it is a nice little festival, not too overwhelming - you can get through it in a few hours and get a very nice sampling of what you would expect from a larger event.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It is a one day show, Sunday February 19th from 10 to 4. There is a $5 admission fee, and it is in a hotel, so there is plenty of parking and handicap access ramp.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Location: <a href="https://tinaturnerknits.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4b205e6674090a7b715778492&id=1ba2431783&e=c40b8ae89f" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RIT Inn and Conference Center</a> - 5257 W Henrietta Rd, Henrietta, NY 14467, USA</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a link to her <a href="https://www.tinaturnerknits.com/fiber-arts-festival" title="Tina Turner Knits Fiber Festival">festival page</a>, it has a list of the vendors with links to their sites.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video from last year's fiber festival that I made for my YouTube Channel:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/orSufiwuBP0?start=3188" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> Photo from my booth last year:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" height="266" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20220227_150033500_480x480.jpg?v=1674916961" width="473" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I will have the entire range of <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spinning" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Spinning Wheels">Majacraft Spinning Wheels</a> set up and ready for you to try. I'm also bringing my demo <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/fiber-preparation/products/majacraft-fusion-engine-drum-carder-128-tpi" title="Fusion Engine Drum Carder">Fusion Engine Drum Carder</a> as well as other fiber preparation tools for you to try, like the <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/fiber-preparation/products/majacraft-2-pitch-mini-comb-system" title="Majacraft 2 pitch Mini Comb Set">mini combs</a>, <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/fiber-preparation/products/majacraft-flick-card-flicker-brush" title="Majacraft Flick Carder">flick cards</a> and <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/fiber-preparation/products/majacraft-blending-board" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Blending Board">blending board</a>.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I will have some <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/combed-top/products/copy-of-1-oz-soft-shetland-combed-top-black-2021" title="Soft Shetland Black Combed Top">wool from our sheep</a> there as well! Hope to see you there!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I hope you can make it, look forward to seeing you there!</p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-63343098178911210292022-08-03T07:39:00.001-07:002022-08-03T07:39:20.141-07:002022 Available Sheep<p>Whispering Pines Farm's 2022 livestock offering is now available for viewing on our blog pages. I had originally listed them on our website, but have gotten a few warnings and been blocked from a couple services, so decided to shift the information over here to the blog. There are two tabs for our available sheep, one for rams and one for ewes.</p><p>Thanks for looking! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDR9kcWAsH0JaM2xQ0hdcHJpVwEbK7foqxoqbcjvs_YM00EcSfScKP24M0BjZGZkJ6eLIpqiBTIilmqGemHvowazhMxS0oyuzfuhm4obN_dW_Imy5dQ4jIgi3CuNQKIc1FnkGAEdPabkgVtq3g29K4V2AGyBsOjms4HAsVUjAHiXVdtn-kYEsPO4_/s3264/PXL_20210407_182335007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDR9kcWAsH0JaM2xQ0hdcHJpVwEbK7foqxoqbcjvs_YM00EcSfScKP24M0BjZGZkJ6eLIpqiBTIilmqGemHvowazhMxS0oyuzfuhm4obN_dW_Imy5dQ4jIgi3CuNQKIc1FnkGAEdPabkgVtq3g29K4V2AGyBsOjms4HAsVUjAHiXVdtn-kYEsPO4_/s320/PXL_20210407_182335007.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-744170024796604602022-04-13T01:39:00.000-07:002022-04-13T01:39:21.676-07:002021 Breeding Groups<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We wrote down our goals for 2022 lambing months before we set up the breeding groups. Then as we set up the groups in November we used the goals to guide our decisions, and double checked to make sure all the ewes were in with the rams that would get us closer to those goals.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2022 goals were:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Higher concentration of white/black/grey wool</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Straight legs</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><23 sf at 3 years of age</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #233a44; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Longer fleece length</span></span></p></li></ul><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #233a44; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harry's breeding group</span></span></h4><div><span style="color: #233a44; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was the second year we used Harry. Harry is white, has a very fine, dense fleece, is polled and is very well built. We were able to give him a big group of ewes this year as he proved himself in his first year and produced some very nice lambs for us.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwTcHd_ou1bTozSa290WVIVaeYb1u1ZoR8h0H13B2y9lVXl7Cl2ztwE-dr5nmuHyCgYDpfqmHGP1vxQKWhxPA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic7ZIiYnQVRXvhPu3W8xDJCDwMSn-hj3cQQYef5Do53DVaywQiLab4FfZEyfeFd5bAGcpBcYQPoOMABPryN4RXsPqp_jez67p6OgK1iysalnLSCYpgRZ1kuTXfv3n4G5BZrDFq6zWNOtxtGsayqH3vRLhpMm0vGTdblKqofJ97_Y1he60D4gDiCw0Z" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1134" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEic7ZIiYnQVRXvhPu3W8xDJCDwMSn-hj3cQQYef5Do53DVaywQiLab4FfZEyfeFd5bAGcpBcYQPoOMABPryN4RXsPqp_jez67p6OgK1iysalnLSCYpgRZ1kuTXfv3n4G5BZrDFq6zWNOtxtGsayqH3vRLhpMm0vGTdblKqofJ97_Y1he60D4gDiCw0Z" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tovia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhHo5ke3r82FrqxMm7iSJHfl25QAiYaTjnwuTTq74RhZh1qI010lSOVNrG2hnxumIoRqeBPz1Wmrrj0-YipKr2SEqnxWmchZcd1dSjbO6nWIqd4cKn7CuH-ayaGCEX9MyGDKvQuaqBGM_i4aXESr-0LT7O8lJLXYtiOArlJrboqjydIuJGWwAOOfla" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="1775" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhHo5ke3r82FrqxMm7iSJHfl25QAiYaTjnwuTTq74RhZh1qI010lSOVNrG2hnxumIoRqeBPz1Wmrrj0-YipKr2SEqnxWmchZcd1dSjbO6nWIqd4cKn7CuH-ayaGCEX9MyGDKvQuaqBGM_i4aXESr-0LT7O8lJLXYtiOArlJrboqjydIuJGWwAOOfla" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brienne of Tarth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhySCvmcfH-9wHZV4h64ObHqBQuJxxFdzqr7fIt7Mjf12pHPKoXky8Js7sDw2iLoDokEPpswBcJppb4Ap3qsQkXGiinHAAdZqY5UcR-3RtH2YqIwVeABkEL-9jO16JaimWZzo7wYDH_ZsK3u386adUREsiOKEW9aCgIN5BiqBwDiYvw2BDntCNM-QoA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1708" data-original-width="1225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhySCvmcfH-9wHZV4h64ObHqBQuJxxFdzqr7fIt7Mjf12pHPKoXky8Js7sDw2iLoDokEPpswBcJppb4Ap3qsQkXGiinHAAdZqY5UcR-3RtH2YqIwVeABkEL-9jO16JaimWZzo7wYDH_ZsK3u386adUREsiOKEW9aCgIN5BiqBwDiYvw2BDntCNM-QoA" width="172" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adelina</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbf0OthCLwjHXuEhplh9xUpL-5CV0MxhtNDanJHIhApX90A_xoF1xrAN-tLjlMzjjA5gKPOyr4O24BNpM0fYFbi3X145zuNED-5dv1kzU2KOR96e7sg_2qSu74I9JbqKX-CDn99A9G6IKW3OkVRyI5fsg_9MTTD5mseIMolQCXtJ1FOcZHkZNqLIti" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1941" data-original-width="1519" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbf0OthCLwjHXuEhplh9xUpL-5CV0MxhtNDanJHIhApX90A_xoF1xrAN-tLjlMzjjA5gKPOyr4O24BNpM0fYFbi3X145zuNED-5dv1kzU2KOR96e7sg_2qSu74I9JbqKX-CDn99A9G6IKW3OkVRyI5fsg_9MTTD5mseIMolQCXtJ1FOcZHkZNqLIti" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gilly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhren8rN1b64QR5syxT7ZIGSPr4WoMuoy7Rb1AgXNoL1RQB-JMVWoFUM-lQ5fiQ5t7AF6kA1P0UIKlBwd0_yOlqHJUgsoBWow7t9JusIWlZ96oHwO0j0iMLuEP_60G1x2vKyGYiNItAWkPH6UIFYHJMC_BA1TEffzGEEHiVeh8VdNdA-cd6hhzFLQBf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="951" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhren8rN1b64QR5syxT7ZIGSPr4WoMuoy7Rb1AgXNoL1RQB-JMVWoFUM-lQ5fiQ5t7AF6kA1P0UIKlBwd0_yOlqHJUgsoBWow7t9JusIWlZ96oHwO0j0iMLuEP_60G1x2vKyGYiNItAWkPH6UIFYHJMC_BA1TEffzGEEHiVeh8VdNdA-cd6hhzFLQBf" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arya</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUH4B5idyS-up6rnZCPRr_pTa04RRMQpOPpd4aEMbRXW1epmkZPJebQfAOFGSucRjDCK2aKP-8500z9X8gvfcdF7djhxh2Ca2WP34J4c8lQ7Mx34zU5zwKrwOeNok8XJh7aO0r3reDISFR_NdNcQ4yUrRZUJDJ2NRxOBjkEygJi7faDwv9uRfq-cCw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="394" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUH4B5idyS-up6rnZCPRr_pTa04RRMQpOPpd4aEMbRXW1epmkZPJebQfAOFGSucRjDCK2aKP-8500z9X8gvfcdF7djhxh2Ca2WP34J4c8lQ7Mx34zU5zwKrwOeNok8XJh7aO0r3reDISFR_NdNcQ4yUrRZUJDJ2NRxOBjkEygJi7faDwv9uRfq-cCw" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sif</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXR0VBMVxypmsE3DqMc52mPt4gl4cyedWimetdu2_7taHHDn9pmegbOzuRJQPZOweWicJJR0lkCor2lGjQP8mwNVM-tlnUwfOOELUiyZR1DFpQht0Y8KUJdzzPQmL2goWvrQPng8Q1zKLxFBiB1trl8-Kv2vB90KMq1YizNMA3YjBvaHP8LZWtComP" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="807" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXR0VBMVxypmsE3DqMc52mPt4gl4cyedWimetdu2_7taHHDn9pmegbOzuRJQPZOweWicJJR0lkCor2lGjQP8mwNVM-tlnUwfOOELUiyZR1DFpQht0Y8KUJdzzPQmL2goWvrQPng8Q1zKLxFBiB1trl8-Kv2vB90KMq1YizNMA3YjBvaHP8LZWtComP" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tovia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOhRTdlznOSU81P4g9oQ2OVGYslUshyS-SWORg5FF1vDK-alL-XCtxUw3Zp7__EoRlx8MFyjogECjFVO1pxi4Xi-bjAy5kENqQmbJsxpjmMSjU6lvQTrwsYoW2J2cZP-GEarviZjOTiZQXzdcZKmAH_kO0vYDqkC6EKOlpIotUX5jLGqg9HAtlY_bY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="1847" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOhRTdlznOSU81P4g9oQ2OVGYslUshyS-SWORg5FF1vDK-alL-XCtxUw3Zp7__EoRlx8MFyjogECjFVO1pxi4Xi-bjAy5kENqQmbJsxpjmMSjU6lvQTrwsYoW2J2cZP-GEarviZjOTiZQXzdcZKmAH_kO0vYDqkC6EKOlpIotUX5jLGqg9HAtlY_bY" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elara</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sebastian's Breeding Group</span></h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sebastian is Itasca's grandson, is built very nicely and is black based. He is scurred, but because we are breeding him to so many polled ewes, the scurring won't have a big impact on our goal to produce a flock of primarily polled sheep.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxN2DXLJkRz0J9NtiHFqJxqn3z2mpU5FzKyu1pwIJ5HrKnKwfWcIRHwz3_h4ljOUHKNIuZ3XDTMGNvUgM9CXg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjtibmVsIPw0RehPkEhV2ilJ21qXizLUEO02qqk8G4uhPeNjkPOJZhlKjqMnl6AqBwH-TgW_aY2YzTRuOWvbvL7Q9Yd8lLAG7VX_kysXZNITRHQ5Bx-u5HXc_kW-hUxxKaQUiJ81wkmu_QU-CRcuaOGE9uQru9CEN5lVcJ0_Ff2rYUFPhQR_ARanAy" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjtibmVsIPw0RehPkEhV2ilJ21qXizLUEO02qqk8G4uhPeNjkPOJZhlKjqMnl6AqBwH-TgW_aY2YzTRuOWvbvL7Q9Yd8lLAG7VX_kysXZNITRHQ5Bx-u5HXc_kW-hUxxKaQUiJ81wkmu_QU-CRcuaOGE9uQru9CEN5lVcJ0_Ff2rYUFPhQR_ARanAy" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lokola</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYq7GVP59HfDkH2FAeDc6pMKOPLSKOUcbRNnOMAmebibCoubjpVCW3r3y-O0nsne75ZuIvLX6yIWs30ZAej05ENCkWt6MS5ZJSJMqUVWzLJ_YPbTPz-RdwJVmOHh7mfu9Td7dYHHOtEfOF03EIlhRvPP4b9r3_VZAwLPRpGb3P55mkqXh-xGcU7SD1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="294" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYq7GVP59HfDkH2FAeDc6pMKOPLSKOUcbRNnOMAmebibCoubjpVCW3r3y-O0nsne75ZuIvLX6yIWs30ZAej05ENCkWt6MS5ZJSJMqUVWzLJ_YPbTPz-RdwJVmOHh7mfu9Td7dYHHOtEfOF03EIlhRvPP4b9r3_VZAwLPRpGb3P55mkqXh-xGcU7SD1" width="175" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eir</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc6ru7Y76YYJT_cZM-IO03yroqW9MmIFFrJs0KqWgOQIKWhAreuF5re3gJKaD7AESLV24xFIQJjSxJF03wmIHUefFmoTYCWYTl3hjbQ_Ly2YY8pTQvJTSW5kDxYexFS2fwf_UCRdHiacquSxCVSDL5YrW0h-2KejUFpBO0XXbZ_BvBRLpqDp83gfa3" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1777" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc6ru7Y76YYJT_cZM-IO03yroqW9MmIFFrJs0KqWgOQIKWhAreuF5re3gJKaD7AESLV24xFIQJjSxJF03wmIHUefFmoTYCWYTl3hjbQ_Ly2YY8pTQvJTSW5kDxYexFS2fwf_UCRdHiacquSxCVSDL5YrW0h-2KejUFpBO0XXbZ_BvBRLpqDp83gfa3" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucretia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlwKHc69rYHmuoej-YcKthBnskd0XZ4u6E3JGOq1wz0RnS0mMCB4EGTJsRV_abCVHhIIJXS3lVqU7eDbVv_cmTMxV6_ECH5Xm7dVxtixjYsqmPrH2HhepaAst6nYCRm7w0OUMgQm7l0DixUWEGuVvBL0L_2dLXeOIbfMaFjDhHwKEHw8BJ6Gb86M_3" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1673" data-original-width="1760" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlwKHc69rYHmuoej-YcKthBnskd0XZ4u6E3JGOq1wz0RnS0mMCB4EGTJsRV_abCVHhIIJXS3lVqU7eDbVv_cmTMxV6_ECH5Xm7dVxtixjYsqmPrH2HhepaAst6nYCRm7w0OUMgQm7l0DixUWEGuVvBL0L_2dLXeOIbfMaFjDhHwKEHw8BJ6Gb86M_3" width="252" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belva</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jon Snow's Breeding Group</span></h4><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jon Snow is a grey katmoget, with a very fine, dense and long fleece. We have used him as a breeding ram for a few years, so he has a good amount of influence in the flock and has made a great contribution towards longer staple length while retaining fineness. He has a very low spinning fineness even at 5 years of age, which is a trait we are selecting for.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYkRlG_3Ar5VWnbitgQXt0IuaAm67pn52IjOWAlNWctOfA3IAJfcC4Dvz9lADO5spdgIdKxJs4hOhbATgrXM2uOEaN9e33Qtl-zxzVhbELbKO9YPirq99XcxGYWDaAKf4YKSaL6_hk5MhmCf0HUQ4aVhyTJHs82ih09bzl_SOkfxLJkmurrM2fE1mf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2324" data-original-width="2677" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYkRlG_3Ar5VWnbitgQXt0IuaAm67pn52IjOWAlNWctOfA3IAJfcC4Dvz9lADO5spdgIdKxJs4hOhbATgrXM2uOEaN9e33Qtl-zxzVhbELbKO9YPirq99XcxGYWDaAKf4YKSaL6_hk5MhmCf0HUQ4aVhyTJHs82ih09bzl_SOkfxLJkmurrM2fE1mf" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jon Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb-k4uF7D7KcEaWRdPXD33llrz6T_eNIxihYcmOE-dz3eW4iafuNc2XcxJ5G4M3en3Fu2CFAlDvD74IULHUX3TdLkMt5ibhY4PekVtXRftFjKD5cgbToPSyhqPeuRULe74yrXeWlTFscePZBV6ihJxCqCWBS5TOcQYr3jXsWXFd-JPakbjTjyMRSyh" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="681" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhb-k4uF7D7KcEaWRdPXD33llrz6T_eNIxihYcmOE-dz3eW4iafuNc2XcxJ5G4M3en3Fu2CFAlDvD74IULHUX3TdLkMt5ibhY4PekVtXRftFjKD5cgbToPSyhqPeuRULe74yrXeWlTFscePZBV6ihJxCqCWBS5TOcQYr3jXsWXFd-JPakbjTjyMRSyh" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lakshmi</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div></div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTrUyrtyYqwft4OCgu6TzD4seOgRUwazSBQiE7Q0FaOTToFp2JK-rdjChr4HQOkwkL7KmHGOtDklEZHmBzt-R5A1Nr0tg7El5qpRpj_uU4TsdUGWzZvkzJdSUCmz8EnrixdRFKvDHH2KsthvLDdPom5kpLddowq0dvXOsUW5d4I4tQft9stJ1F9_Kc" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="857" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTrUyrtyYqwft4OCgu6TzD4seOgRUwazSBQiE7Q0FaOTToFp2JK-rdjChr4HQOkwkL7KmHGOtDklEZHmBzt-R5A1Nr0tg7El5qpRpj_uU4TsdUGWzZvkzJdSUCmz8EnrixdRFKvDHH2KsthvLDdPom5kpLddowq0dvXOsUW5d4I4tQft9stJ1F9_Kc" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ofeibea</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw8Om1mMEv6hqislDyIcT-1dp698CDQNbjz4MP4PGOezFWKrFIN8w7Tm--yXigMmsUwUDt9S5HESDXDFA00ONbvUGl6zJ-kBRd7z8RshGHDdb_LmzE_6cf_jGzkWW5F1BqRT_nHXViFRKrgJfpeI8cVNNh-sWEjWQkxdMI-NwKT5cOvnPUGYx0uamR" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1097" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw8Om1mMEv6hqislDyIcT-1dp698CDQNbjz4MP4PGOezFWKrFIN8w7Tm--yXigMmsUwUDt9S5HESDXDFA00ONbvUGl6zJ-kBRd7z8RshGHDdb_LmzE_6cf_jGzkWW5F1BqRT_nHXViFRKrgJfpeI8cVNNh-sWEjWQkxdMI-NwKT5cOvnPUGYx0uamR" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarin</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Duncan</span></h4></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Duncan is out of Yuki and Knightley - Yuki continues to impress us as she matures with a lovely fleece and beautiful appearance - she is a solid ewe. One of the few ewes that we wish maybe was a ram as she exhibits all the traits we are after at a very high level. Her lamb Duncan could be that ram, and so we decided to use him to get the body we like and want to get lambs that look more like him and his mother. Duncan is a spotted fawn katmoget.