Last year’s breed study was so successful that we’re doing it again! (What is a breed study, anyway?)
This study is open to anyone who can spin and is willing to process raw wool. Wichita area residence is not required – we welcome participants from farther afield.
News flash – we have added a team option!
The in-person introductory session will be held on Saturday, July 8, 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, July 25, August 8 & 22, and September 5 & 19, 2023 .
** And just so you know… there are no spinning police! You do need to be willing to produce and contribute a small sample for our notebook, but if you can’t get to all the breeds this summer, you will have them for your own experimentation when you’re ready.
Breed study features:
~ Scour, prep and spin some of each wool sample, following the weekly schedule ** (see ‘no spinning police‘ above)
~ Access a shared online folder with:
- 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
~ Participate in bi-weekly Zoom discussions (as your schedule allows) to share your experience with each breed’s wool:
- Attend Zoom meetings to listen and ask questions even if you haven’t yet worked with that breed
- Recording links will be sent to registered participants to watch any they missed
~ Create one 4” x 4” swatch (knitted, crocheted, woven or felted) and a 2-yard length of yarn from your assigned breed for inclusion in a reference and display notebook
If this sounds like fun, 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)
Questions?? Email study coordinator Sharon Barnes
Breeds included:
- Babydoll Southdown
- Black Welsh Mountain
- Gulf Coast Native
- Leicester Longwool
- Lincoln
- Oxford
- Romney
- Targhee
- Tunis
- Valais Blacknose
Now with a Team option
Are you interested in the breed study, but doing all 10 breeds seems daunting? Grab one or more like-minded friends and do it as a team! Come up with a name for your team and designate a ‘captain’ to register, submit payment and provide the names and contact info for all team members.
Then split up the 10 breed samples within the team however you like – different breeds can go to different people, or everyone can get a chunk of each. (Keep in mind that some fleeces – we’re looking at you, Gulf Coast Native – are smaller than others.)
You do NOT need to live in the Wichita area, but one team member must attend the first session to bring home the bags of fleece.
Photo credits: Babydoll Southdown photo © Sharon Barnes; Black Welsh Mountain photo © Steve Andriano; Leicester Longwool photo © Steven Garrow; Tunis photo © Amy Ferm