Again today I have learned a lesson.  “The animals will teach you the errors of your ways.” Today I discovered another error.

The picture below shows two locks of Shetland lambswool.  Both soft as clouds. Both unwashed, raw fleece locks.  Which one would you rather have?

The spinners and shepherds among us know the answer. Assuming equal softness, they would much rather spin the locks on the left because of the long staple length.  The non-spinners and non-shepherds among us are saying to themselves, “Which one would I rather have for what?”  That’s okay.  We’re patting you on the head, and we’ll explain.

The fleece on the right is what we sheared off our Shetland lambs in March. The fleece on the left is what we sheared from them the September prior.  Someone had told me that Shetlands could be sheared twice a year.  Clearly, they cannot.  Not if you want any sort of staple length.

So, bottom line, the fleece on the right is going to the compost pile.  The fleece on the left (2009 fleeces, and there are actually two of them this color) will be what is processed for the 2010 shareholders. It’s lambswool, it’s lusciously soft, it’s clean, and it should spin beautifully.

Lesson learned:  The Shetlands will only be sheared in the spring and, remembering our lesson from yesterday about the barn floor, every effort will be made to keep them clean over the winter. This is good news for the 2011 shareholders, whomever you may be, since we now have 19 Shetland sheep!

Crazy knitters, spinners, and crocheters are sitting in their houses making beautiful things in whichever fiber craft catches their fancy while watching the Vancouver Olympics (or not). Those who are hooked in to the Ravelry social network are entering their finished goods in the Ravelympics and receiving virtual medals for their efforts.

This is my entry in the Hat Halfpipe competition. It is called “Aaron’s Hat” not because I made it for some guy named Aaron, but because that’s the pattern name! It’s actually going into inventory as I prepare for next fall’s round of craft fairs and art shows.

What’s next? The matching cowl neckscarf, of course!