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxCvEPcmNCZLGAadn025eh9WNvVJbAOMaGZTEsWOuU0hHjyKzKejCJLgfLeIB5Lbgomix4xbKusuz-QAt3oiw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6bJbBmIN2VEZQHGpy2lyrNRrwMo0UP5WXR1EEdiZ1f4FO_evHImggAkXsiz9yutNsZZcO5tmwxoIAOabRuYKBL2shWHYKIYpco87yDqNsDt4-tAaTl01iw9nrKFLIpirhcVmwZXZRTOFGr_f17v4tNyOA3ZYNiz_IHOiwihteYdsfrMI5D94hPqJ6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2151" data-original-width="2182" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6bJbBmIN2VEZQHGpy2lyrNRrwMo0UP5WXR1EEdiZ1f4FO_evHImggAkXsiz9yutNsZZcO5tmwxoIAOabRuYKBL2shWHYKIYpco87yDqNsDt4-tAaTl01iw9nrKFLIpirhcVmwZXZRTOFGr_f17v4tNyOA3ZYNiz_IHOiwihteYdsfrMI5D94hPqJ6" width="243" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matilda</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYXH4VGjK8lzQ4_1cZ0gECx0wkwJY4XfulLK9Qhbi0mV8MVNgzGHy9t0cHwUztGizQAhjQRJmpseBCwGCeq778VR3Ld--nnboSFQXOtjA8yZAzGpSo5s8g1izJikVeB7vjg9dvb1x6_1V5KBAsk9DqQWqvGexnxJnec0KqTjtn2mh_lWcuhp7vIDd6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYXH4VGjK8lzQ4_1cZ0gECx0wkwJY4XfulLK9Qhbi0mV8MVNgzGHy9t0cHwUztGizQAhjQRJmpseBCwGCeq778VR3Ld--nnboSFQXOtjA8yZAzGpSo5s8g1izJikVeB7vjg9dvb1x6_1V5KBAsk9DqQWqvGexnxJnec0KqTjtn2mh_lWcuhp7vIDd6" width="261" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">elinor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpnf0YmaC43jf-E_lpi7g6i3NfEmz1p2B6akeEre8bAZqOcOJI8BQ0hY48jlqEWrzvKjyKUVAXkZ9ZVlrLg1KgvP1uaqXNj8dqE6maS4QctfUSszib95SApnfsD22AmUNDO6Jd_3p9b8YDpGueTu4pJwpUfyayC8up3Ca3bdc09cbu282RfKk2Gp1t" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2298" data-original-width="2343" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpnf0YmaC43jf-E_lpi7g6i3NfEmz1p2B6akeEre8bAZqOcOJI8BQ0hY48jlqEWrzvKjyKUVAXkZ9ZVlrLg1KgvP1uaqXNj8dqE6maS4QctfUSszib95SApnfsD22AmUNDO6Jd_3p9b8YDpGueTu4pJwpUfyayC8up3Ca3bdc09cbu282RfKk2Gp1t" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baxter</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhfsVKKHBLOH9ObgcKa3kSNacmUcLp5WK-gmzRwmXISp-hNTFTE5ioEBnsHaq_BRkv0BYCGqZgEsPDW_nKnPvplTIwE9kE11FVc5w7UXAC7BD_j6OzsucRKdMdT90jnbDfGYlpDmA4lHuEo1TZubamdfRLVMRAGvCmGzeim1Yne_m-2hvsGXBbeU96" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1616" data-original-width="1844" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhfsVKKHBLOH9ObgcKa3kSNacmUcLp5WK-gmzRwmXISp-hNTFTE5ioEBnsHaq_BRkv0BYCGqZgEsPDW_nKnPvplTIwE9kE11FVc5w7UXAC7BD_j6OzsucRKdMdT90jnbDfGYlpDmA4lHuEo1TZubamdfRLVMRAGvCmGzeim1Yne_m-2hvsGXBbeU96" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fanny</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVPn7-X-nRoKj2EoURTmpVojl-OCvN9eEIkw1yXXfYVa_vk54HTCd7wmcPC6y1WE1g2QJL5C_ZK1aNbcqqNweV9tccDayfb7OzrlvK1SZAFCMT51ZJJSMush0h8lotLCxkcwqghF_9ZwuWdzwO_78HFDxIsnGgQZvzZQWwkiguoNXK59uFAAhCzvGE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="968" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVPn7-X-nRoKj2EoURTmpVojl-OCvN9eEIkw1yXXfYVa_vk54HTCd7wmcPC6y1WE1g2QJL5C_ZK1aNbcqqNweV9tccDayfb7OzrlvK1SZAFCMT51ZJJSMush0h8lotLCxkcwqghF_9ZwuWdzwO_78HFDxIsnGgQZvzZQWwkiguoNXK59uFAAhCzvGE" width="232" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mabel</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRHf0eqKL6Ep_JRm4tXWJ_K053tHwjd0QhhVtrpbu96Wn7_wVWDKi8TzwAznjaj0Wqy4Z5tUKaQr_moEwXKhRduOBt3VFYHvdpAIrKaZnXixwRcKoEdZ5bHwlc7Ls0PSxTndJNzYZDxUSScVSmWbVL37ty0AlfWHjhbib_QYkYzoULTE1eVQFsbOWS" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1848" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRHf0eqKL6Ep_JRm4tXWJ_K053tHwjd0QhhVtrpbu96Wn7_wVWDKi8TzwAznjaj0Wqy4Z5tUKaQr_moEwXKhRduOBt3VFYHvdpAIrKaZnXixwRcKoEdZ5bHwlc7Ls0PSxTndJNzYZDxUSScVSmWbVL37ty0AlfWHjhbib_QYkYzoULTE1eVQFsbOWS" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXzUocA0GdT3xoOlD88tR84S_Ia2uPEWp-Sy1r3u46aF7xjdhc6opYqHvcrx3RVBbHTlGafUfyOo5aY5XB0DQlDcAjcx3F2VSQDE-UiP85i85C8M34rDlyaUgKIYa7SApZtL3v_m9ZXq4qEewFwiDIjoBA1C3ASr6Sx7F1UjGBiQ2wSi1sk19rtlLn" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1007" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXzUocA0GdT3xoOlD88tR84S_Ia2uPEWp-Sy1r3u46aF7xjdhc6opYqHvcrx3RVBbHTlGafUfyOo5aY5XB0DQlDcAjcx3F2VSQDE-UiP85i85C8M34rDlyaUgKIYa7SApZtL3v_m9ZXq4qEewFwiDIjoBA1C3ASr6Sx7F1UjGBiQ2wSi1sk19rtlLn" width="185" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sojourner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM03_Hj_x4lvZ0NmaJzWocDCIrgGWk5nDyG3K8wGcSvvvZJctyYv07qNagJjIF2pPpzz83RaaVI0fysQP3Se-eUUPMZtfQnKb_btfTUEFJWqF966a5pJ_vaYfkRQJI5qgw-SgUUyMe3d5L8E7OZrgORLhqjvYVxzDs-ktIBHJH7gPlMMXbDPcp5zRg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1399" data-original-width="1306" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM03_Hj_x4lvZ0NmaJzWocDCIrgGWk5nDyG3K8wGcSvvvZJctyYv07qNagJjIF2pPpzz83RaaVI0fysQP3Se-eUUPMZtfQnKb_btfTUEFJWqF966a5pJ_vaYfkRQJI5qgw-SgUUyMe3d5L8E7OZrgORLhqjvYVxzDs-ktIBHJH7gPlMMXbDPcp5zRg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan B</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiTBJBTWMbIZwW3J3VRWGfWCCcycRPczocyu605TrLD1eT0h4NU3bCTXrNZk8JEzWA4SJYHELROHHWssx7XMwEUOpX04QxHW5-4o5ofaRxR4jitYv-ww0TbEHIKuw2LaEfAcPWRowE1XQ6wus-JF_ok2YnHkBCkQH-3jnEGHhig1PGsRZrz7sHajZE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="823" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiTBJBTWMbIZwW3J3VRWGfWCCcycRPczocyu605TrLD1eT0h4NU3bCTXrNZk8JEzWA4SJYHELROHHWssx7XMwEUOpX04QxHW5-4o5ofaRxR4jitYv-ww0TbEHIKuw2LaEfAcPWRowE1XQ6wus-JF_ok2YnHkBCkQH-3jnEGHhig1PGsRZrz7sHajZE" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neda</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Loki </span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Loki is a solid black ram with a very good fleece and just all around high quality. He produced well for us last year, so he got another chance to help us build up our numbers of black based sheep to even out the color proportions of our flock.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8aE8aBxFzaOyXzKsJ5l06bOhNPSjyekrj6_lYDgVFr58NQahjCBiOtcDFJkYiUrvR_-5cKlzmd3MWiH69aGBrkC1Yd3yw7sCIOzI1Wdxz2oAtfBC0THZ-P-5DR1UJBxpRgedazpkSFyM53zkXK5WfpepSVGJSfQrel3T1oWR4j-jkGmCdOgseOYy/s2612/PXL_20201114_135505272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="2286" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8aE8aBxFzaOyXzKsJ5l06bOhNPSjyekrj6_lYDgVFr58NQahjCBiOtcDFJkYiUrvR_-5cKlzmd3MWiH69aGBrkC1Yd3yw7sCIOzI1Wdxz2oAtfBC0THZ-P-5DR1UJBxpRgedazpkSFyM53zkXK5WfpepSVGJSfQrel3T1oWR4j-jkGmCdOgseOYy/s320/PXL_20201114_135505272.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loki</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC3rASJuCJZETdEZqckMIuE_2fZZbUjRV3IJ0iuHY_VzS8nMz-_52YuNSvznwvK7xvVF2x4yA0Mqy6sOC99P0c9LaNsbp4jZaCzR0tlJxRZ417E7sZdhJfLfd3TcXaGIaHWCJKXt7yymC6okqwcFHt2g3w1YfswsJCwFvn_1odhPV4ercEYaLvrIp4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="1261" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC3rASJuCJZETdEZqckMIuE_2fZZbUjRV3IJ0iuHY_VzS8nMz-_52YuNSvznwvK7xvVF2x4yA0Mqy6sOC99P0c9LaNsbp4jZaCzR0tlJxRZ417E7sZdhJfLfd3TcXaGIaHWCJKXt7yymC6okqwcFHt2g3w1YfswsJCwFvn_1odhPV4ercEYaLvrIp4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="184" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice Paul</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC3rASJuCJZETdEZqckMIuE_2fZZbUjRV3IJ0iuHY_VzS8nMz-_52YuNSvznwvK7xvVF2x4yA0Mqy6sOC99P0c9LaNsbp4jZaCzR0tlJxRZ417E7sZdhJfLfd3TcXaGIaHWCJKXt7yymC6okqwcFHt2g3w1YfswsJCwFvn_1odhPV4ercEYaLvrIp4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_DOLKHz8FseQVx2aaVSNAIEzzs2qoIi7oQOpr48-WvAPvXjT9sXt9cjD6Vm_nqrRbNJX96cdv1AoNjG1IdWfYknrb1syRf-tyvNpGq5GdLGSQE0bR4ztbb2tn7S219gpeY71xQDKGcvLW9TB8HrcWMzspsFaAsoHBRJXhCQgf6T0jLI7RHBJHVg-1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-9MK8lIjGkVpU7jD4k0Rk4FBGB-IThtkeACjTR26oxZlGECrCQcHKkv805iPwXk4ho5bhzQrhSS-XrEzR3GstrLtDBTDWE8-LfHph7H7Rq3yzM2q5qe1Jm53A2mS_laLlaS0HcuWpprDpUP9uGbJmm5YOKKLlBnnWFT1uZFXHYKTlFiIywlnibzkw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="703" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-9MK8lIjGkVpU7jD4k0Rk4FBGB-IThtkeACjTR26oxZlGECrCQcHKkv805iPwXk4ho5bhzQrhSS-XrEzR3GstrLtDBTDWE8-LfHph7H7Rq3yzM2q5qe1Jm53A2mS_laLlaS0HcuWpprDpUP9uGbJmm5YOKKLlBnnWFT1uZFXHYKTlFiIywlnibzkw" width="219" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Audie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="788" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_DOLKHz8FseQVx2aaVSNAIEzzs2qoIi7oQOpr48-WvAPvXjT9sXt9cjD6Vm_nqrRbNJX96cdv1AoNjG1IdWfYknrb1syRf-tyvNpGq5GdLGSQE0bR4ztbb2tn7S219gpeY71xQDKGcvLW9TB8HrcWMzspsFaAsoHBRJXhCQgf6T0jLI7RHBJHVg-1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="231" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yuki</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMrWSn2x8nCrbup3bKKu91xzSMlKcAgEuedxrQ2a0fT1592v23_m6W0ksr9XwZuRYb_T0BEIl2bYJsDXMU2D4yCiYrgAzkdB18oyOpZG13P7iN9n1e6dU1Ho6-GHbN9TAP453hJa4fU5DQnFDFQgKcvyk7MCuEznl0lDsPwzACVmXi-4Q-aC6LA0vX" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2184" data-original-width="2420" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMrWSn2x8nCrbup3bKKu91xzSMlKcAgEuedxrQ2a0fT1592v23_m6W0ksr9XwZuRYb_T0BEIl2bYJsDXMU2D4yCiYrgAzkdB18oyOpZG13P7iN9n1e6dU1Ho6-GHbN9TAP453hJa4fU5DQnFDFQgKcvyk7MCuEznl0lDsPwzACVmXi-4Q-aC6LA0vX" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs Hughes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioSz6QjBTKCu2VB5oL3L2wMqIqbllsaBOQLLO74VBJtXELwjo2WlEU-3qYWD6LUfsL0XJGi9zupA90MRB-Geq9IAlkN5Nrk1XuPHvyRvw80RAuNd14AliVE7ziI4wKq8uAQIHGWxXcGow7TZLmdxICgr-J8HyvRXKwzUY_xm8eETi30SQo96UTo6KS" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1824" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioSz6QjBTKCu2VB5oL3L2wMqIqbllsaBOQLLO74VBJtXELwjo2WlEU-3qYWD6LUfsL0XJGi9zupA90MRB-Geq9IAlkN5Nrk1XuPHvyRvw80RAuNd14AliVE7ziI4wKq8uAQIHGWxXcGow7TZLmdxICgr-J8HyvRXKwzUY_xm8eETi30SQo96UTo6KS" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tye</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBdf1h8ph3bp_m8zGb3jdrghreDHSR7nuNitkT2KKrobSAZ6kH3HifCmkap4kXRXm4HdcpAuiw_tF0MZk6DOfeFUHf4OE3Rt0PkGuQASYtEnMPAgvSuNyrZBs8tpsFdEpJrGh1SWjxzkuGSJjlFnfTw2URU6ZqrHHwL2DJZGFi9YxvPfArXufuP7D6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBdf1h8ph3bp_m8zGb3jdrghreDHSR7nuNitkT2KKrobSAZ6kH3HifCmkap4kXRXm4HdcpAuiw_tF0MZk6DOfeFUHf4OE3Rt0PkGuQASYtEnMPAgvSuNyrZBs8tpsFdEpJrGh1SWjxzkuGSJjlFnfTw2URU6ZqrHHwL2DJZGFi9YxvPfArXufuP7D6" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPt8LnPFOU5c03ELAmUlMWlJmiKeriyjtNphsOjkxwvRREAc00eXboQm2jaDfclfw2JPckOnB87UTIkHfXAPe6iLdcy9vTAMFBOS5hrDUlhJ_NIYCAXkvFovL_tN8i0LLb3NDRsouyQnfhrX00AHfQBaYbk11tcam0V7hn1ecm7eKGFcpq0LRlgkTk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1056" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPt8LnPFOU5c03ELAmUlMWlJmiKeriyjtNphsOjkxwvRREAc00eXboQm2jaDfclfw2JPckOnB87UTIkHfXAPe6iLdcy9vTAMFBOS5hrDUlhJ_NIYCAXkvFovL_tN8i0LLb3NDRsouyQnfhrX00AHfQBaYbk11tcam0V7hn1ecm7eKGFcpq0LRlgkTk" width="292" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dina</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We have been at this for so very long. Every ewe and ram on the farm is an example of what we love about this breed based on the Traditional 1927 standard. It is a pleasure to have the luxury to be making small tweaks to achieve the lovely fleeces that our handspinners and knitters have grown to treasure and enjoy.</div></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-60345308634947653142022-04-07T11:59:00.002-07:002022-04-07T11:59:20.959-07:00Where I'm Gonna be in April<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Another busy and exciting month ahead! In addition to the events I am attending in April, we are going to be shearing on the 17th and should start having lambs on the 23rd!</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">If you want me to bring anything to try (wheels, fiber, whatever) or want to just meet up while I am out and about, let me know and we can set up a meet.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">****************************************************</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""><img alt="Knitting Guild of Buffalo" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/knittingguildofgreaterbuffalo_fbprofile-e1465146398822_240x240.png?v=1646316832" /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">April 7 2022 is the <a href="https://buffaloknittingguild.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Knitting Guild of Buffalo">Knitting Guild of Buffalo</a> meeting I normally attend, but won't be going this month due to a scheduling conflict. Its a fun meeting though, if you are a knitter in Buffalo area, you might want to check it out!</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">St. Leo the Great RC Church<br />885 Sweet Home Road<br />Amherst, NY 14226<br /><br />Doors open at 6:30 PM<br /><strong><em>Masks optional</em></strong></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><strong>******************************************</strong></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""></span><a href="http://commonthreadsguild.blogspot.com/">Common Threads Buffalo Spinning Guild meeting</a><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">- 4/10/2022 from 1 to 4. Common Threads meets the second Sunday of each month, 1:00 - 4pm. Join us at West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St, West Seneca, NY.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""></span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">This month the meeting is all about the Jillian Moreno workshop - recap, rehash and just bask in the fond memory.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">*******************************************</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://gvhg.org/calendar/january-meeting-silent-auction/">Genesee Valley Handspinners Guild Meeting</a> - 4/16/2022 from 10 to 2. First Presbyterian Church, 70 East Main St, in Victor, NY</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This month the guild is having its auction</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">*******************************************</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">4/30/2022</p><a href="https://www.gowyomingcountyny.com/events/fiber-flurry-festival" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" target="_blank" title="Fiber Flurry Festival">Fiber Flurry</a><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">5 North Academy Street</span><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Wyoming, NY</span><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">10-4</span><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> I'll be vending at this event this year for the first time! I'll have all the wheels and fiber prep out for you to try. Hope to see you there!</span><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">******************************************</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">I do a live feed from the barn every Friday at noon est on my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL9PigSn1qL6oXbSeuAeXkw" title="Youtube channel">YouTube Channel</a>. </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">Usually runs 45 minutes or until my battery on my phone runs out. If you miss the live feed, the video of the event gets posted on my page for your viewing pleasure. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">***********************************************</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Hope to see you in April! BTW, I comply with all Covid guidelines, and in the case of a surge, I will likely not attend the scheduled meetings. </div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-36983871217132471982022-03-10T06:23:00.003-08:002022-03-10T06:23:57.481-08:00Fleeces from our Soft Shetland Sheep<p> </p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Fleece Selection</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Our raw fleeces are carefully selected to offer handspinners a delightful experience when processing soft shetland wool. I only offer raw fleeces that are clean, low micron and will yield very high amounts of usable fiber after washing and processing. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/PXL_20210503_185516319_480x480.jpg?v=1620069697" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Sheep Coats to keep the fleece clean</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">We coat our sheep to ensure a very clean fleece. You can read about our coats in this <a data-sanitized-target="_blank" href="https://whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/2020/06/everything-i-can-think-of-to-tell-you.html" title="Sheep Coats">blog post</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <a href="https://whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/2020/06/everything-i-can-think-of-to-tell-you.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sheep coats"></a></p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/2020/06/everything-i-can-think-of-to-tell-you.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sheep coats"><img alt="Blog post about sheep coats" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_090720_480x480.jpg?v=1646834856" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></div><a href="https://whisperingpinesshetlands.blogspot.com/2020/06/everything-i-can-think-of-to-tell-you.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" target="_blank" title="Sheep coats"></a><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">or watch me interview the owner of the company that makes our coats in this <a data-sanitized-target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/Eq3ehbEilEI?t=73" title="Rocky Payne">video </a>.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QRKYvkNqKGA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Micron Test Every Fleece</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">We micron test samples from every sheep in our flock and I will provide the micron data in the listing and will include it with a data sheet with every fleece that I offer for sale. Click link to see an example of the <a data-sanitized-target="_blank" href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Untitled_document_1.pdf?v=1618580406" title="Data sheet">data sheet</a>.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20200408_091731_480x480.jpg?v=1646842288" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video Rich and I made talking about how to interpret your micron data:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aWu-BNGiIE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Shearing our Sheep</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">We use a professional shearer who specializes in shearing for handspinners, so he is very careful to minimize second cuts, and also shears in a way that ensures the entire fleece is intact, rather than taking it off in sections.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kKwN0Z7BK2A" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Rooing our Sheep</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I roo as many sheep as I can which is the way the shetlanders have harvested their wool for hundreds of years. Here is a <a data-sanitized-target="_blank" href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5054oSmYb1tQ0arW588abwalQFUyQhmn" title="rooin playlist">playlist of videos</a> featuring me rooing some of my ewes. I will indicate in the listing if the fleece is roo'd or sheared with clippers. Roo'd fleeces come in two pieces, as I roo each side separately.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">And finally, here are some customer reviews from our 2021 fleeces:</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Review for Fanny's 2021 Fleece" height="190" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/fanny_d777d66d-a3c9-4a60-b9be-56725a0e696e_480x480.jpg?v=1646833669" width="498" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/mabel_480x480.jpg?v=1646834200" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085420_480x480.jpg?v=1646834209" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085453_480x480.jpg?v=1646834217" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085506_480x480.jpg?v=1646834223" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085517_480x480.jpg?v=1646834229" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085527_480x480.jpg?v=1646834236" /><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Screenshot_2022-03-09_085538_480x480.jpg?v=1646834241" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-39246630647269228372022-03-08T05:24:00.003-08:002022-03-08T05:24:56.754-08:00Where I'm Gonna be in March 2022<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">March is going to be a busy month, which is good because April is when we shear and start lambing, so things are going to be pretty hectic after this month.