I love it when two really good books pertaining to my hobbies are published around the same time. A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd gives inspiration to those who spin and knit with their handspun yarns. There are beautiful knittng patterns designed to showcase the wool spun from sheep breeds familiar to most handspinners. Each garment or accessory is shown knit in handspun and also in commercial/millspun yarn which offers inspiraton to those who do not spin. There are lots of lovely photographs and a section on the various breeds of sheep and the process of spinning fiber into yarn.
Shear Spirit by Joan Tapper takes you on a journey to ten fiber farms and ranches across America. You'll meet the animals and get to know the people as they provide a glimpse into their daily lives and share their motivations for keeping these traditions. Beautiful photos of the animals, the fiber, and the land.
Both of these books are great additions to your library. Probably a "must have" for handspinners but also a good read if you've ever wondered about what all is involved in going from sheep to fiber or cloth.
With all of the inspiration gleened from reading these two books, I was inspired to spin up the wool batt into the yarn that you see on top of the books. The wool is Hog island Wool that comes from sheep similar to those bred by George Washington on his Mount Vernon Estate 200 years ago. Hog Island sheep are listed as "Critical" on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy's Endangered Breeds list. There are fewer than 200 registered head of sheep. You can read more about this breed here. It felt good spinning a little bit of history.
I used my Jensen Tina II for this wool; here's the single
Here's the plied yarn...
I have 8 ounces of Hog Island wool. I've not decided on a project for it but my goal this year is to spin the fibers that I want to knit or weave with in the Fall. It never fails, I'll pull out a pattern that I'd like to knit with my handspun and the perfect wool turns out to be a fleece that I haven't processed yet, so there goes my motivation. I'm happy to say that I have only two more batts of this particular wool to spin and all 8 ounces will be yarn :-)
Just to show you that I am on track here with my spinning, here are a few skeins that I finished today...
These are ready to be washed. Finn, medium grey, Coopworth, the dark grey, and California Red.
Here they are washed and ready for a project!
Until next time.
The wonderful smell of the lilacs outside my window is calling to me.
Have wonderful day and thanks for taking time to check in on me :-)
Oh what a gorgeous post! I can almost feel that wonderful wool! I love the connection of spinning a bit of history that you mentioned ... what a wonderful concept.
Posted by: Barbara | April 24, 2008 at 05:55 PM
Another very interesting and beautiful post Vee! It is so wonderful that you spin, and I love the part about having some similar to George Washington's days. I am very excited to see what you knit later this year from what you have spun. And, oh the lilacs are heavenly!
Posted by: Nancy | April 25, 2008 at 10:03 AM
You have been a busy spinner! Those skeins of natural colored wools make such a beautiful picture - and I love the historical connection.
Posted by: Charleen | April 26, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Found your blog through another friends blog, love the yarn colors. Really liking the Lilacs. Good luck with the weaving frame piece - will check in again to see the progress
Roberta
Posted by: Roberta Smith | May 02, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Hello Vee! I have been unable to visit many blogs with my mother visiting but am so glad to have been able to stop in to say hello. I loved seeing your wools and am fascinated with spinning although I don't even knit. I will look forward to seeing some possible projects with some of these in the future.
Your lilacs are beautiful and I hope you are enjoying their sweet perfume!
Hugs ~
Heidi
Posted by: Heidi | May 05, 2008 at 04:25 PM
Thanks for the book reviews, after reading this I bought A Fine Fleece and I was pleased I did, it's a lovely book.
Posted by: Dorothy | May 09, 2008 at 10:39 AM
I just found your blog when browsing and was touched by the sheer beauty of everything I saw. I am an embroidered, with an 8 month old baby so no time at all to embroider. Until that time comes again, I get my 'fix' by books, blogs and magazines. Your blog is as beautiful as Inspirations!
Be loved and blessed,
Eva
Posted by: Eva | June 13, 2008 at 09:34 PM
It's been too long since you last posted. Come back and show us some more gorgeous wooly pictures! :D
Posted by: Barbara | June 27, 2008 at 12:58 PM