Fiber & Me……..

by Donna Jo Copeland, Farmeress/Fiber Artist of Breezy Manor Farm

OOOH there is nothing like bunny kisses on a cold and frosty morning to warm your heart!!! And now the barn is fairly jumping (ok, hopping) as I have 24 angoras out there! Oh it is so nice to have a near-barn full. I have 2 liters, that hussy Celeste and that fence-climbing Clint Black have 3 adorable off spring. Blue Willow and Harry Truman have 4 adorable children. So nice to have babies before the bitter, biting cold. I especially like their munching noises when they have some apple/molasses cookies…...Mom likes to hear the little rattle they make when drinking from their water bottles. Oh and blessings upon blessings…..the temperature at the gate post was 15 this morning at 5 am…….and I was dreading finding frozen water bottles in the barn…..but they were all fine!!! Guess the $700.00 worth of insulation I just put in paid off. I know they will freeze up soon, but every day without frozen water is a blessing to be sure!!! I have rearranged the cages and added 2 inch foam sheets on top of the rafters, about 18 inches above the cages. And 4x8 sheets on the east and west ends. Seems to be a good idea.

My dad was teasing me about spending more money on the bunnies & barn than on myself--I don't have a furnace or air conditioning but the bunnies…..:) But then, hey they are my true love!
With all of this angora I have been busy blending….and have kept Wooly Knob adept at angora blending as well. Currently my favorite is a grey (white to coal black) Cotswold, yep Cotswold, angora and silk. Really yummy and wants to spin fine. The halo is incredible! They have 2 more fleeces to process for me…..one is a black corridale I am having them blend in clouds of kid mohair and pools of angora. And, hey I can't remember the other…..the Wool Gathering in Ohio was 2 months ago....

When I decided to remain in the angora bunny business, I wanted some new blood lines. Thank heavens for the Internet. After many evenings searching and emailing I found some nice angoras in West Virginia. Thankfully their owner arranged to meet me in Ohio. Willie Nelson is a chestnut agouti and a real ham! Laverne and Shirley are that delightful red. And oh so adorable! The drive to Yellow Springs is a chore for a simple farmeress like me who doesn't like interstates or even paved roads. I went over early and met a friend for breakfast and "did" the show. Then we took in one of the most wonderful quilt shows I've ever attended! It was held at an old brick house, ancient barn, apple orchard…..and the quilts were hung on clothesline strung off thru the woods, some even on the front of the barn! So inviting!!!! And some wonderful work as well!!!
Willie didn't like being in the carrier so he rode on top of it, beside me in the front seat of the pickup on the way home. That was about 3 hours…...he would nap occasionally, but spent most of the time watching the world go by. Riding shotgun has become his trademark. And he entertained everyone at the Bloomington Spinners & Weavers Guild Show & Sale earlier this month.

Every once in a while an artist has to take a huge leap***.and this is my year. At the National ARBA Show (that's bunny to ya all) in Indianapolis last month I bought 2 absolutely adorable English Angoras….from Wisconsin. Teddy and Neva. They're litter mates and have incredibly long (7") wool, finely crimped. So sweet and soft. Such great personalities! I bought them when I first laid eyes on them Sunday morning…..then they showed. Teddy placed first in his class of 20 and Neva placed 3rd in her class of 17. I am already planning dates for these 5 new ones with some of my own. Should have some really wonderful little ones next year!

Ok, I'm not done yet…….Now I do adore the way the boys at Wooly Knob make up my rovings. But sometimes I want smaller bits. My trusty old Louet hand cranked carder (I've had for around 20 years) is wonderful, but only does a 3" by 18" at a time…..and my arm gets tired after a long session. There is a piece of equipment I have drooled over for years and years. Soooooooooo I bit the bullet and ordered a Patrick Green Super Carder…...after questioning them nearly to death……..it should be here the first of December…....I'm excited!!! Mom and Dad are teasing me about FINALLY owning something which isn't me-powered. (You know I don't even have an outside water spigot…..a hand pump over a cistern is my yard and garden water as well as the rinse water for the multitude of fleeces I wash each year...) Mom took me aside, and said "You know you will have to plug it in, do you have an outlet?"…...Isn't it nice to be a worry to your parents as well as your kids and your neighbors???? ( My kids have written me off I believe…)

And now for my long standing loom project….the big old nearly-together 4 harness loom which as been resting in the garage for over 2 years is finally coming in the house/studio. I plan to get it in Thanksgiving weekend…….providing I can lasso some help! Then shall come the challenge of getting it up and working…..there appears to be some missing pieces and some irregular work done…..but hey, I love a challenge (not really, but that seems to be what I am constantly dealt in life…..)

Well its late and I have a loom to finish dressing…………and a warp to plan for towels. Never enough hours in my humble days. But sometimes the rewards are just awesome…..

In this coming season of sharing and loving, let’s take a minute to be thankful for our fiber talents. We as members, fiber working members, of SWIFT are truly blessed. The joy of work done by our own hands from ideas formed in our own minds is something not everyone has known.

Happy Fibering, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years! Tink adds her blessings as well…..

Donna Jo