Last year’s breed study was so successful that we’re doing it again! We don’t have grant funding this time around, so the class fee will cover expenses for fleeces and supplies.
This study is open to anyone who can spin and is willing to process raw wool.
The in-person introductory session will be held on Saturday, June 17, 10 am – noon. Attendance at this session is REQUIRED, since this is when you will get your wool!
From the first session, spinners will take home samples of wool from 10 different breeds of sheep to process and spin according to a weekly schedule, then attend group Zoom meetings for discussion and show & tell.
Bi-weekly Zoom sessions will be held at 7:30 on Tuesday evenings, June 27, July 11 & 25, and August 8 & 22, 2023 .
Breeds included:
- Babydoll Southdown
- Black Welsh Mountain
- Gulf Coast Native
- Leicester Longwool
- Lincoln
- Oxford
- Romney
- Targhee
- Tunis
- Valais Blacknose
Participants will:
~ Attend the in-person introductory session and participate in bi-weekly Zoom discussions to share their experience with each breed’s wool
~ Have access to a shared online folder, which will include:
- Breed information
- Fiber scouring & processing information
- Documents for each breed to which you can add your own comments
- Examples of breed study comments
- Record-keeping documents
~ Scour, prep and spin some of each wool sample, following the weekly schedule
~ Lead the Zoom discussion for one randomly assigned breed on a specified date, based on their availability
~ Create one 4” x 4” swatch (knitted, crocheted, woven or felted) and a 2-yard length of yarn from their assigned breed for inclusion in a reference and display notebook
~ (Optional) Produce and share additional swatches/yarn samples for other breeds or in other techniques
~ Notify study coordinator of any inability to complete the project (with the possibility of transferring remaining fiber samples to someone else for completion)
Since this is a joint project, it is important for each person to participate fully! However, it is understood that individuals may not be available for every Zoom meeting, and provisions will be made whenever possible to support asynchronous inclusion.
Class size is limited to 10 registrants
Study coordinator: Sharon Barnes
If you agree to the above requirements, continue to online registration!
Class fee: $65. Submit $20 via PayPal at registration, and bring the remaining $45 to the first session (cash, check, PayPal accepted)
Photo credits: Babydoll Southdown photo © Sharon Barnes; Black Welsh Mountain photo © Steve Andriano; Leicester Longwool photo © Steven Garrow; Tunis photo © Amy Ferm