a couple or two of thoughts from a NewZealander - yep a real born in
the depths of the King Country which is about middle of the North
Island - so I'm not a Mainlander :-)
About 10yrs ago maybe more when I think about it. I organised bus
trips for guild members and we went to visit a Polwarth sheep breeder
who had put together a "game" - there were about 15 locks of fleece
and we had to work out from the feel of them - what they were? I
wasn't an *xpert but I jokingly said they are probably all the same
breed but the gurus were having none of that! They found that there
was a huge variety and they had written on their cards lots of
different breeds!
Well folks I was pretty darn nearly right! They were all ROMNEYS
which shows to everyone on this list that there are Romneys and
Romneys as there is Polwarths and Polwarths.
I have spun a variety of Romneys over the years - some have been
very, very nice and others quite coarse. Once I was wooed by a colour
- a gorgeous silver grey! which was like rope. I've 2 fleeces on the
go errrrrrr taking a rest break they are. One is a chocolate brown
and other a jersey caramel and they are both different feels but
still very nice.
Up until maybe 5yrs ago anytime I was faced with Merino or something
as fine or slippery I couldn't spin it but suddenly it seemed my
practicing and stuff had paid off as now I can spin the
slivers/rovings quite easily. I often though will blend other items.
I don't own a drum carder but I have hand carders. Usually I don't
have a lot of anything i.e. I'm not a sweater spinner :-) so
handcards are just right.
I mostly like to spin in the grease but some breeds that's not really
an option - got the badge with a Polwarth b*lls up once. And although
it's time consuming to wash a fleece the result is you know exactly
what is what in the finished fibre and you can get a lot of pleasure
from the process. I usually wash mine in a plastic slatted basket
which has a handle and fits nicely in my tub. Bit by bit I will
process and dry so often a fleece will take awhiles to be clean and
ready to go.
love to spin almost anything always got something happening on my
electronic ashford and at other times on my historic wheels
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Taken a new photo album space @
http://picasaweb.google.com/cedar51
Cathy, who is in New Zealand
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