April 2004

FIBER & ME

By Donna Jo Copeland

Grumble, grumble……it's the end of April and I'm tired of wonderfully warm wool sweaters & socks, long underwear and GLOVES! If this is spring, I'm not so sure I like it anymore. Ok, I understand the coolish weather is good for the blooming plants, makes the bloom last longer. The lilacs around my ancient farmstead have been just heavenly. And my old fashioned garden phlox opened just this evening. What a wondrous clove/spicey fragrance!! But the horrid winds we've had the last month have nearly blown everything away (or in the case of the barn roof, nearly off). I myself prefer the 70ishnearly80ish temperatures, soft southern breezes, gentle all night rains…………………hey can I dream or what???

Speaking of rains, where are they? In my youth I was taught the little rhyme "April showers bring May flowers" and I have it up as a screen saver on my computer, but they aren't happening at my wee place. Only a quarter inch this whole month and of course that means NO MUSHROOMS!! AUUUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am feeling very deprived---Mom and Dad too!! (I'm trying to console myself with fresh asparagus from my cottage garden, but it's not the same….) Grumble, grumble…..

Ok, on to fiber…..A t the Fleece Fair in Greencastle I ran amuck….bought 3 whole fleeces, part of 2 more and the day before the fair opened I received a black Cotswold (9 pounds of it!) from the nuns on Shaw Island, Washington. Coopworth, corridale, Icelandic, blue faced Leicester and Shetland are now sitting all over the back porch. Bitsy, my back porch kitty, can barely move about what with all the fleece, picker, carder and hackle!! I'm washing it all a bit at a time and praying my ancient dug well is good, sound and full!! Using a nylon mesh bag it takes a long time to do an entire fleece, but it's a manageable amount on a daily basis. I wash a bag full each morning, hang it out to dry on the line (still in the bag) and it's usually ready to spread out for the final bit of drying when I get home. Of course I could always make another bag or two, but that would mean more water……I figure I have all summer to get done!

With the blue faced Leicester I have been doing something strange and wonderful. First off it is wonderful to work with………….washing, picking and carding! Oh, it fluffs up so pretty when I take it off the drum carder---like cotton candy. Then I lay a bit of white angora (surprise….) on top of a bit when I spin---very fine. OK, fine for me. Just this morning I washed 2 skeins to set the twist of the fine singles. I am planning a wedding ring shawl---and it will probably take a ring to fit Paul Bunyon to pull it thru! (Like I need another project…) I just bought 2 pounds of the raw fleece and I'm really amazed at how far it is going!

I discovered the black Cotswold early this spring at SHEEP STREET in Morgantown when I was looking for a "locky grayish fleece". I bought Molly's from Big Springs Farm. She was lovely and was just perfect for my project. Then I jumped on the internet (bad, really bad girl) and found the nuns on Shaw Island. They spoke very highly of the breed, fleece and temperament. I was hooked!! Hence the 9 pounds. Oh, and the Cormacks brought me Mahoney's fleece at the SWIFT meeting…………he's also all those lovely greys, blacks and whites. He didn't hold lock definition when I washed it so I carded it with about 40% of my lilac buck, Mr. Violet and it was HEAVENLY!! Angora, the perfect mixer!!
So far I have just knitted a couple of hats with the yarn, but more is planned…………..

Something wonderful happened at the Fleece Fair I nearly forgot about. George Harrell let me and another lady be at his elbow when he judged the fleeces. We were thrilled to have his expertise and were even more amazed whenever he agreed with our choices! It was an interesting experience. He is a commercial buyer, she worked in a mill and I am a hand spinner. Three very different backgrounds and interests, but we all were looking for basically the same fleece. It was nice to have George's help in gaining confidence judging. I have been a dairy goat judge and a rabbit judge. Guess the fleece is the natural progression.

And, something else wonderful happened Fleece Fair week as well. I finished and printed my 4th book, DIARY OF A FARMERESS, dedicating it to Jeanne who mentored my spinning struggles. It's really a simple book, my journal of farm life for a couple of years, the sunrises & sunsets, the births & deaths, the hopes & disappointments. But people bought it and seem to like it as I have received several notes. Tinkerbell helped edit and print so it's officially "our" book.

And I finished my version of the Lord of the Rings Cloak. The hand is wonderful and got rave reviews at the SWIFT meeting and Fleece Fair as well. I have worn it out a couple of times, enjoying it immensely.

Since it's not supposed to rain tomorrow I am going down now to wash another sack of fleece--working on the coopworth now. All of this fleece, all of the promises to keep, works of joy and love. A Fiber-worthy Feast!

Happy Fibering!