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">If you want me to bring anything to try (wheels, fiber, whatever) or want to just meet up while I am out and about, let me know and we can set up a meet.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">****************************************************</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""><img alt="Knitting Guild of Buffalo" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/knittingguildofgreaterbuffalo_fbprofile-e1465146398822_240x240.png?v=1646316832" /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">March 3 2022 I'll be at the <a href="https://buffaloknittingguild.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Knitting Guild of Buffalo">Knitting Guild of Buffalo</a> meeting and will have a vendor table set up with yarns and fiber.</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">St. Leo the Great RC Church<br />885 Sweet Home Road<br />Amherst, NY 14226<br /><br />Doors open at 6:30 PM<br /><strong><em>Masks optional</em></strong></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><strong>******************************************</strong></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""></span><a href="http://commonthreadsguild.blogspot.com/">Common Threads Buffalo Spinning Guild meeting</a><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">- 3/13/2022 from 1 to 4. Common Threads meets the second Sunday of each month, 1:00 - 4pm. Join us at West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St, West Seneca, NY.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">*******************************************</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://gvhg.org/calendar/january-meeting-silent-auction/">Genesee Valley Handspinners Guild Meeting</a> - 3/19/2022 from 10 to 2. First Presbyterian Church, 70 East Main St, in Victor, NY</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">*******************************************</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Jillian Moreno Workshop - 3/26 - 3/27 - more to come on this - I don't have locale and times yet. This is a closed workshop, but if you are going, I'll be there and can bring tools or wool if needed!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">******************************************</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">I do a live feed from the barn every Friday at noon est - I post an “event” on my</span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/">Facebook Farm Page</a><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">with a link you can click to join the live feed. Usually runs 45 minutes or until my battery on my phone runs out. If you miss the live feed, the video of the event gets posted on my page for your viewing pleasure. Here is a link to the live feed from 12/17/2021 -</span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/">live feed link</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">***********************************************</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Hope to see you in March! BTW, I comply with all Covid guidelines, and in the case of a surge, I will likely not attend the scheduled meetings. </div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-77227826570520544502022-02-01T05:53:00.000-08:002022-02-01T05:53:10.337-08:00Where I'm Gonna Be in February<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Below are the places I am going to be in February. If you want me to bring anything to try (wheels, fiber, whatever) or want to just meet up while I am out and about, let me know and we can set up a meet.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">****************************</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1R5f1ggnZ6nuj9t0Mz3cs4NyjLFnbQ3gZs4GAjpNMR0TuaVimglDejuobSJwLgHBvE8ueDOm64iIHjNfO-ARbKaxsh0n2tUPmIa2gq64aMYHU2rmwF_sfznbqZR7F5uwPhlHVo2VRKTB5QuFdC88cY0Q41hWvfJ0JUThocdcjx17B3vny-zoF-G5w=s530" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="530" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1R5f1ggnZ6nuj9t0Mz3cs4NyjLFnbQ3gZs4GAjpNMR0TuaVimglDejuobSJwLgHBvE8ueDOm64iIHjNfO-ARbKaxsh0n2tUPmIa2gq64aMYHU2rmwF_sfznbqZR7F5uwPhlHVo2VRKTB5QuFdC88cY0Q41hWvfJ0JUThocdcjx17B3vny-zoF-G5w=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">At the end of this month I will be vending at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tinaturnerknits/?ref=page_internal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Tina Turner Knits">Tina Turner Knits </a>Fiber Arts Festival in Henrietta NY. I will be bringing all the Majacraft wheels for you to try, as well as my Fusion carder and other Majacraft tools. And yes, there will be wool. Hope to see you there!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here are the details:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Date - Sunday, February 27</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Time - 10 am to 4 pm</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Address - RIT Inn and Conference Center (5257 W Henrietta Rd, Henrietta, NY 14467)</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Masks and proof of vaccination are required for this event</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">****************************</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""></span><a href="http://commonthreadsguild.blogspot.com/">Common Threads Buffalo Spinning Guild meeting</a><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">- 2/13/2022 from 1 to 4. Common Threads meets the second Sunday of each month, 1:00 - 4pm. Join us at West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St, West Seneca, NY.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://gvhg.org/calendar/january-meeting-silent-auction/">Genesee Valley Handspinners Guild Meeting</a> - 2/19/2022 from 10 to 2. First Presbyterian Church, 70 East Main St, in Victor, NY</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">I do a live feed from the barn every Friday at noon est - I post an “event” on my</span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/">Facebook Farm Page</a><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">with a link you can click to join the live feed. Usually runs 45 minutes or until my battery on my phone runs out. If you miss the live feed, the video of the event gets posted on my page for your viewing pleasure. Here is a link to the live feed from 12/17/2021 -</span><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol""> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/">live feed link</a></p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span data-keep-original-tag="false" face=""Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"">Hope to see you in February! BTW, I comply with all Covid guidelines, and in the case of a surge, I will likely not attend the scheduled meetings. </span></div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-72162940853966748252021-12-20T04:51:00.005-08:002021-12-20T04:51:48.411-08:00Where I will be in January<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">I thought I would start posting where I am going to be for the month. If you want me to bring anything to try (wheels, fiber, whatever) or want to just meet up while I am out and about, let me know and we can set up a meet.</span></p><p><a href="http://commonthreadsguild.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">Common Threads Buffalo Spinning Guild meeting</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">- 1/9/2022 from 1 to 4. Common Threads meets the second Sunday of each month, 1:00 - 4pm. Join us at West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St, West Seneca, NY.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px; line-height: var(--line-height-base); margin: 0px 0px 1.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://gvhg.org/calendar/january-meeting-silent-auction/">Genesee Valley Handspinners Guild Meeting</a> - 1/15/2022 from 10 to 2. First Presbyterian Church, 70 East Main St, in Victor, NY</p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">I do a live feed from the barn every Friday at noon est - I post an “event” on my</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/" style="font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">Facebook Farm Page</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">with a link you can click to join the live feed. Usually runs 45 minutes or until my battery on my phone runs out. If you miss the live feed, the video of the event gets posted on my page for your viewing pleasure. Here is a link to the live feed from 12/17/2021 -</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="https://fb.watch/9_ZiP1u8RJ/" style="font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">live feed link</a></p><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Inter Hinted", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;">Hope to see you in January!</span></div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-68666373658724410652021-10-04T06:17:00.000-07:002021-10-04T06:17:14.322-07:00New vs Old - A comparison of my 2002 Majacraft Rose with my 2021 Majacraft Rose<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2SMUfH0civAgfG_vRGdCRUhwrmPOmqF20uSb_G4Wz0mzYQ4HZA68JZs6KL6dmxSP4Zq2OF7CWxK6WmOxig623TTEDgBOj8nxGoaxTnqC91wIATzGm0zYs2xS14-h6qomdAhUJvccwzQ/s2048/PXL_20210926_224509396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2SMUfH0civAgfG_vRGdCRUhwrmPOmqF20uSb_G4Wz0mzYQ4HZA68JZs6KL6dmxSP4Zq2OF7CWxK6WmOxig623TTEDgBOj8nxGoaxTnqC91wIATzGm0zYs2xS14-h6qomdAhUJvccwzQ/s320/PXL_20210926_224509396.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">19 years have gone by since I acquired my Majacraft Rose. I had spun on a drop spindle for about 6 months before I got my Rose, using wool from our starter flock of shetland sheep we acquired in August of 2008. Our starter flock consisted of four ewes - Myrtle was grey, Marigold was black, Petunia was Moorit and Daisy was white. We had a fawn ram, I can't remember his name. </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This is a photo of the starter flock, in our postage stamp back yard. Our property ended where the fenceline is, we were on a 1 acre lot.</p><blockquote style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><p style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Our First flock of shetland sheep" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20201031_155114587_480x480.jpg?v=1632680641" /></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I remember going to Raveloe fibers in Niagara Falls to an evening spin where I was given a spindle and some white merino to try my hand at spindling for the first time ever! The photo below is the spindle I started with. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to the first spin, it is camouflaged in with a bin of old singles from when I was first practicing.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="My very first spindle" data-mce-style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_181404163_480x480.jpg?v=1632682790" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I bought a flick carder based on a recommendation from a fellow shetland sheep breeder and I was on my way. This is the style I started with, I burned thru about 1 per year until I started using the Majacraft flicker, which is still working fine after 3 years!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="My first flicker" data-mce-style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_181749070_480x480.jpg?v=1632682818" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I got my Rose as a Christmas present, Rich had done all the sourcing and surprised me with it on Christmas morning. I don't remember assembling it, but I do remember the very first time I used it with some wool from my sheep and I felt like I was flying, it was so easy compared to the drop spindle.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I didn't realize all the accessories and options that were available at that time. YouTube didn't exist if you can believe it, (How did we learn about things back then?). So I spun with the large whorl and delta flyer for the first 19 years until I started my Majacraft Dealership and began to learn all about the other options and ways to optimize my wheel for different types of spinning yarn.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I've been creating a series of videos on my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SoftShetlandWool" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Youtube Channel">YouTube Channel</a> on each wheel demonstrating the different phases of ownership - from unboxing to using and then trying each accessory with a video dedicated to each. I thought it would be fun to do a piece that compares the contemporary Rose with my 2002 Vintage rose, for those who are curious about what has changed over those 20 years.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It is a happy miracle that I saved all the paperwork from the original purchase, and also know exactly where the paperwork is so I can verify date of purchase and enjoy reading all the documentation that was sent with my wheel. Starting in the upper right corner there is the inspection checklist, then clockwise around a Rose assembly manual, a registration card, an announcement about a spinning contest, a flyer that promotes accessories (I don't remember ever even looking at it), and a spinning manual. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Original documentation that came with my Rose wheel" data-mce-style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_175357264_480x480.jpg?v=1632682917" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Today most of this material can be downloaded from the web, but they still send a paper spinning and assembly manual with your new wheel.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" data-mce-style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_180205490_480x480.jpg?v=1632697607" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Rich bought it from Woolly Designs when they were in Colorodo. They are now in Texas, but their site is a little out of date, so I am not sure how active they are. Their website still exists and from time to time I review it as they put a lot of work into providing content about the Majacraft wheels to us spinners. The date on the folder says December 14, 2002, so I guess technically I've owned the wheel for 19 years. As I review the paperwork that came with my wheel I am amazed at the additional detail the dealer provided about assembly, tips and tricks. Photo below is the additional material that the dealer sent along with the wheel. I guess we use YouTube and blogs for this type of information now.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Documentation included by our dealer" data-mce-style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_175352053_480x480.jpg?v=1632682962" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">So below I am going to show you the upgrades that Majacraft made when announcing the new Rose in April of 2011. Some of the mods are purely aesthetic, while others are functional changes. If you have a pre April 2011 rose, you should make that clear to your dealer when you are ordering any replacement parts. Parts for the old design are available, but the Majacraft team assumes new design unless they are specifically notified that the wheel is pre - 4/2011.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">In all the photo pairings below, the 2002 wheel is on the left, and the 2021 wheel is on the right.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Smoother head design</h2><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Photo on left shows the head was built in sections, with sharp angles where it is inserted into the stem. 2021 Rose has a one piece handcrafted head with much more elegant lines.</span><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="Old head design" data-mce-style="float: none;" height="240x240" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172540878_240x240.jpg?v=1632683110" style="float: none;" width="240x240" /> <img alt="New design head" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172522257_240x240.jpg?v=1632683043" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br />JCB bolts used in the handle</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I noticed that wherever it was possible to switch from traditional hardware to JCB Bolts, it was incorporated into the new design. JCB bolts make assembly much easier, and also make it possible to disassemble and assemble many times without causing damage to the wheel. This is because you aren't screwing directly into the wood with wood screws. Rather you are screwing into a threaded insert which can handle multiple assemblies without wearing out the wood. </p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172714132_240x240.jpg?v=1632683233" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172709289_240x240.jpg?v=1632683259" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">New Rose motif</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Changed the decoration from carved, to some sort of etched technique. I like both, do you have a preference?</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172758931_240x240.jpg?v=1632683362" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_172745924_240x240.jpg?v=1632683398" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br />10mm stainless steel shaft on the drive axle</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I decided I didn't want to disassemble both wheels to show you the shaft used. This is an important change if you are rebuilding an old wheel, or looking for parts. It is very important if you have a pre upgrade wheel that you let your supplier know when ordering replacement drive wheel or shaft. Wheels before 4/2011 use an 8 mm drive shaft. The new wheel uses a 10 mm drive shaft. This was changed to improve the strength of the drive shaft. Upgrading to the 10 mm drive shaft is an option if you have an older wheel.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">New base design</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">In my eyes they are different, one isn't any better than the other. If there is a benefit other than aesthetic, it isn't obvious to me. This is really bad, but sometimes I treadle with one foot and rest the other foot on that center piece. So I guess its good the new design doesn't look as if it will work as a good footrest, cause that can't be good for the wheel!