Southern Ladies Arrive!

 What a lovely surprise greeted us Wednesday morning when Katie and I went on our morning trek to the barn! Hidaway Farms Electra had delivered, cleaned, and nursed two adorable grey katmoget EWE lambs. Our first ewes of the year and they look like their mom. Yea! This little spotted kat is Caroline.

 Caroline's sister is Cora!

This evening after feeding (Friday) we released Electra and the girls from their "jug" and they enjoyed the evening stretching their legs and resting in between.

Welcoming Little Lambs in 2013

 "Who are you? You don't look like my mommy...you don't smell like my mommy! You must not be my mommy!"

 "But I like you!!" No handling the ram lamb...Shetland rams anyway.

 The "name theme" for 2013: Old Southern Names. Welcome Dexter (white ram) and his twin, Hunt (moorit krunet ram) born on Friday, April 5th. Hidaway Farms Nala is the proud first time mom.

Shania, our oldest bred ewe, delivered a single white ram lamb on Saturday, April 6th. Welcome to our flock...Abbott!

Next due date around Wednesday, the 10th...

Waiting, Watching, Waiting...

 "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...you wait and watch...how do you think we feel?"  A Shetland with an attitude? Naw, just Ruth showing her teeth.

 Ladies-in-waiting:  Back-Amelia and Abigail
                               Middle- Moonpie (Icelandic)
                               Front- Nala and Cinderella

Who are we waiting on?  Amelia bred to Sycamore Farms Duramax (Max)
                                        Abigail bred to Max
                                        Nala bred to Max
                                        Cinderella bred to Hidaway Farms Cedar
                                        Heartthrob bred to Cedar
                                        Ruth bred to Cedar
                                        Shania bred to Max
                                        Gina bred to Max
                                        Sprinkles bred to Max
                                        Electra bred to Max
                                       
                                        Moonpie bred to Sheldon (Icelandics from Tennessee)


Tomorrow begins 146 days that we thought we saw some ruffled wool. So from tomorrow until the end of April...we watch. All but one should go within the next two weeks!

A Shepherd's Christmas is coming...Anticipation!!
                                       

"No need to watch me! I was only born last July for goodness sake!" Yes, Darla, but next spring we will be watching you too!!

Shetland Roving Rug

 Learned a new technique in the fall of 2012. After making 2 chair pads and a small square rug I decided to try a longer rug. I chose 2 solid shades of gray roving and a two-tone roving all from our own Shetland sheep.

 This is a peg loom that is very versatile and easy to use. This one was made for me. The loom is warped and ready to go in the picture above.

Here is the finished product. I have some needle felting to do around the edges and it will be ready to use. My first rug is in my craft room near the sink. It feels so good underfoot when working at the counter. It gets really warm too! Nothing like wool to keep you cozy!

WINTER SKY

 The 3 batts above remind me of a winter sky...blue and grey with clouds or snow...remind me because we have had an unseasonably warm winter with little snow.

 The yarn was spun and then plied with a metallic blue thread.

This yarn consists of cream and grey natural colored Shetland wool and blue dyed Shetland wool (by Katie), some blue/purple fine wool, nepps, soy silk, firestar, and recycled soda bottles. Yes, soda bottles...it is a shiny soft white fiber...amazing stuff.

Winter sky describes today...grey clouds this morning...snow flurries at noon...blue sky with white wispy clouds this afternoon!

It's Fun To Get A Pound!

 Thanks to our new friend, Laura, that sold us our first Icelandic...we have experienced SAPGAP (Spin a Pound/Get a Pound). Above you see cream colored roving that was shipped to Stacy in Maryland where it is presently being dyed purple/plum (my half) and will be blended with other fibers to be made into an art yarn. I am eagerly anticipating the results of this venture.

The grey roving above was spun and navajo plied (my half) by Annie in New York. The lovely picture of yarn is that special creation along with a little skein of boucle in blue. Thanks to Annie for a quick turn around of my half and a wonderful finished product.

The grey and cream roving below was shipped last week to Brittni in Amarillo, Texas where it will be turned into more art yarn.

We were contacted by another spinner to trade roving for yarn and she lives within 45 minutes of me. So...Ashley and Michele came to our home/farm...we had a wonderful visit and I was able to send them both home with roving to become a masterpiece. Ashley has already dyed and spun part of mine with wonderful greens and blues with beads even!! Looking forward to many more creative skeins in our future...and new fiber friends!

The sheep in the picture below is our Shania, one of the 10 Shetland ewes waiting to lamb in April.

Posts of more finished yarn will be coming soon...(if you are interested in SAPGAP let me know!)

 

When's It's Icy Outside...

 ...be creative inside! Our new Wild Carder was put to work.

 From this...

 ...to this...

...and then to this...art yarn plyed with a sparkly thread.

I also practiced core spinning using two-toned Shetland roving. Please visit our Hidaway Farms facebook page to see a picture of the end result.