Winter Ewes

It has been so long since I've taken pics of the sheep.  Last evening Clancy helped me get larger coats on all the girls, which means I got my hands on those fleeces!   Today was gray...and I had to 'brighten' a few of the photos just to see the eyes of the black sheep...but I felt compelled to snap a few photos anyway so I could record the things I noticed yesterday.

Above is coming 2 year old, Esyllt. (Whitepine Arvada x LRO January).  Her fleece was softer than I expected...and longer than most in my flock.  I'm looking forward to getting micron data on this girl. 

Carys will be 2 this spring as well.  She is practically identical to her 2 white full-sisters in the flock.  Nice white wool. 

Lyneth, the fattest of the sisters.  :)

River Oaks Lana and her daughter, Penelope.  Pen still is not tame, but was easily caught with some oats.  Happy with her fleece.

Vianne in the background...pretty girl!  Hannah, and Justina upfront.

Nhu, my only katmoget daughter from AnnaBelle.  So soft.

River Oaks Hannah...super friendly and lovely fleece.

River Oaks Lana.  So refined.

Little Justina...my only S'more Courante daughter.  I was not disappointed with that coal black fleece under her coat.  She is also a sweetheart.

Work in Progress Mouse

I should have used some wire to create a form to build this mouse on.  But I didn't have any wire around so I just started...leaving me with a standing mouse that couldn't support itself on its tiny back legs.  So then I had to create props to stabilize him.

The cheese and crackers are not completed.  I do want to add some detail to make it more realistic.  And Clancy offered to make a small wood cutting board to display the sculpture on...as if someone set out a snack and this little mouse found it.

I'll post another pic when I get it all put together.



More Bunny

Trying to make a more 'realistic' bunny...as the boys said my other one looked like a mouse.  True...though I think it could pass as a 'baby bunny'.  Clancy said he liked the cartoonish style of the first one.  Constant constructive critique...one of the joys of living with several artistic people!  lol

I already see many things I wish to improve in my sculpture...but rather than re-work this one, I'll just make more.  Practice makes perfect better.  Clancy asked if he could show me some techniques that might help me achieve the shapes I'm seeking.  After almost 18 years of marriage to this man, I know for a fact that his first attempt at needle-felting will produce an animal more full of style and personality than I could hope to achieve in months of trying.  But I intend to humbly accept his offer anyway.  :)

Needle Felted Bunny

This is what happened when I took a gob of wet felted gray wool and started tucking it together with the needle.  I had no idea I was going to make a bunny...but eventually this form took shape.

I like how the ears and tail turned out.





Asa's Artwork

My son,

Asa,

 brought home this large pastel from his art class the other day.  I fell in love with it instantly and hung it at the top of the staircase.  I also posted it on facebook, but I had to share it here too.

The photo does not do it justice.  The colors are so much more vivid and "joyous" in real life.  But all the same...it reminds me of my son's talent and unique perspective.  Asa has been creating abstract art since he was a small child...and I am always surprised by how he sees the world.

Surprised and delighted.

Color Added...

Remember the simple gray flower I made from my first attempt at wet felting?

I added a little color today using Icelandic wool that my friend, Mary, raised and dyed.  Then I sewed a jewelry pin to the back.  Hoping the little girl I had in mind while choosing the colors likes it when I mail it to her.  :)

Needle Felting Wool For Sale

I am excited to introduce a new product line...

Needle Felting Wool and Wool Locks...

all 100% Shetland Wool, of course!

Large bags (sandwich size filled up) are available in a variety of single colors or multi-color packs 

 $6.50 + S&H.  MN sales tax also applies to orders shipped to MN residents.

Small bags (approximately 1/3 sandwich bag size) are $4.50 + S&H.

MN sales tax applies to all MN sales.

Wool Locks are also available.  Small bags are $2.50.  Large bags are $5.00.

Again, S&H applies as well as MN sales tax to MN residents.

To give you an idea of how much lock wool is in a small bag...small bags contain enough locks to make beards for 3+ dolls with "barbie doll" sized heads.  I hope that makes sense.   

At this time, the locks are only sold in single colors, but multi-color packs can be shipped upon request.

If you have any questions or wish to order wool, please contact me at

sabrinalea19@yahoo.com

All of the above products are also available locally in downtown Bemidji at

YARN DANCE

on 15th ST & Paul Bunyan DR.

Prices at the shop and direct from Boston Lake Farm are the same.

I would like to thank Patty at Yarn Dance for encouraging me to produce this product line and for offering it through her beautiful shop.  Please stop by Yarn Dance and discover all the gorgeous yarns and fiber-crafting supplies Patty carries for fiber enthusiasts!

Carding a Gray Katmoget

The fleece pictured below came from Sextant...one of the lambs I sent to the processor in October.  It is a 6 month old lamb fleece...with a 1.5-2.5 inch staple.  Deliciously fine and very crimpy.

I decided to card the darkest locks up first.  Sextant was a dark katmoget...all his underbelly black had been skirted away.  The only true "black" locks in these batts came from the bit of stripe under his neck.  The rest of the dark came from his regular fleece.  Below are the batts after the first run through the drum carder. 

For the second pass through the carder I divided each batt into 2 or 3 sections and carded them separately.  The lighting for this photo is completely different...but you can still see there is a very distinct gradient.  I love how much variety a black katmoget fleece can give.  And I especially love the blue color!

I am dissatisfied with all the noils in these lamb fleeces I've been carding up recently.  The lambs were coated, and the very tippy-tip of the locks seems to be the source of the noils.  I don't expect it to matter much since this wool is intended for felting.  But if the locks had been longer and intended for spinning, I believe combing each lock would have been a better way to process the fleece.