</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173028570_240x240.jpg?v=1632683446" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173028570_240x240.jpg?v=1632683446" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173038276_240x240.jpg?v=1632683480" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173038276_240x240.jpg?v=1632683480" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br />New pedal design</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The new pedal has more design to it, older pedal is pretty much just a square shape, very utilitarian looking in my opinion vs the new design which is more sexy.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173152237_240x240.jpg?v=1632683685" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173152237_240x240.jpg?v=1632683685" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173145476_240x240.jpg?v=1632683723" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173145476_240x240.jpg?v=1632683723" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">JCB bolts in the base</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">When you thread in the JCB bolts with new design, the bolt is going into a threaded insert, vs driving thru the wood, so better if you are assembling and disassembling frequently. Also makes it easier to assemble.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173207901_240x240.jpg?v=1632683759" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173207901_240x240.jpg?v=1632683759" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173221111_240x240.jpg?v=1632683782" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173221111_240x240.jpg?v=1632683782" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br />Majacraft stainless steel hinges</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Stainless steel is an upgrade, and there are more screws for better strength and quality.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173410224_240x240.jpg?v=1632683812" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173410224_240x240.jpg?v=1632683812" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173556203_240x240.jpg?v=1632683849" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173556203_240x240.jpg?v=1632683849" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br />Low profile handle nut</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I am not sure if this is any more than aesthetic with this change.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173251167_240x240.jpg?v=1632683887" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173251167_240x240.jpg?v=1632683887" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173246880_240x240.jpg?v=1632683912" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173246880_240x240.jpg?v=1632683912" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></ul><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Handle stop on new</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This is definitely an upgrade. When you tilt the handle on the old Rose, nothing prevents you from banging the head against the treadles, which can damage both parts. The new Rose has a built in stop that prevents the head from coming any where near the treadles. In the photos below, the stems are tilted to their full extension, with the old Rose the tension knob on the head is touching the treadle. V. good idea to remedy this.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_174003293_240x240.jpg?v=1632683968" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_174003293_240x240.jpg?v=1632683968" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173955163_240x240.jpg?v=1632683999" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173955163_240x240.jpg?v=1632683999" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></ul><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Flyer shape</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Old flyer (in background) has silver flyer rods, and a square shaped flyer bar. Also, it doesn't have a ceramic lined orifice on the standard flyer while the new standard flyer has a ceramic orifice. This is an upgrade as the ceramic lining prevents you from wearing a groove thru the unprotected orifice, which I did, and am unable to use it because the fiber gets caught up in the sharp groove I've worn into it.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_181045640_480x480.jpg?v=1632684036" /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Bobbin holder</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Old bobbin holder is a box, with a pretty rose carved on side. 3 bars come with it so you can use it as a lazy kate if you don't need tension. The two holes on the opposite sides were intended for use to install a home made handle of string or something. I never used that feature. New bobbin holder is featured in the photo below. I love the magnet for the wrench, and the little peg to hold the whorl. I think my old box works better as a lazy kate.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_180520081_240x240.jpg?v=1632684063" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_180520081_240x240.jpg?v=1632684063" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_180527276_240x240.jpg?v=1632684078" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_180527276_240x240.jpg?v=1632684078" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Metal plate vs engraving</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Hmm. Struggling with this because I really prefer the metal plate, but I get the fact that the engraving probably is more efficient. </p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173633865_240x240.jpg?v=1632684117" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173633865_240x240.jpg?v=1632684117" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173629448_240x240.jpg?v=1632684143" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173629448_240x240.jpg?v=1632684143" style="float: none;" /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Crank assembly attachment</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This is important for those restoring old wheels. Make sure you notify your supplier that you have an old wheel. The old crank assembly is attached to the drive wheel with wood screws driving directly into the wood. New crank assembly has jcb bolts joined into threaded inserts. If you like to change your drive band by removing the crank assembly, then the new Rose is a better design. I change my drive band by disconnecting the rubber joiners from the treadles, as that is how it is recommended by Majacraft. The green rubber joiners that receive the wood screw are easy to replace if they get worn. I've changed my drive band 4 times (Stupid cat) and am still using original green rubber joiners.</p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173830232_240x240.jpg?v=1632684223" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173830232_240x240.jpg?v=1632684223" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173814146_240x240.jpg?v=1632684248" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173814146_240x240.jpg?v=1632684248" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Wood used</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I thought my old Rose was made of Maple, but I confirmed with the factory that it is made from the same material as is used today. Which I find really interesting and wonder if it yellowed with age, or the trees were different 20 years ago, or it was just that lot of lumber. So anyways, the Rose is made from sustainably harvested Rimu wood, indigenous to the forests of New Zealand.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_224509396_480x480.jpg?v=1632697903" /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Overdrive Head Accommodation</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The old rose is missing the deep groove on the largest whorl of the drive wheel. This was added when the Overdrive Head was released to hold the brake band more securely. If you have an old Rose and want to use the Overdrive head, you can request that your old wheel get remachined. Or you can take your chances that the brake band will work just fine.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173706397_LI_240x240.jpg?v=1632684297" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173706397_LI_240x240.jpg?v=1632684297" style="float: none;" /> <img alt="" data-mce-src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173710442_LI_240x240.jpg?v=1632684347" data-mce-style="float: none;" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210926_173710442_LI_240x240.jpg?v=1632684347" style="float: none;" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br data-mce-bogus="1" /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">In Conclusion</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Someone asked me recently if there are any issues with sticking with their old Rose with all the new accessories and spares that have been launched since the Rose came out in 1997 (!). All of the accessories offered today by Majacraft can be used on my vintage Rose wheel. So I would say as long as you are clear with your supplier that you have an older vintage Rose, you will continue to be supported and can continue to use your old Rose to spin your dreams!!!</p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-64906082695871164172021-07-21T04:26:00.003-07:002021-07-21T04:26:48.172-07:00Majacraft Suzie Spinning Wheel<p> </p><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Majacraft Suzie - All Purpose Workhorse</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Majacraft Suzie is the most versatile and well rounded wheel in the Majacraft Spinning Wheel product line. It is the wheel that Majacraft uses to design and optimize all the accessories, so it works with every optional tool available from Majacraft. It was the original Majacraft wheel and has been around for 30+ years. It is named after the original owners' John and Maizie Allots' daughter.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It has a solid drive wheel with a pretty engraved clematis design on the wheel and stem which was designed by New Zealand artist Sharon O'Callaghan. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Clematis Design on Stem" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103029769_480x480.jpg?v=1626864213" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Clematis design on Drive Wheel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103040684_480x480.jpg?v=1626864255" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The solid drive wheel is made of MDF with rimu veneer, and the weight of the wheel makes treadling very easy on the knees. Once it starts spinning, the wheel takes momentum and treadling gets really easy.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It has a bobbin bar on the front which is designed for storage of two bobbins. It wasn't designed to be used as a lazy kate. But many people do figure out how to use as a lazy kate.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Suzie has a Bobbin Storage Bar" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103019744_0876cb28-e551-4ffa-a0e7-26e4ecd61f27_480x480.jpg?v=1626864703" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">It was designed to allow for easy assembly and it is a very flexible design. If you loosen the wooden drive wheel knob, you can shift the stem to the left or right, which is very convenient for long draw.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Suzie with Stem shifted to the left" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103512371_480x480.jpg?v=1626864797" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">You can shift the stem all the way down until it reaches a safe hard stop to take advantage of the carrying handle feature.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Suzie folds up for easy carrying" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103537698_480x480.jpg?v=1626864865" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">You can also shift the spinning head to have the orifice offset to the right or left, depending on how you assemble the head:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Orifice assembled on left" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103733039_480x480.jpg?v=1626865030" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="orifice assembled on right" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103429996_480x480.jpg?v=1626865064" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">At one time the drive wheel on the Suzie was laminated, but it was improved with an MDF base and a rimu veneer.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Scotch tension</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Suzie uses scotch tension to control the speed of the bobbin and flyer rotation. With scotch tension, the flyer is directly connected to the drive wheel, and the bobbin follows the flyer. The bobbin has a small amount of resistance applied with a separately controlled brake band to allow the flyer to rotate faster than the bobbin. This makes it possible for the flyer to wind the fiber onto the bobbin. This light tension allows for spinning finer yarns, but can be adjusted if more bulky spinning is desired. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Majacraft Scotch Tensioning System on the Suzie" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103425482_480x480.jpg?v=1626864343" /></p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Double treadle</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Suzie is a double treadle spinning wheel. This means you use both feet to treadle two pedals which rotates the drive wheel. Double treadle wheels offer excellent control over the rotation of the wheel which is helpful when stopping, starting, changing speeds and rotation directions. You have much more control than when using a single treadle wheel.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What is the difference between the Suzie and the Suzie Pro?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I listened to a live feed of Glynnis Poad explaining the differences between the Suzie and the Suzie Pro that was released in 2017. In it she says that the Suzie was the original wheel. The Suzie Pro was added and had a drive wheel that was 25% heavier than the drive wheel on the Suzie. This gave it more inertia to allow it to spin very smoothly with little effort. It was designed to be a production wheel. There have been changes to the Suzie Pro over time, such that now they only difference structurally between the two wheels is the appearance of the drive wheels. The Suzie and Suzie Pro drive wheels are made of a base MDF material, and are flat, not sculpted. They are also very close in weight. The Suzie Pro has a painted MDF drive wheel. The standard color is green, but you can work with Majacraft to customize the color of your drive wheel and pulleys. Suzie Pro is also sold with more accessories.</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">The Suzie has MDF wheel with Rimu veneer. It comes with the <span class="il">Suzie</span> Whorl and a delta flyer.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="Majacraft Suzie Spinning Wheel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210721_103019744_480x480.jpg?v=1626864393" /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><span class="il">The Suzie</span> Pro has MDF wheel with painted surface. <span class="il">Suzie</span> whorl and high speed whorl (both painted), delta and e flyer.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/suzie_pro_complete3_480x480.jpg?v=1615919109" /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> </div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Accessories</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The following accessories are available for use with the Suzie spinning wheel:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-lace-kit?_pos=1&_sid=496129258&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Lace Kit">Lace Kit</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-stylus-kit?_pos=2&_sid=f68c6d072&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Stylus Kit">Stylus kit</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-wood-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=da1e982ec&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Standard Wood Bobbin">Standard wood bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-colored-plastic-bobbin-rosebright-pink?_pos=1&_sid=5229003d0&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Rosebright Pink Plastic Bobbin">Rosebright Pink plastic bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-colored-plastic-bobbin-eastern-blue?_pos=1&_sid=524658278&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Eastern Blue Plastic Bobbin">Eastern Blue Plastic bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-jumbo-black-plastic-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=332ad405d&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Jumbo Plastic Bobbin">Plastic jumbo bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-jumbo-wood-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=189dbc155&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wood Jumbo Bobbin">Wood jumbo bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/aura-hybrid-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=c64300802&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Aura Hybrid Flyer">Aura Hybrid Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/plying-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=95dc0551b&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Plying Flyer">Plying Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-e-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=eb0635e21&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Standard E Flyer">Standard E Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/delta-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=7fde7ff66&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Delta Flyer">Delta Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-wild-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=46b1352ca&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wild Flyer">Wild Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-wheel-skeiner?_pos=1&_sid=de594c0d6&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wheel Skeiner">Wheel Skeiner</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/lavender-wax?