365Caws is now in its 16th year of publication. If I am unable to post daily, I hope readers who love the natural world and fiberarts will seize those days to read the older material. Remember that this has been my journey as well, so you may find errors in my identifications of plants. I have tried to correct them as I discover them. Likewise, I have refined fiberarts techniques and have adjusted recipes, so search by tags to find the most current information. And thank you for following me!
Friday, October 22, 2021
Leicester Lustre
Day 9: Breeds of sheep are generally separated into two categories: those raised for wool and those destined for the meat locker. There is some latitude in those definitions, and some people raise cross-breeds which offer both options at the cost of excelling in neither. When I had sheep, I raised a Romney-Suffolk or Romney-Corriedale cross from which I generally got two adult fleeces from each animal as well as a lot of lamb-burger and chunks of mutton destined to become my favourite soup, Scotch broth. The wool from both was good for "every day," but not particularly silky or lustrous. Recently a friend offered me a pound of Blue-Faced Leicester fleece which, after surveying my fiber stash, I accepted gratefully. I've never spun BFL, but when I opened the parcel and saw the crimp and sheen of the wool, I knew I was going to love it. BFL is a long-staple fiber, and although the breed is primarily raised for meat, the wool is popular with handspinners for its length and softness. Thanks, Shelby!
Labels:
BFL,
Blue-Faced Leicester,
spinning,
wool
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