Curls fall under the blade of the shearer, leaving behind a lustrous sheen on the ewe. Her first time shearing a Gotland sheep, the shearer comments on the slick black legs and lack of belly wool. Charcoal gray wool lays in a thick blanket on the barn floor as the ewe stands. Distinct curls twist and dangle as I gather the warm fleece in my arms.
Gotland breeders tend to shear their sheep twice a year, once in the late fall and then again in spring. The fleece grows 10-12 inches within a years time allowing for two shearings. The fleece is long, fine, and lustrous. Soft to the touch, the smooth silky curls feel clean, having little lanolin.
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| Dark Charcoal Gray Gotland Fleece |
Snow fell overnight making the air crisp. The sun tries to peek from behind clouds to watch me as I skirt the black fleece. Beneath the outer layer of dark curls, I shake the deep charcoal gray wool to release any short cuts from the shearing. The wool makes a snapping sound as I test it for strength. I think about sending the fleece to the mill and getting our first Gotland wool yarn from our own sheep.
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| Curls |
Sue Blacker, of The Natural Fibre Company in England, has perfected taking these lovely curls and turning them into yarn. She spins her Gotland fleece into a 4 ply knitting yarn. Upon asking why she prefers a 4 ply for the Gotland, she said that she finds that due to the silky nature of the fiber, it pulls out of a 2 ply yarn causing pilling. Sue separates her fleeces according to color in order to offer Gotland yarn from the lightest silver to the darkest charcoal gray.
I must wait patiently until our spring shearing before sending our wool to be spun. In the meantime, I have ordered Gotland yarn from Sue so that I can knit a test swatch to determine how I would like our wool spun. I have worked with Stonehedge Fiber Mill for years, and feel confident that Deb will spin lovely Gotland yarn for us.
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Outer Layer of Curls
Follow our Gotland adventure: Settling In with Gotlands |