_pos=1&_sid=2cfca0588&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Lavender Wax">Lavender Wax</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-universal-tensioned-lazy-kate?_pos=2&_sid=01b545229&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate">Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/yarn-gage?_pos=1&_sid=c4c042423&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Yarn Guage">Yarn gauge</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/overdrive-head-suzie?_pos=3&_sid=68af730f2&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft overdrive head for the Suzie Wheel">Overdrive Head For the Suzie</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-high-speed-head?_pos=1&_sid=430267c9b&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft High Speed Head">High Speed Head (specifically designed around the Suzie)</a></li></ul><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Specifications for the Majacraft Suzie</h2><table class="mce-item-table" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Spec</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Suzie</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Suzie Pro</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">mm</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">inches</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">mm</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">Inches</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Maximum Height</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">780</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">30.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">780</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">30.7</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Maximum Width</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">380</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">15.0</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">380</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">15.0</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Maximum Depth</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">450</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">17.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">450</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">17.7</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Folded Height</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">550</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">21.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">550</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">21.7</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Orifice Height</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">750</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">29.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">750</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">29.5</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Wheel Weight</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">6.4 kg</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">14.1 lb</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">6.5 kg</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">14.3 lb</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Drive Belt Length</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">1260</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">49.6</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">1260</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: right;">49.6</td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>Packed weight</li><li>Dim weight (USPS Calculation to account for extra large box, use this to estimate shipping cost): 37 lbs</li><li>Sell price: $1,180 USD</li></ul><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Spares/Replacements for the Suzie Wheel</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Suzie comes standard with the following items, all are available from our website for replacements or spares:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>4<a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-standard-black-plastic-bobbin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard black plastic bobbin"> black plastic standard bobbins</a></li><li>1 <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/delta-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=a71b7e968&_ss=r" title="Delta Flyer">Delta </a><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/delta-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=a71b7e968&_ss=r" title="Delta Flyer">flyer</a><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/copy-of-majacraft-standard-e-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=2607041ae&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard Fine Flyer"> </a>with adjustable <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-8-mm-standard-flyer-hook?_pos=1&_sid=8225b753e&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="8 mm standard flyer hook">8 mm standard flyer hook</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-aura-suzy-drive-band" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pioneer Drive Band">Flexible polycord drive band</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-suzie-whorl-pulley?_pos=1&_sid=62c8f7f22&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Suzie Pulley">Suzie pulley</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-green-tension-cord-1-meter?_pos=1&_sid=44c9b05be&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Tension Cord">Nylon Brake band</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-tension-spring?_pos=1&_sid=267d1539d&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard tension spring">Standard tension spring</a></li><li>2 Bobbin rods</li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Other parts of the wheel can be sourced as replacement parts, contact me directly if this is something you need at jen6265@gmail.com.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ratios for the Majacraft Suzie and Suzie Pro</h2><table class="mce-item-table" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"><p style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Whorl size - 5 is largest -></p><p style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ratios are :1</p></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">1</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Suzie Pulley (standard)</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">4.2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">6.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">8.9</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">11.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">14.5</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Little Gem Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">5.6</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">6.8</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">9.1</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">12.1</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">16.0</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Rose Pulley (Slow Speed Kit)</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">3.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">4.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">6.0</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">9.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">12.8</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Fast Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">9.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">12.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">15.0</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">18.8</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">High Speed Head</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">11.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">15.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">20.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">27.0</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Pulleys that can be used on the Majacraft Pioneer X Spinning wheel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_122839853_480x480.jpg?v=1623502532" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me changing the whorl on a Majacraft wheel:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SHnp08Kyq_U" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me changing the drive band on a Majacraft wheel:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHOKhQlvUkw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Warranty</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Your new Majacraft wheel is guaranteed to be free of defects in the workmanship for a period of two (2) years following the date of original purchase.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Documents</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/suzie_professional_instructions_web_1.06.pdf?v=1626861164" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Suzie/Suzie Pro Assembly Manual">Majacraft Suzie/Pro Assembly Manual</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/overdrive_manual_1.00.pdf?v=1626861164" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Overdrive Head Assembly Manual">Majacraft Overdrive Head Assembly Manual</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/spinning_manual_web_1.06.pdf?v=1626861164" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Spinning Manual">Majacraft Spinning Manual</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Videos:</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me unboxing my Majacraft Suzie Spinning Wheel:<br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6pnyVxV7cgI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></h2><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me assembling the Majacraft Suzie Spinning Wheel:</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lv7BylzRvak" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me Spinning with the Majacraft Suzie Spinning Wheel:</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ABEv1xMbh60" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me installing and using the high Speed Head on the Suzie:</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3KDzHBoLD9k" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me using the Suzie and the Lace Kit</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l0m69NN8lSo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me using Suzie and the Stylus Kit</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EoeIKkVBYgI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me using Suzie and the Wheel Skeiner:</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-zEyUk-vhDk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-27407974660300623602021-06-12T06:20:00.001-07:002021-06-12T06:20:05.537-07:00Majacraft Pioneer X<p> </p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> Majacraft Pioneer X - What makes it special?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X was launched in order to give spinners a low cost, low frills option to "dip their toe" into the craft of handspinning. At a price of $989 it is the lowest price wheel in the Majacraft Lineup. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPGc5zfUNwwy_zEgq5IbzklGR62ioPiCkztx0bH5nb6YxFpnHPWEjcsqeqDaUzilNhojw46K63Oub-kPqz0RgHHD0WBAL4WAb5daa_khVPOfV6paK1M2UnIJwPIVtsfBm0-RwRo3xT6s/s750/pioneer_x_front_2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPGc5zfUNwwy_zEgq5IbzklGR62ioPiCkztx0bH5nb6YxFpnHPWEjcsqeqDaUzilNhojw46K63Oub-kPqz0RgHHD0WBAL4WAb5daa_khVPOfV6paK1M2UnIJwPIVtsfBm0-RwRo3xT6s/s320/pioneer_x_front_2020.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X spinning wheel could also be a lovely addition to a collection which is missing a Majacraft wheel and therefore doesn't have that one wheel that offers effortless treadling and smooth takeup which is characteristic of every wheel in the Majacraft lineup. In other words, you are getting all the benefits of the ingenious Majacraft design elements in a simple, low cost wheel. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Another ideal scenario I can envision would be if you would like to work with Majacraft accessories to spin lace, art yarns, and higher volume spinning, but don't see the need to secure a wheel for more niche applications like the Aura for art yarns or the Rose for fine spinning.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Features</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X is a double treadle spinning wheel. This means you use both feet to treadle two pedals which rotates the drive wheel. Double treadle wheels offer excellent control over the rotation of the wheel which is helpful when stopping, starting, changing speeds and rotation directions. You have much more control than when using a single treadle wheel.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Majacraft Pioneer Double Treadle" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_120905495_480x480.jpg?v=1623502303" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X uses scotch tension to control the speed of the bobbin and flyer rotation. With scotch tension, the flyer and bobbin are activated by the rotation of the drive wheel using the same single drive band. The bobbin has a small amount of resistance applied with a separately controlled brake band to allow the flyer to rotate faster than the bobbin. This makes it possible for the flyer to wind the fiber onto the bobbin. This light tension allows for spinning finer yarns, but can be adjusted if more bulky spinning is desired.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_120720307_480x480.jpg?v=1623502349" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X has a convenient carrying handle that folds out of the way when not in use.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Majacraft Pioneer X Carrying Handle" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_120135786_480x480.jpg?v=1623502376" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Every wheel from Majacraft is individually numbered, assembled and tested before packaging, and is signed by a member of the Poad family. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Majacraft Pioneer Serial Number Location" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_120225573_480x480.jpg?v=1623502413" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">To register your wheel with Majacraft, <a href="https://www.majacraft.co.nz/register/register.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Product Registration">click this link.</a></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Spares/Replacements</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> The Pioneer comes standard with the following items, all are available from our website for replacements or spares:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-standard-black-plastic-bobbin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard black plastic bobbin">3 black plastic standard bobbins</a></li><li>1 <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/copy-of-majacraft-standard-e-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=2607041ae&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard Fine Flyer">standard fine flyer </a>with adjustable <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-8-mm-standard-flyer-hook?_pos=1&_sid=8225b753e&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="8 mm standard flyer hook">8 mm standard flyer hook</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-aura-suzy-drive-band" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Pioneer Drive Band">Flexible polycord drive band</a></li><li>Suzie pulley</li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-green-tension-cord-1-meter?_pos=1&_sid=44c9b05be&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Green Tension Cord">Nylon Brake band</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-tension-spring?_pos=1&_sid=267d1539d&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Standard tension spring">Standard tension spring</a></li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Spares for the Majacraft Pioneer X Spinning Wheel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_120817832_480x480.jpg?v=1623502466" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Other parts of the wheel can be sourced as replacement parts, contact me directly if this is something you need at jen6265@gmail.com.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Accessories</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The following accessories are also available for use with the Pioneer X spinning wheel:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-lace-kit?_pos=1&_sid=496129258&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Lace Kit">Lace Kit</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-stylus-kit?_pos=2&_sid=f68c6d072&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Stylus Kit">Stylus kit</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-wood-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=da1e982ec&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Standard Wood Bobbin">Standard wood bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-colored-plastic-bobbin-rosebright-pink?_pos=1&_sid=5229003d0&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Rosebright Pink Plastic Bobbin">Rosebright Pink plastic bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-colored-plastic-bobbin-eastern-blue?_pos=1&_sid=524658278&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Eastern Blue Plastic Bobbin">Eastern Blue Plastic bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-jumbo-black-plastic-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=332ad405d&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Jumbo Plastic Bobbin">Plastic jumbo bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-jumbo-wood-bobbin?_pos=1&_sid=189dbc155&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wood Jumbo Bobbin">Wood jumbo bobbin</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/aura-hybrid-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=c64300802&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Aura Hybrid Flyer">Aura Hybrid Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/plying-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=95dc0551b&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Plying Flyer">Plying Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-standard-e-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=eb0635e21&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Standard E Flyer">Standard E Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/delta-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=7fde7ff66&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Delta Flyer">Delta Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-wild-flyer?