Friday, May 18, 2012

Fiber Arts Friday: Maplecroft Corriedale

Last September I visited a friend of my parents.  I didn't get the post out but I enjoyed meeting this local fiber artist/sheep rancher/gardener.


She showed us around her place and introduced us to some of her ladies.


We bought a lamb from her earlier this year for our freezer (it's delicious) and last September I bought two samples of the lovely roving that her sheep had previously donated.  :-)

4oz Corriedale Top

4oz of Lincoln Longwool

I've (finally) started spinning the Corriedale.  This fiber is quite sproingy... especially after spinning alpaca.


In other news: a reporter from The Greeley Tribune came out while we were shearing alpacas and llamas last weekend and put a few photos in Tuesday's issue.  :-)

Have a great Fiber Arts Friday.

17 comments:

Natalie said...

The dyed yarn in my post today is corriedale too. Sproingy is exactly the right word!

Paula said...

Hey, you're famous! That's so cool! Love the spinning, too. I'm trying so hard not to get sucked in, but you guys are making it near impossible. :) Happy weekend!

Voie de Vie said...

That corriedale looks great ... but so too does the bottom stuff - very soft and downy in the photo.

I don't think I'd know what to do with an entire animal in a freezer. After chops and bones for stock, what else will you use from it?

Anonymous said...

Just to note: your fleece catcher at this shearing is a heck of a lot cuter than the one you had at your farm!

(Ooo -- the last four letters of one of my "verify" words are "yarn." How fitting! Dang. Was actually "yam.")

SarahJS said...

Sorry -- that last "anonymous" comment was from me!
Sarah JS

Vivian said...

The fibers look lovely, are you going to spin or ply them together?

Between you are Brad, the Ray family will soon be celebrities. Then I get to say "I knew them way back ..."

Andria said...

Lovely fiber! That picture of the alpaca is cute, don't let your new found fame go to your head :)

Kathryn Ray said...

@Sarah - your first comment had me concerned for a bit. lol. BTW, both of my fiber-catchers were awesome and have an open invitation to be on my team any day. :-)

@Vivian - I think I am going to ply each to themselves. I have a rough idea for a project and am thinking about striping with some Jacob yarn I made a while back.

@Voie de Vie - most of the meat has been cut into chops or steaks. I don't remember how many whole legs we kept and the rest was ground which will be used in chili or burgers. The final weight was about 45 lbs... enough to keep us in lamb until next spring, but not so much that we feel we have to eat it every day. The farmer kept the pelt.

Carol said...

You made the paper! How nice - it was a cute picture. I am just amazed at all you spinners do to create your own yarn.

Spinster Beth said...

Corriedale was my first fiber to spin, and is still my favorite and my go-to. I love how easy it is!

Heather Woollove said...

You're a star...how thrilling!!
I know what you mean about sproingy fiber, since I've used Hog Island wool in my projects...and it is one of those. When it felts, it still feels spongy and doesn't 'flatten completely out' like most wools.

MarmePurl said...

Fun little piece in the paper.
I am a novice spinner...Sproingy?

Kathryn Ray said...

To me sproingy is spongy and springy at the same time. :-)

Mary said...

Would you guess it, I noticed the peach cider in a bottle...on you alpaca post.

WonderWhyGal said...

Hooray for getting your farm in the paper. I always have to take a step back when spinning wool after my Alpaca. Your bobbin is already looking amazing!

AllyB said...

That Lincoln looks super yummy. Is it as soft as Cormo? I've been spinning some Cormo lately and it is heavenly...soft and a beautiful color that I can't really call white. I've got a very large box of Corriedale roving in my "office" that I need to get busy on. It's from a sheep named Java so you can imagine what color it is. Congrats on your press coverage. It's always fun to know famous folks.

Kathryn Ray said...

I don't believe I've spun Cormo yet, so I have no idea. Of course, I haven't spun the Lincoln yet either. ;-)