Sunday, July 02, 2006

July 2: Wool and wheels


Yesterday we went to the Woolfest at Cockermouth. Photos are only from the livestock section - the sales and demonstration areas were too packed with people to be able to photograph - anyway I was too busy with a bit of retail frenzy.

The sheep above is either Hebridean or Shetland, and the ones below are Wensleydale; they have wool like mohair.


And this one below is a Teeswater.


I bought kilos of fibre ready-prepared for spinning - Shetland, Blue Faced Leicester, and Merino, which I've never tried spinning but was on sale in such sensational colours I just HAD to have some. Also a high speed whorl for my Majacraft Little Gem wheel, for fine spinning, and a tensioned Lazy Kate, which will perhaps make plying less prone to tangles.

And we still managed to be home in time to catch part of Le Tour prologue. Pity Jan Ullrich isn't in it this year - he looks much fitter than the past few years, and Ivan Basso's absence will make a difference too.

So for the next 3 weeks (apart from rest days - Mondays), we will be glued to the TV every evening.

3 comments:

Z said...

What wonderful sheep - I particularly like those Wensleydales.

Anonymous said...

That's it - I'm changing my profession. Australia is full of merinos; a few dreadlocked alternatives would go very well on the local market.

- barista

stitchwort said...

Hello barista -
don't forget to check if the dreadlocked alternatives will live in the same conditions as the merinos!