_pos=1&_sid=46b1352ca&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wild Flyer">Wild Flyer</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-wheel-skeiner?_pos=1&_sid=de594c0d6&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Wheel Skeiner">Wheel Skeiner</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/lavender-wax?_pos=1&_sid=2cfca0588&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Lavender Wax">Lavender Wax</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/majacraft-universal-tensioned-lazy-kate?_pos=2&_sid=01b545229&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate">Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate</a></li><li><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/yarn-gage?_pos=1&_sid=c4c042423&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Yarn Guage">Yarn gauge</a></li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The stem design of the Pioneer X makes it incompatible with the overdrive head and the high speed head.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Specifications</h2><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>Material: The latest upgrade is made from American Ash. The drive wheel is MDF with American Ash veneer, giving it additional weight to allows for even rotation and long life. It is finished with a clear lacquer.</li><li>Weight: Aproximately 14 lbs (6.3 kgs) The weight varies with the wood density of each wheel</li><li>Height: 28.3" (720 mm)</li><li>Footprint: 15.7 x 15.7" (400 x 400 mm)</li><li>Wheel Diameter: 12.6" (320mm)</li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer X - Creative is a version of the Pioneer which can be supplied with a unfinished surface so you can paint or finish any way you want. You can also get the drive wheel in custom colors.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Pioneer X - Creative" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/pioneer_x_atoll_480x480.jpg?v=1622382353" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Pioneer received an upgrade in April 2019 which included three features:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>Changed the composition from pine to american ash</li><li>Added a handy carrying handle</li><li>Modified the base, pedals and stem to match the aesthetic of the other Majacraft wheels.</li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Packed weight: 43 lbs dim</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Sell Price: $989 USD</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ratios:</p><table class="mce-item-table" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 291.979px;">Whorl size - 5 is largest -></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 28.2917px;">5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 36.7292px;">4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 49.6875px;">3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.625px;">2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.6875px;">1</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 291.979px;">Suzie Pulley (standard)</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 28.2917px;">4.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 36.7292px;">6.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 49.6875px;">9.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.625px;">11.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.6875px;">14.5</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 291.979px;">Little Gem Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 28.2917px;">5.9</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 36.7292px;">7.1</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 49.6875px;">9.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.625px;">12.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.6875px;">16.0</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 291.979px;">Rose Pulley (Slow Speed Kit)</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 28.2917px;">3.6</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 36.7292px;">4.74</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 49.6875px;">6.2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.625px;">9.4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.6875px;">12.8</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 291.979px;">Fast Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 28.2917px;"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 36.7292px;">10.0</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 49.6875px;">12.8</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.625px;">15.2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 40.6875px;">18.8</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Pulleys that can be used on the Majacraft Pioneer X Spinning wheel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210612_122839853_480x480.jpg?v=1623502532" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me changing the whorl on a Majacraft wheel:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SHnp08Kyq_U" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me changing the drive band on a Majacraft wheel:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHOKhQlvUkw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me unboxing the Pioneer X:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P8fGPkEidvY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me assembling the Pioneer X:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bhz3UuXVoRQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me spinning with the Pioneer X:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mSg0EcHRI4g" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a video of me using the accessories on the Pioneer X:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AYPMAGjCnLk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Warranty</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Your new Majacraft wheel is guaranteed to be free of defects in the workmanship for a period of two (2) years following the date of original purchase.</p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-71843845602867000432021-02-10T08:58:00.003-08:002021-02-10T08:58:34.880-08:00Whispering Pines Ivy<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Whispering Pines Ivy</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Ivy's fleece" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/ivy_2_480x480.jpg?v=1612971357" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ivy is a grey katmoget ewe from our breeding program. She was born in 2016 and is named after the kitchen maid in the television show Downton Abbey.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Her dam is Whispering Pines Pamela, a fawn katmoget.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whiserping Pines Pamela" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/pamela_2_480x480.jpg?v=1612971439" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Her sire is Whispering Pines Mr. Darcy, a grey katmoget that had his origins with our efforts in AI to help us achieve finer, crimpier fleeces than what were available from the shetlands that were available to us in the US.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Mr. Darcy" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20180710_195130_480x480.jpg?v=1612971424" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ivy has a very nice, fine and crimpy fleece, and it is usually one of the larger fleeces from our clip:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Ivy's Fleece" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20200527_135140_480x480.jpg?v=1612973231" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Her micron results from 2020 were as follows:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">AFD: 24.3</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">SD 4.96</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">CV 20.3</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">SF 23.5</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Here is a picture of her as a lamb:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Ivy as a lamb" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Ivy_1_480x480.jpg?v=1612971389" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-66818681700916843162021-01-25T15:15:00.003-08:002021-01-25T15:15:15.150-08:00Whispering Pines Freyja<p> </p><h1 class="h2" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #231717; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 0.625em;">Whispering Pines Freyja</h1><div class="rte rte--indented-images" itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Freyja is a very flashy spotted ewe from our 2019 crop of lambs, named after Nordic goddesses. She is registered as black even though most of her fleece is white. What is making her appear white is that technically she is black with an enormous white spot. Her fleece will be mostly white, with a few small spots of black and black/white fiber.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Freyja" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/9_2_480x480.jpg?v=1611616116" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Her dam is Blue Sapphire, one of our first fine shetlands born here on the farm.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Blue Sapphire" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/8_480x480.jpg?v=1611616151" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Her sire is Rush, who we brought in from another fine fleece shetland breeder, OK Acres.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Rush" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/11_480x480.jpg?v=1611616124" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">We knew when we put these two together that we were going to get very prominent spots, so were not suprised that Freyja and her twin brother had a lot of flash!</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Freyja and Twin Ram as lambs" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/10_480x480.jpg?v=1611616075" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Last year I was able to roo her lamb fleece, which means I was able to pluck her fleece by hand without the use of shears. This is a trait with the shetland sheep where their fleece encounters a break in the staple which allows them to shed their fleece. It is also called a rise, and usually happens in the early springtime.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Freyja's Roo'd Fleece" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20200527_183358_480x480.jpg?v=1611616241" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The AFD data on her fleece is AFD 23.4, SD 5.9, COV is 25.1 and spinning fineness is 23.6. </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Her staple length is a very nice 3" unstretched.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><img alt="Freyja's lock" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/13_480x480.jpg?v=1611616141" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This fall we bred her to Brienne's 2020 fawn kat ram, who we named Frederick, after Frederick Douglass, keeping with the theme of key players in ratification of the 19th amendment.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Frederick" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/12_480x480.jpg?v=1611616132" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" /></p></div>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-54432133217298326502021-01-19T03:26:00.001-08:002021-01-19T03:26:07.918-08:00Whispering Pines Harry<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Whispering Pines Harry is a white ram from 2020 lamb crop. He has a white fleece which is very fine and crimpy. Here are the ewes we put with Harry for 2021 lambs:</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Harry" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Ofeibea_s_Ram_cropped_480x480.jpg?v=1611055166" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Neda:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Neda" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_115105_480x480.jpg?v=1611055207" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Tovia:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Tovia" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_111817_1_480x480.jpg?v=1611055283" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Eir:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <img alt="Whispering Pines Eir" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Eir_cropped_480x480.jpg?v=1611055308" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-56830174765451501092021-01-16T12:47:00.002-08:002021-01-16T12:47:31.049-08:00What I learned about Spinning Lace Weight Yarn<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I love learning new spinning techniques from an instructor vs. reading or watching videos. Don't get me wrong, I use all three methods for learning, but love the opportunity to listen, ask questions and verify understanding with a live person.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I installed a Majacraft Lace kit to my Rose spinning wheel and began using it to spin a finer lace weight yarn. These are available in my shop to purchase and can be installed on any Majacraft wheel - <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/accessories/products/majacraft-lace-kit" title="Majacraft Lace kit">link to listing</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WauIa9KuIzY6OOv_N2EhYVvgrwfgRUBtFa5LwkTtNVDg0P6UaEE3ehFpbBaG6IdI5sOQZmAXDJtH0M97yme-oOupQiLxNYkCEYMs2-jMdoxFgXgM7Ssj4fLcCav6hCpZjbnDb7psem8/s4032/PXL_20210116_194443218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WauIa9KuIzY6OOv_N2EhYVvgrwfgRUBtFa5LwkTtNVDg0P6UaEE3ehFpbBaG6IdI5sOQZmAXDJtH0M97yme-oOupQiLxNYkCEYMs2-jMdoxFgXgM7Ssj4fLcCav6hCpZjbnDb7psem8/s320/PXL_20210116_194443218.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Majacraft lace Kit includes two fat core bobbins, lace flyer, high speed whorl and an allen wrench.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Majacraft Lace Kit" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210116_185912866_1_480x480.jpg?v=1610823639" /> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I created one small skein then decided to reach out to one of my customers who bought a Rose and a lace kit from my shop in order to find out what I could do to get my yarn as fine as possible. She generously shared her knowledge with me, and I am happy to document in this post some of the kernels of insight that I learned from the talk.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">To follow are some of my questions I had and her responses. I have also embedded the video of my interview with Caroline at the end of this blog post.</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What is a lace weight yarn?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Lace weight is any yarn that yields 18 wraps per inch (WPI) on a standard yarn gage. You measure it by wrapping your yarn around the gage and count the strands that fall within a notch in the gauge which is premeasured so you can calculate how many wraps would fit within one inch.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">My Yarn Gage has a groove that is 1/2 inch, so this yarn is 30 WPI:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Yarn Gage" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210113_160954778_1_480x480.jpg?v=1610823849" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">A higher number indicates a finer yarn. 18 WPI is the lowest gage to qualify as lace weight. Lace weight has other names, some are slang like frog hair, others have more acceptance as descriptions of gage, like "cobweb" for example. 3 fiber strands are the minimum to be called "yarn", and that is really fine!</p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What are the basic materials needed to make a lace weight yarn?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The most important thing is to use a very fine wool. The neck wool is typically the finest wool on the body, but if you have wool that microns around 20, with a low standard deviation, you are using a good material for lace weight yarn. Our soft shetland sheep usually micron in the low 20's, so I think I am in good shape for material requirements for spinning lace.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Wool samples from our soft shetland sheep" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20200605_133936_480x480.jpg?v=1610824140" /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What tools are used to make a lace weight yarn?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Majacraft makes a lace kit which has some features that make it easier to create a fine yarn. First of all the flyer has a very short bar. This reduces the distance the yarn needs to travel as it's winding on the bobbin which reduces the risk of breakage due to the fine nature of the yarn.</p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><img alt="Standard vs lace flyer" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210116_191054147_480x480.jpg?v=1610824950" /></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The bobbins in the lace kit flanges are smaller so they can fit inside the lace flyer. They also have an enlarged core which reduces the tension of the takeup, again allowing you to apply more twist to the yarn for a stronger, but finer strand. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Standard vs. Lace Bobbin" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210116_192352532_480x480.jpg?v=1610825500" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The whorl that is supplied with the lace kit takes you to higher ratios which result in a very fast rotation of the flyer, incorporating much more twist than you would get with a standard whorl. My wheel is a Rose, so I am showing the whorl from my wheel compared to the lace kit fast speed whorl.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Standard vs. high speed whorl" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20210116_193321137_480x480.jpg?v=1610825818" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">When you spin thicker yarns you have the benefit of many strands in your twist which provides strength to the ply. This is less the case with lace yarns. So Majacraft has tailored the parts of the wheel which when combined create the optimal conditions for spinning lace yarns, which are as follows:</p><ol style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>Light takeup tension to prevent breakage and allow for more twist before winding on bobbin</li><li>Shorter distance between flyer bar and bobbin core</li><li>Faster flyer rotation to get more twist into the yarn</li></ol><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What techniques are used to make a lace weight yarn?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">When I started out with the lace kit I was using a supported long draw drafting technique. After talking with Caroline I decided to switch over to short forward draw. Spinning as a worsted yarn with as few fibers as possible is how you create the finest yarn.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Because you are consciously trying to minimize the number of fibers that go into your yarn, it is a good idea to put a cloth behind your spin so you can easily see how many fibers you are introducing into your twist.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">If you are spinning from roving or combed top, you want to isolate some fibers to measure their length so you have an idea of the optimal length of your drafting zone.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Caroline showed me a few very lightweight spindles that she uses for lace spinning which is another way to achieve fine yarn. She shared the links to those suppliers:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BullSheepFibery">Trillium spindle from Bull Sheep Fibery </a></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SpindleLady"><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">SpindleLady has some very lightweight spindles </span></a></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">There is a contest for lace spinning called "The Longest Thread Competition". Can you tell us about it?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The contest is in Tazmania, Australia and takes place every other year. The next competition is in March 2021, entries from the states should have beenin the mail by the end of October to arrive in time for the entry deadline. The challenge is to spin the longest 2 ply yarn with 10 grams of fiber (1/3 oz). The judges measure the length of all the entries in the different classes, and the longest strand wins. The record for wool is 1,442 yards held by Naoko Tamuro from the 2005 competition.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://bothwellspinin.com.au/the-longest-thread-competition">Bothwell Spin in - Longest Thread Contest</a></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">What do you do with lace weight yarn?</h2><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Lace weight yarn can be used for knitting shawls, weaving and crocheting lace items. Caroline talked about how to use lace weight for weaving. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I am currently in the process of working towards a very fine lace yarn and will share my progress and findings in my next blog post!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OQF86BKEQT4" width="560"></iframe></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-46844726518551279272021-01-13T07:08:00.003-08:002021-01-13T07:08:53.814-08:00Frederick's Breeding Group<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Frederick, a 2020 ram lamb, named after Frederick Douglass, a pioneer in the suffrage movement, had a very nice assortment of ewes in his breeding group.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Frederick:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Frederick" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Briennes_ram_cropped_480x480.jpg?v=1610550187" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Susan:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Susan" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_105220_480x480.jpg?v=1610550298" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Freyja:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Freyja" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20190901_101116_480x480.jpg?v=1610550330" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Sif:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Sif" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20190901_100719_480x480.jpg?v=1610550355" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Baxter:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Baxter" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/baxter_480x480.jpg?v=1610550380" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-5749193086474480632021-01-13T07:07:00.002-08:002021-01-13T07:07:33.516-08:00Knightley's Breeding Group<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Knightley got a good sized group of ewes this year - we are looking forward to seeing well conformed fine wooled lambs from this group.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Knightley" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20201011_140757480_480x480.jpg?v=1610385580" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">To follow are the ewes we bred with Knightley for 2021 lambs:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Sansa</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Sansa" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Sansa_480x480.jpg?v=1610385757" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> Soshi</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Soshi" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20180914_115322_480x480.jpg?v=1610448165" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Arya</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Arya" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Arya_480x480.jpg?v=1610448198" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Sarin</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Sarin" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Sarin_480x480.jpg?v=1610448231" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Frigg</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Frigg" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/frigg_cropped_480x480.jpg?v=1610448549" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Audie" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_110548_480x480.jpg?v=1610448588" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Mrs. Hughes</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Mrs. Hughes" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/mrs_hughes_1_480x480.jpg?v=1610448631" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Yuki</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Yuki" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_114751_480x480.jpg?v=1610448666" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Renee</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Renee" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/IMG_20181014_120203_1_480x480.jpg?v=1610448713" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-21852726045854193102021-01-08T07:21:00.001-08:002021-01-08T07:21:16.085-08:00Loki's Breeding Group<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Loki is a black polled ram from our 2019 lamb crop. He is out of WP Elinor and OKA Rush. He has a very fine and crimpy fleece, with a spinning fineness of 21.1 in his lamb fleece.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Loki" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/PXL_20201114_135505272_480x480.jpg?v=1610118564" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The following ewes were put in with Whispering Pines Loki on 11/28/2020 and were pulled out on 12/19/2020:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Genoa:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Genoa" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Genoa2_480x480.jpg?v=1610118647" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">English Garden</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="English Garden" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/English_Garden_480x480.jpg?v=1610118677" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Hela:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Hela_cropped_480x480.jpg?v=1610118711" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Ivy:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Ivy" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/ivy_480x480.jpg?v=1610118739" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Fanny:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Fanny" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Fanny_480x480.jpg?v=1610118766" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Meera Reed:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Meera Reed" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Meera_Reed_480x480.jpg?v=1610119032" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">O'Brien</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines O'Brien" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/O_Brien_480x480.jpg?v=1610119073" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Isobel</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Isobel" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Isobel_480x480.jpg?v=1610119109" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Cora:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Cora" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Cora_1_480x480.jpg?v=1610119150" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-14536949219524983802021-01-07T09:29:00.003-08:002021-01-07T09:29:35.510-08:00Jon Snow's Breeding Group<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Jon Snow:</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <img alt="Jon Snow" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Jon_Snow_480x480.jpg?v=1610039594" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The following ewes were put in with Whispering Pines Jon Snow on 11/28/2020 and were pulled out on 12/19/2020:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Whispering Pines Lakshmi</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Lakshmi" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Lakshmi_480x480.jpg?v=1610039629" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">OK Acrews Lokola</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Lokola" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Lokola_480x480.jpg?v=1610039720" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">OK Acres Rosemary</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Rosemary" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Rosemary_480x480.jpg?v=1610039754" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Whispering Pines Elinor</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Elinor" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Elinor_480x480.jpg?v=1610040285" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Whispering Pines Dina</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Dina" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Dina_480x480.jpg?v=1610040327" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Whispering Pines Brienne</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Brienne" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Brienne_of_Tarth_480x480.jpg?v=1610040373" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">OK Acres Elara</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Elara" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Elara_480x480.jpg?v=1610040430" /></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-82313660003603600272021-01-06T06:02:00.004-08:002021-01-06T08:11:02.586-08:00Whispering Pines Audie<p> <span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px;">Audie is named after Audie Cornish, from the NPR News Commentator year 2018.</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Audie 2021" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Audie_2021_480x480.jpg?v=1609941137" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">She is a black ewe with pretty bronze tips. Both her parents came from other farms. Her sire is OK Acres Nitro and her dam is Wintertime Itasca. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Itasca:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Itasca" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Itasca_480x480.jpg?v=1609939588" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Nitro:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Nitro" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Nitro_480x480.jpg?v=1609939681" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">She was the last lamb we got from Itasca, who we retired from our breeding program in 2018 due to issues with her udders. This makes Audie very special to us. She was supplemented with a bottle as a lamb so is a little less shy than the other sheep in our flock.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie as a lamb:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Audie as a lamb" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Audie_Lamb_480x480.jpg?v=1609939722" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie's micron count last year was 24.6 AFD, 5.7 SD, 23.3 CV and 24.4 SF. Her skirted fleece weighed 36 oz in 2020.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie's 2020 fleece:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Audie's 2020 fleece" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Audie_s_2020_fleece_480x480.jpg?v=1609939875" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">We bred Audie in 2020 with OK Acres Rush and she gave us a moorit ewe and a black ewe. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie's moorit ewe, Josephine</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Audie's Moorit Ewe" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Audie_s_Moorit_Ewe_480x480.jpg?v=1609940106" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Audie's black ewe, Ida:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Audie's Black Ewe Lamb" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Audie_s_Black_ewe_480x480.jpg?v=1609939992" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This year we bred her with Whispering Pines Knightley, so excited to see what they produce in lambs!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Knightley:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="Whispering Pines Knightley" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/Knightley_480x480.jpg?v=1609940137" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Genetics for those of you that like that sort of thing:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Pattern - she is a solid so AaAa is her genotype. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Spotting - Her sire was spotted, but she is not spotted, so she is a spot carrier, so her genotype is Ss for spots</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Color - She is black, but her sire was brown, so she carries brown, which we saw from her moorit ewe lamb last year, so her genotype is Bb</p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-70100596449969717102020-09-30T06:26:00.006-07:002020-09-30T06:26:49.745-07:00How much Handspun Yarn do I need?<p> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">How much yarn do I need?</span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">This is a very common question I get asked when a new customer wants to purchase my one of a kind handspun skeins of yarn. It is understandable because handspun yarn from my farm is not sold in large lots with standardized weights and guage. Rather each individual ewe from every year's fleece is processed and spun as its own set of skeins. I usually get 2-4 skeins depending on the age of the ewe per fleece.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/IMG_20200525_150307_480x480.jpg?v=1600083200" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Fleece from Sansa, one of our black ewes, from the 2020 shearing or "clip"</h6><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">One of a Kind</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The skeins are one of a kind because they are created from an individual ewe's fleece from a given year. I don't combine fleeces to spin up generic lots of yarn for my handspun skeins. Rather I will select a fleece from my stash, wash, flick card, spin, ply, wash again, wind and mark each sheep's wool from that year's fleece. I also do not combine different fleeces from the same ewe that were collected over the years. This is because every year the fleece can be slightly different due to environmental conditions and age of the ewe. I like every fleece to be treated individually to get the full enjoyment from that particular ewe. I provide the micron data, age, year the fleece was collected and a photo of the ewe on my labels. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/products/black-handspun-farm-yarn" title="Black handspun farm yarn"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/IMG_20200913_165034_480x480.jpg?v=1600030269" /></a></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Handspun yarn from Sansa with label indicating weight, length, fleece year and age of ewe, as well as AFD information and price.</h6><h1 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">I knit items and weigh them</h1><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">In an effort to help with that question, I have knit up a few basic items and taken their weights in order to provide a rough guideline for how much yarn a particular item uses. I always provide the exact weight of my handspun skeins of yarn on the label and the listing, so you can compare the weight on the skein with the weights of the handknit items I've created to get a feel for how much yarn you need.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Once you receive your yarn you should always create a swatch and block it to ensure you get the desired outcome. Although I always provide the exact length and weight of each individual handspun skein on the label, I don't spin with a particular weight in mind - rather I use the same technique through out the skein and the wool has a tendency to gravitate to a consistent weight. This is another advantage by the way of breeding for sheep with consistent fleeces from front to back.