Sheep, Goats, ALPACA

Well, through a little comedy of errors involving the postal service... ;) ... and my neighbors... I have some lovely true black alpaca in my hot little hands. From Bay Springs Alpacas I have a pound of fleece. Bay Springs Alpacas are lovely people with great little Alpacas. They are able to break up their blankets (alpaca fleece) into smaller quantities for handspinners, they also sell top, yarn, and other fun things. So I have 8 oz of Florence, and 8 oz of Velvet, both stunningly black soft critters. If I can, I will update with their individual pictures, but meanwhile here is their fleece arriving and getting washed up ready to comb. ;)

The first photos are from Florence's fleece. She was the first out of the box so she got washed first. Alpacas aside from being yes, different from sheep (hey, no rolling your eyes), have no lanolin so their fleece is not greasy. This means less dirt. Never fear there is still dirt. It is tempting to just take those lovely locks and just spin them, but the dirt will spin into the yarn and some of it would not come out with washing of the yarn. Some dirt will cause the fleece to cling more and clump up. It is just better for the fleece to wash it first before processing. Cleaner tools, cleaner spinner, gritless yarn, and if you don't get it all spun up... you will not have dirty fleece with which to attract the evil four letter word M**H. If you don't get this for whatever reason... we don't say the word in order to not tempt our luck. The M**h is a flying pest, whose larvae eat wools. BLECH! Every handspinner's nightmare. In any case Florence had a bath.


Here is Florence being laid out before separating for washing. The tips are red due to amniotic fluid. When she is washed and combed those don't show at all.


Here is an unwashed lock from Florence's fleece. I always take an unwashed lock sample, a washed lock and later a spun sample. Ideally, they should go in a book... lately I've been rushing through stuff to get to my deadline.... Whooshhhhhh...



Even the cleanest Alpaca fleeces have dirt. ;)


Here is Florence, luxuriating in the warm sunshine and drying so she can be combed. Isn't the black impressive? And she is soft too... Admit it... you would love some alpaca...


Then Velvet had a bath. If you compare the photos of their individual locks you will see a difference. Same Breed,alpaca, different genetic line. Both are lovely, I just want to point out that there are differences to observe. I was sort of rushing through things so I didn't get as many photos as I usually due, my apologies.


Here are two locks from different parts of the blanket.


Here is one of the locks a bit closer. Notice the lovely crimp.

So tonight is comb Florence and Velvet, and then spin Florence and Velvet. Hopefully, I will do dyeing of Curly tomorrow and finish spinning, wash yarns, dry yarns, and then Sunday... I have to be warping and starting to weave. Heavy Sigh.. think good thoughts for my little self imposed marathon. ;)

Meet Curly... watch her bath...

Greetings All,

I have had many a sundry adventure with the Black Welsh Mountain, but I did do the carded sample of Black Welsh Mountain so I started to spin the Teeswater, but before I get there... because I will do a skein evaluation up to this point.... May I please introduce.... Curly, the Pygora Goat... One of the Resident kids of my friend, Leslie.



Curly is the curious guy with her head coming through the fence (pix by Leslie)

Leslie sent me part of Curly's spring clip to cheer me up, because I was feeling down over the Black Welsh Mountain results (not bad, just not what I needed). So Curly's Clip caught the first plane south and arrived on Friday. It was not until today that I had time to bathe the little girl.

Here is a little information on the origins of the Pygora goat from the Pygora Breeder's Association

"The idea of cross-breeding the Pygmy and Angora began on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. There, Katharine Jorgensen, an Oregon school teacher and experienced fiber craftsperson, saw colored Angora goats. She reports in a 1986 magazine article, “I thought: ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a goat that produced mohair the color of the blue-grey grizzle Pygmy goats?’ I wanted to try and create a mohair-type goat and the traits that were best from both breeds” (Precious Fibers Magazine, Jan., 1986, p. 14-15). By the early 1980s, five years of line breeding an Angora doe to an unrelated Pygora buck finally resulted in the beautiful grey-grizzled goat Katharine dreamed of. The potential for champagne and honey browns was also present because of the Pygmy’s color genetics. By 1986, fleeces were often 5 inches long, had nice crimp and appeared in pure white, silver and grey. Today, Pygora colors reflect the full range of the Pygmy Color Registry and diverse fiber types contain many varied characteristics." -- end quote



Here is Curly about to have her little locks shorn. I personally think Leslie is a very brave person. She bought mega-expensive shears and with very little training sheared all her little crew by herself. She waited for another mutual friend,Charlene, to come visit and hold their heads so she could finish the necks.



