You are looking at this year’s take from the NYS Sheep & Wool Festival (aka simply as “Rhinebeck” – as in the town it takes place, Rhinebeck, NY). 3 bags of alpaca, 1 bag of mohair, 2 of cormo (excited about this, since I have not worked with it before) and 1 bag of icelandic (sheep). I need this much more fleece like I need a hole in my head! I have gotten so behind in fiber production since keeping (contentedly) busy with engraving jewelry. That said, I regret *nothing* and this has only boosted my passion for hand processing fleece from raw.
I still have some merino to finish dyeing that I picked up in Maine this summer, and then I will dive into scouring the cormo. I will most likely blog about each fleece as I go, but until then take a look at the crimp in this alpaca! I took this photo with my macro lens so perhaps it is too detailed…in any event, it is so soft, and the color is drool worthy. Caramels and creams seemed to be the color of the season this year, I even picked up some dyed silk in a similar colorway. I’m thinking my next art batts will be named after desserts! 😉