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">To follow are knit items I have listed in my shop with their weights so you can compare with skeins in the shop that may have caught your interest. Many of them are just simple patterns I either made up or were taken from vintage pattern books from my mom. I hope this helps you to select a yarn that will allow you to create a beautiful heirloom that you will treasure for a very long time!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/knit-items/products/soft-shetland-striped-wool-hat-farm-raised-handspun-handknit-natural-colors-made-from-my-2-ply-handspun-farm-yarn-1-3-oz" title="brimless barn hat from handspun farm yarn"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/il_fullxfull.2400015193_2sxw_480x480.jpg?v=1596038197" /></a></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> This simple brimless barn hat uses 6" needles and weighs 1.3 oz.</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/knit-items/products/soft-shetland-wool-mittens-farm-raised-handspun-handknit-fawn-made-from-my-2-ply-handspun-farm-yarn-2-6-oz" title="Hand knit hand spun mittens from farm yarn"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/il_fullxfull.2352534720_ayjm_480x480.jpg?v=1596038172" /></a></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Mittens for an adult, also 6" needles, they weigh 2.6 oz</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/knit-items/products/soft-shetland-wool-hat-farm-raised-handspun-handknit-brown-made-from-my-2-ply-handspun-farm-yarn-2-1-oz" title="Brimmed hand knit handspun farm yarn hat"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/il_fullxfull.2399920627_5r9j_480x480.jpg?v=1596038159" /></a></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Adult hat with a brim, 6" needles, 2.1 oz</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8362626549967250083.post-72770270588660018862020-09-25T07:05:00.000-07:002020-09-25T07:05:09.073-07:00Everything I can think of to tell you about the Majacraft Little Gem Spinning Wheel<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem from Majacraft is positioned as the travel wheel in their Spinning Wheel product lineup. It is lightweight and takes up very little space.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj8J1TbPhvUpipYpf7BcytT21a0N_77yTkXiAoqJa7a8GDw5nH0jR4Xm-H3wXn4skLWWcgUJaqlardvFjzDq1Rxi8B7XQ4WiDasinuk1-KeaFg_bMqCdm1bmfDUSTtpp0eJZ5hN_BqmI/s2048/Majacraft+Little+Gem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj8J1TbPhvUpipYpf7BcytT21a0N_77yTkXiAoqJa7a8GDw5nH0jR4Xm-H3wXn4skLWWcgUJaqlardvFjzDq1Rxi8B7XQ4WiDasinuk1-KeaFg_bMqCdm1bmfDUSTtpp0eJZ5hN_BqmI/s320/Majacraft+Little+Gem.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem is excellent for spinning fine yarns, but is able to spin all types of yarn, just like its bigger sisters the Rose, Suzie and Aura.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem was launched in 2000. There is a <a href="https://youtu.be/-yAEgL43NQk" title="Live Feed Majacraft Little Gem">video</a> interviewing Owen Poad on YouTube where he says it took 3 years to design, and 3 hours to make. My takeaway from that is a lot of thought went into the design to ensure they achieved the goal to make a small, transportable wheel that could do everything you would expect from their larger wheels with the same precision and quality that make spinning on a Majacraft wheel an absolute dream.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Majacraft completed a redesign in March of 2019. Per the <a href="https://www.majacraft.co.nz/?p=2800" title="Majacraft Blog Post">blog post </a>that announced the change, the some of the upgrades include the following:</p><ul style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><li>They moved the tension knob so you could use the standard Jumbo bobbin and associated flyers without changing the tension knob.</li><li>Moved the stem lock bolt to the front of the wheel</li><li>Changed the stem lock material from brass to stainless steel to add strength (I read some Ravelry posts where this part was breaking and people were needing to replace it.</li><li>Changed the pedal shape to standardize with the other wheels</li></ul><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The majority of the wheel is hand crafted from New Zealand Rimu wood. Rimu wood grows in New Zealand and is sustainably harvested for use in Majacraft products. The drive wheel is made of bamboo and hard board. The bamboo is sourced from renewable forests.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem uses Scotch Tension to take up the yarn on the bobbin. This means that the drive band from the drive wheel is directly connected to the flyer via the whorl (aka pulley) - as the wheel spins the flyer spins. The Flyer spins at a rate determined by the pulley groove you set your upper drive band in, each groove has a calculated ratio for the speed that your flyer will rotate in relation to one turn of the drive wheel. The bobbin rotates free from the drive band, but is controlled by a brake band that applies tension to the bobbin to control the speed at which it rotates. The Flyer will rotate faster than the bobbin to apply twist and wind onto the bobbin. The adjustable brake tension is what controls the speed at which your yarn is drawn onto the bobbin. Compared with other tension systems (Irish, Double), Scotch tension is known to be better for spinning finer yarns. The three elements making up the Scotch tension system are the <a href="https://2jyggjer8wh6vtzm-44453986467.shopifypreview.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-standard-tension-spring" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Standard Tension Spring">tension spring</a>, tension knob and <a href="https://2jyggjer8wh6vtzm-44453986467.shopifypreview.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-green-tension-cord-1-meter" title="Majacraft Tension Cord">tension band</a>. All three of these items can be purchased as replacement parts.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/MaGHP12A_480x480.jpg?v=1599689025" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Scotch tension system on the Little Gem</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem weighs 19 lbs in the package with the accessories and bag. Once assembled it weighs ~9-10 lbs. The weight will vary depending on the grain of the wood. More grain means a heavier wheel.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The footprint dimensions are 15" x 13.4". Maximum height is 29.1" The wheel diameter is 11.8". Orafice height is adjustable - from 27.5" to 30.7". Its folded height is 5.9".</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The ratios you can achieve with the Little Gem are as follows:</p><table class="mce-item-table" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Whorl size - 5 is largest -></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">4</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">1</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Standard Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">4.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">5.7</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">7.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">9.8</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">12.8</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Suzie Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">3.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">5.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">7.3</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">9.1</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">11.6</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Rose Pulley (Slow Speed Kit)</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">2.9</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">3.8</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">4.9</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">7.5</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">10.2</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204);">Fast Pulley</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">8.0</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">10.2</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">12.1</td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); text-align: center;">15</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">They say that people have taken the Little Gem onto planes as a carry on item. People have actually spun on planes and in cars.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem has different treadle mechanics from other Majacraft wheels. The treadles aren't connected by way of rods to the drive wheel. Rather they work more like pedals on a bicycle which move rollers under the treadles. These rollers turn a shaft, which in turn rotates a gear which is connected to the drive wheel. The treadles can lift up off the rollers - which is how you install the lower drive band. This causes the treadling action to feel a little different from the other Majacraft wheels, but just takes getting used to. They recommend you shift your feet up on the pedal a little to have the most effective foot motion.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Every Little Gem is tested before it leaves the factory. A member of the Poad family signs their name on the bottom of the wheel with its serial number before it ships out. You should register your wheel on the <a href="https://www.majacraft.co.nz/register/register.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Majacraft Product Registration">Majacraft Site</a> when you receive it so they have record of where it is and who owns it. It makes it easier down the road if you need technical support as they will be able to know what revision you have in order to help you optimize the wheel for your needs. It is also helpful if you need to make a warranty claim. Majacraft warranty on the Little Gem wheel is 2 years from when you purchased the wheel from me. It is limited to repair or replacement of defective parts, determined by Majacraft.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The only accessories you cannot use on the Gem are the Overdrive head and bobbin. You can use the High Speed head, but it won't add any speed to the Gem as the Little Gem already has the ability to move at very fast speeds.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">When you order a Little Gem it comes standard with one delta flyer, 3 standard plastic bobbins, a travel case and a 2 bobbin capacity travel lazy kate. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/littlegembag_480x480.jpg?v=1599689025" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/travel_kate_480x480.jpg?v=1601036705" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Travel Lazy Kate is included with the Little Gem</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">If you require a 3 bobbin capacity Lazy Kate, you can purchase a <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/accessories/products/majacraft-universal-tensioned-lazy-kate" title="Majacraft Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate">Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate</a> as a separate accessory.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/products/il_fullxfull.2222858967_9j7k_480x480.jpg?v=1596038252" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Majacraft Universal Tensioned Lazy Kate allows for 3 bobbins - can also accommodate Jumbo Bobbins</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Delta Flyer is easy to thread and constructed of stainless steel. The <a href="https://softshetlandwool.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-8-mm-standard-flyer-hook" title="Majacraft 8 mm flyer hook">flyer hook</a> has an 8 mm orifice. The flyer bar on the Delta Flyer is 4.7" long. For best results with the Delta Flyer, make sure your fiber is drafting at a 90 degree angle to the flyer bar. If you are drafting from the side of the wheel, you can swivel the head to achieve the correct angle.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/delta_flyer_480x480.jpg?v=1600964512" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Majacraft Delta Flyer with 8 mm Flyer Hook</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The standard plastic bobbins are reversible with brake grooves on both ends. The core has holes so you can submerge the entire loaded bobbin into a dye bath and get full dispersion of dye into your yarn. The bobbin flange diameter is 3.5", 4.5" long, core diameter is .8 " and the bobbin weighs .22 lbs.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0444/5398/6467/files/unnamed_2_480x480.jpg?v=1600965005" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></p><h6 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">New Majacraft Black Plastic Bobbins will come standard with your Little Gem</h6><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">You can order your Little Gem to be outfit however you like rather than going with the standard accessories. If you prefer to order with a different flyer or bobbins, just let me know and I will provide you with a custom quote for your requested configuration. Majacraft is very flexible and open to customizing to ensure you receive the wheel that allows you to "spin your dreams". </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">You can purchase additional accessories for the Little Gem, specifically flyers and bobbins. Not all flyers and bobbins can or should be used together.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The table below outlines the Flyer and Bobbin accessories you can use with your Little Gem with indication for bobbin compatibility in the body of the table. The flyers are listed in the first column, bobbins along the top, with comments in the table regarding suitability for the bobbin's use with each type of flyer. Majacraft has simplified the selection process by creating kits for the optimal combinations of flyer/bobbin. I will write a blog post in the future with very detailed information about the kits available from Majacraft.</p><table class="mce-item-table" style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Standard Plastic Bobbin</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Standard Wood Bobbin</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Lace Bobbin</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Baby Bobbin</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Stylus Bobbin</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Jumbo Bobbin</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Lace Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Not Compatible, bobbin too large</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Not Compatible, bobbin too large</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Best for lace singles</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Best for plying lace</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Not Compatible, bobbin too large</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Delta Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Not Compatible, bobbin too large</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Fine Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Not Compatible, bobbin too large</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Hybrid Aura Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Wild Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Plying Flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 82.6667px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 77.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 75.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Can be used but not optimal</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 50px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Doesn't have a flyer</h6></td><td style="border: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); width: 60.3333px;"><h6 style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Compatible</h6></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The Little Gem has two drive bands. There is the drive band that connects the pedals to the drive wheel. When reordering this band it is called the <a href="https://2jyggjer8wh6vtzm-44453986467.shopifypreview.com/collections/spare-parts/products/little-gem-drive-band-lower" title="Majacraft Little Gem Lower Drive Band">Little Gem Lower Drive band</a>. This band is thicker (4 mm diameter) and shorter. There is also a band that connects the drive band to the flyer whorl (2 mm diameter, 43.3 inches long). This is called the <a href="https://2jyggjer8wh6vtzm-44453986467.shopifypreview.com/collections/spare-parts/products/majacraft-little-gem-drive-band-upper" title="Majacraft Little Gem Upper Drive Band">Little Gem Upper Drive Band</a>. When you ply with the Little Gem you cross the upper drive band rather than reverse your treadling.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">You can adjust the height of the Little Gem by loosening the wooden lock knob on the stem and easing the entire spinning head upwards. You can also adjust the direction the head face if you like to draft off to the side of your wheel.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">The recommended retail price on the Little Gem is $1,190 USD. If you decide to tailor the accessories, we can reprice it accordingly.</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;">Links/Resources:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://0rwalvrlxrz8h6r1-44453986467.shopifypreview.com/collections/spinning/products/copy-of-majacraft-rose-spinning-wheel-and-lazy-kate" title="Purchase a Majacraft Little Gem">Purchase a Little Gem</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://youtu.be/-yAEgL43NQk" title="Majacraft Live Stream Video about the Little Gem Spinning Wheel">Majacraft Little Gem Live Stream Video</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://www.majacraft.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/little_gem_instructions_web_1.01.pdf" title="Little Gem Assembly Manual">Majacraft Little Gem Assembly Manual</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://youtu.be/S3Pt2Zi-ACs" title="Lower Drive Band on the Little Gem">How to change the lower drive band video</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://youtu.be/iW_yEuq_XLk" title="Little Gem Maintenance Video">Little Gem Maintenance Video</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><a href="https://youtu.be/uRUxWJm9D7k" title="Plying on the Little Gem">Plying with the Little Gem Video</a></p>Jen and Rich Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898433197796256236noreply@blogger.com0