Here we have Curly in the background and her sibling Larry in the foreground (what do you suppose the third one is named?).

Onwards to bath time. :)




First of all I spread little Curly's fleece out on the table to look at it.



Here is a close up of the fleece laid out.




This is a lovely lock I found prior to starting to scour Curly's fleece. It is really lovely and there are more of them. I am not a pygora fleece grader, but there is the silky guardhair, the long lock, the mohair like look... I think we have a grade A fleece type. But I have no experience here and I am only going by what I have read on the internet. Most of the locks are shorter, but I don't have the entire clip so I can't say definitively one way or the other, but Curly is a great little Goat so I'm giving her an 'A'.

This link goes to an interesting page that helps provide understanding of the various grades of Pygora fleece, Pygora Fiber Types, Pygora Breeder's Assoc. .

Now a good pair of shears will cost you... a bundle of money... and I know a beginning shearer interested in fleece quality might pay a $350 plus for a decent pair of shears.

Shearing is not for the faint of heart and definitely for the steady of hand. It is important to shear animals so they don't overheat, get sick, become trapped in a felted fleece. For the most part fleece animals have had the natural ability to roo (shed) bred out of them. A responsible shepherd will shear or have her flocks shorn. Each fleecy critter is different. Pygoras need to be shorn twice a year. This is Curly's spring clip. Almost every fleece will have a second cut in it. Some will have more and they should be discarded as they are not useful (however, I'm saving mine to try and do something creative... lol, tbd). With all due deference to my fabulous friend Leslie, I searched for a second cut so I could show people what it looks like. Here it is (and no criticizing the shearer, who is doing it herself, by herself with minimal training... a certain amount of on the job training is required of the shearer. I Hope I get to try shearing one day. :)




This is the second cut. The shears cut a into the fleece a bit and not close enough to the skin of the animal. The shearer went back and cut the fleece closer to the skin. This produced a 'second cut', the part between the skin and the fleece proper. Throw them away when you see them. Some will come out with picking, some with washing, and processing. Don't spin them. Throw them away.


Time to get the bath water ready. The key to good washing technique is basically two things. 1. consistent HOT water 2. NO Agitation

Some people like to use washing machines, I don't. I am not good enough, I don't have the right washer, and I'm a hands-on kind of person. I also just can't stand the risk of ruining a fleece on which I am either emotionally attached (like Curly) or that I have invested money in the purchase. I'd love to use my bathtub... think of the time saving! However, I have a very fastidious daughter and she objects to 'fleece' touching the bathtub so I use my sink. There are lots of people that do this especially fiber folk living in apartments, small houses, or those of us with no studios. Sinks are a wonderful invention.

First I clean it so there is no kitchen grease or food particles that can contaminate my fleece. Next I get my tools and utensils ready for use. Rubber gloves to keep my skin from being scalded, an apron to keep me from smelling too much like fleece, a colandar, tongs, my tea kettle, my soap, old towels, my drying area ready.




In this picture I have partially filled the sink with very very hot water from the tap and I am adding boiling water to bring up the temperature. I must have rubber gloves or I will scald my hand. REALLY HOT water is key to cleaning your fleece. Actually boiling fleece will yield felt so don't do that. Adding boiling water to a slightly cooler bath is a good idea. It should be so hot you can't put your naked hand in it. Use rubber gloves.



I add the soap to the wash after I add all the water, because I don't want suds. I swirl the water to mix the soap. I use 'Joy'. 'Dawn' is great too or 'Orvis'. Be careful not to use soap that is blue or green as this can actually dye your fiber in an odd cast.



At long last I put in some of Curly's locks to scour. I will gently press them under the water and leave them alone. Trust to the process! Do not move them in any way. The Soapy Water will do its work. I promise!



One bath will not be enough for any fleece. This is bath water number one. Absolutely and completely blech! Hot water, soap, and NO agitation.



If you are using your sink and draining water down the drain... make sure and put a strainer in. You will save yourself a HUGE plumbing bill later. And do you really want to explain why there is sheep wool in your drain to the plumber?


As you move on and are washing an entire fleece you will develop a rhythmn to your washing and you will develop a way to economize on your water usage.
It depends on the fleece and the state of the water in the bath after usage, but I generally follow a rhythm like this:

wash 1 discard
wash 2 discard
wash 3 (can be used for the batch 2 for wash 1) then discard
rinse 1 (can be used for batch 2 wash 2) then discard
rinse 2 (can be used for batch 2 wash 3) then discard

Rinses are always fresh water, but are re-used for washing.

This is a system that works for me. I can even work in a third batch by rotating out batches to a waiting bowl to wait for an appropriate turn in the bath.

By Rotating baths and batches of fleece you can economize on water usage and move the fleece through scouring in a more time efficient manner.


Here is Curly's fleece after one bath. Time for Bath 2.



This is the water after Bath 2. A huge difference from bath 1.



Here is Curly's fleece after 3 baths and 2 rinses.

Note that I am using a colander for my fleece. This is another very controlled method of putting fleece in and out of the bath water. Using a colander is very useful to help preserve lock structure.

Using a colander you can place specific locks in order and use the colander in and out of baths. It minimizes rubber glove contact with hot water. The best thing in place of the colander is to use the sifting cat boxes to wash fleece. Everything is flat and you move tray by tray into and out of the baths. I don't have those and I'm a little short of cash right now. However, here is a link if you'd like to purchase a set: Sifting Litter Pan .




Well, time to put Curly's first batch of locks out to dry. For comparison I put a few unwashed locks next to the drying ones. BIG difference! Someone recently said they liked to spin in the grease... I just think that spinning clean Curly beats the heck out of spinning the dirty version.



Curly first batch of fleece is dry and ready to take over and prepare for spinning. That will be another post. ;)

Have a good day all. This one was a marathon post!

Have You Hugged a Sheep Today? ...Processing the Black Welsh Mountain Fleece

((Just for a cuteness Break -- go see Fiber Farm Lamb Cam Watch them all day long. Some have even given birth on camera))



Black Ram: From Sheep 101 and to them from EAAP-Animal Genetic Bank (Wow, He is amazing looking)

note: this is a long post as I have tried to put everything I can into it.



Photo From Sheep 101 and to them from American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association and Joannie Livermore

(PHOTO NOTE: I am liberally referring to and borrowing these pictures in an effort to provide some background and education for individuals reading this. I hope that people go to Sheep 101 and use it to do their own research. Another GREAT resource on sheep breeds is Breeds of Livestock, Oklahoma State University


I'm trying to catch up with where I am and keeping my blog journal for whatever benefit it may have. Here is the processing of my Black Welsh Mountain sheep fleece. It is important when working with the fleece of an animal to understand said animal. So in a quick reference kind of methodology here is some information on the Stately Black Welsh Mountain Sheep.


A Bit on the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep from Sheep 101:

"In the Middle Ages, the mutton of black-fleeced Welsh Mountain Sheep was prized for its richness and excellence and much sought-after by merchants. During the mid-19th century, some breeders began to select specifically for the black fleece color and the result is the Black Welsh Mountain sheep. The Black Welsh Mountain is a small, black sheep with no wool on the face or on the legs below the knee and hock. It is the only completely black breed of sheep found in the United Kingdom. Introduced into the U.S. in 1972, the fleece from the Black Welsh Mountain has generated special interest among hand spinners and weavers.

Category: primitive, medium wool
Distribution: United Kingdom, North America"
-- End Quote --

This Quote is from Breeds of Livestock, Oklahoma State University

"In the Middle Ages, the mutton of black-fleeced Welsh Mountain Sheep was prized for its richness and excellence. The black wool, known as Cochddu (reddish brown) was much sought-after by merchants. During the mid-19th century some breeders began to select specifically for the black fleece color and the result is the Black Welsh Mountain sheep. Flocks of the pure breed are now widely distributed throughout the United Kingdom, with flocks also in Ireland and the USA.

Description:

The Black Welsh Mountain is a small, black sheep with no wool on the face or on the legs below the knee and hock. The rams are typically horned and the females are polled (hornless).

Although it is bred today perhaps as much for decorative value as for its commercial importance, it nevertheless grows wool which is sufficiently fine, soft and densely stapled to be regarded as a specialty type and the fleece is used to good effect in combination with other wools. Always black, it can be used undyed for many cloths. The average fleece weight is 2.5 - 4 pounds. The staple length is 8-10 cm and the spinning count is 48's-56's. Sources indicate there is also a market for the pelts. In the USA, Canada and Japan the fleece has generated special interest for home spinning and weaving. The wool now commands its own grade by the Wool Marketing"
--end quote--

Some other interesting links:
Desert Weyr Former home of my fleece and operated by Oogie McGuire and her husband. They do a lot more than sheep (although I don't see how they have the time!) lol... Go visit - it's a fun place.

