Friday, October 16, 2020

Fiber Arts Friday: Shave 'Em to Save 'Em, Shropshire

Breed - Shropshire


My first thoughts are this yarn is extremely spongy, drafts nicely, and would be really nice in anything requiring a lot of memory such as hats and socks.

I like that this preparation doesn't seem to have lanolin in it.

A nice spongy 2-inch staple.


I was wanting to spin these SE2SE samples thicker, but sometimes the yarn just wants to be what the yarn wants to be... this is much closer to my typical thin gauge.


I think this breed would be lovely in garments requiring some memory such as hats and sweaters.  It would also be lovely in socks and mittens.


I spun a lot of this during the 2020 Tour de Fleece, v1, but finished it between tours.

Shropshire is a member of the Down family of sheep, which explains my thoughts about its potential uses.  Ancestors of this breed are documented as far back as 1341.  The name Shropshire was assigned in 1848 and they were first imported to the US in 1855.

Shropshires are considered good quality for meat, wool, and milking... which, in my opinion, should make them a great option for homesteaders.

The Livestock Conservancy has Shropshire listed as Watch, meaning there are fewer than 200 annual registrations in the US and a world population estimated at less than 2000.

This wool was grown in Connecticut, but the roving was milled and sourced locally form the Fiber Traveler/Aspen Kid.

Final Yarn: 
Single Duration: July 9 - July 26, 2020
Ply Duration: July 26 - August 1, 2020
ounces: 3.5
yards: 244, 2-ply
wpi:  12

Ready to Submit:  August 7, 2020

SE2SE Status:  Shropshire
Total Breeds: 22
Breeds Sourced: 16
Breeds Spun: 13
Breeds To Go: 9

Months Remaining: 14 (12/31/21)


Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

No comments: