Re: Was Spin Off survey:Now Molting

[Sara von Tresckow]

I lived a long time in Germany - there the stories circulated about the lean 
years after WWII when the sheep weren't shorn for a few seasons. They 
"molted" in the sense that the wool had a break and plaqued off when they 
rubbed, grazed and whatnot. Most of the older spinners I knew learned during 
that period - from wool they gleaned from the fences.
The sheep involved were normal sheep from commercial flocks - not primitive 
breeds.
If you don't shear yearly, the sheep will lose at least some of the fleece 
during the warm months without changing the classification of the breed that 
they are.
This mystique of "double coat" and primitive" that runs around in current 
spinning books and blogs is quite overblown - normal commercial flocks make 
very nice wool - lots of it.

Sara von Tresckow, Fond du Lac, WI
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.woolgatherers.com Dutch Master Loom/Spinning Chairs/Vxabdck Looms

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