American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association If you go visit this site you will have a great treat. There is lots to see and read. If you go to the newsletters you will see that Oogie has been over to Britian/Wales to learn about their judging process and to better understand the Welsh Conformation from whence comes the American Black Welsh Mtn Sheep. As I understand it they bring over semen to inseminate into the ewes in the the U.S. This brings the breed together despite the puddle in between (being the Atlantic Ocean) and prevents the breed from diverging into two seperate breeds of the same breed in each country. If you want more genetics you will have to talk to them. Because we must move on to the fleece.


... And now onto the processing portion of our program... lol...



This photo is of the top of the fleece (the side that faces out to the world from the sheep). Please note that the sun is very strong and so the fleece does not really show how very black it is until subsequent (less sunny) photos. It is indeed a deep deep black.

An Important thing to do when processing a fleece is to open it up onto a big table (those rolled fleeces are bigger than they look). If you are doing it inside, beware the sheepy smell, put a big sheet on the floor and have some really good lighting. It is in full spring here so I did it out in my backyard.

What you are going to do is look at the fleece and make sure you are happy with it. This is an opportunity to check the skirting, which if you are buying from a farmer who sells to handspinners should already be beautifully skirted especially if you are paying a premium.

Check for bugs, check for scurf (look it up online with images -- essentially it is MORE than dandruff and has bits of dead skin -- better to see the image). Here is an excellent link to a very knowledgeable Fiber Artist, who has many excellent posts with excellent advice and also this posting regarding Scurf. Go read it. The Independent Stitch Scurf and dandruff can be impossible to process out when preparing your fleece for spinning. But worse still it is a sign that your fleece may be more brittle, the fibers damaged. Check this carefully. Sometimes you will find a fleece where you can skirt the problem areas out and other times you may have to either return or pitch the fleece.

Look for the quality of shearing. Second cuts throughout a fleece means you have less than a premium fleece on your hands. Remember that sheep live outside. They roll around, they don't bathe. Sometimes they are coated (real coats) by the farmer and this saves immensely on the skirting and the cleaning during processing, but sometimes not. Some fleeces clean more easily than others regardless. Each fleece will be a new experience. And don't take a good fleece for granted. Sometimes the chance to work with a rare breed's fleece is an opportunity and a little extra vm or some other problems are worth dealing with for the experience. I support the efforts of many to help maintain the survival of rare and endangered breeds.

If you are unhappy then contact the farmer who sold it to you and talk it over with them. Many good farmers have a guarantee on their fleeces that if there is a problem they will take the fleece back.

However, I have had the good luck to buy from some very fine Shepherds and the fleeces I have processed thus far have all been vastly different (being from different sheep)and are admirable fleeces of their breed. Remember however that even the best ranches or farms might have a fleece come by with some spinner's issues. Be open to working things out with the fleece or the farmer/rancher/Shepherd. :)



I turned the fleece over to see the back (the cut side -- the side closest to where the sheep used to be).

If there were second cuts this is where you would look for them. A second cut is where the shearer starts cutting to high into the fleece and goes back to cut closer to the sheep. This leaves a cut btw the sheep and the rest of the fleece. When the
fleece comes off this 'second cut' stays and lowers the value and the usability of the fleece. It renders the staple shorter and sometimes completely unusable depending on how bad the second cut is. I don't recommend buying fleeces like this, but if you do get one call the farmer and discuss it. There often will be a few second cuts, but having them consistently throughout a fleece is a problem.

However, this fleece is totally clear of those problems. And I love looking across the sea of fleece.



These two photos are of the individual locks prior to washing. I just plucked them out of the fleece to photograph them. Note that they are not washed and so they do have some dirt in them. Not a problem, that's why God invented soap.



Now the next thing I do is I wash the fleece. I do not have big giant tubs and in deference to my daughter, who won't bathe in a bathtub, however clean, where a fleece might have been.... I use my sink. I do not use my washer. I don't want any surprises after I have paid good money for my fleece. I have double sinks in my kitchen and I use those. I will devote another post to the fine art of washing fleece.

Every fleece as in every animal is different. For this Fleece I found that three washes and two rinses did the trick. Then I laid it out for drying. :)



I have very unusual drying racks and we have an exceptional solar powered dryer... the sun. It works well and fairly quickly, although I do turn the fleece so both sides dry faster.

When it is all dry I bring it inside and organize it as well as I can into locks for easier processing. If I see any obvious vm (vegetable matter) I will pluck out larger chunks. More will come out in processing. I work with a cloth over my lap (you can stand at a table and do this, I just like to sit). I put all this into a basket if I am going to get to it in the evening or into a box I can cover up if it will be a bit before I get to it.

I have elected to comb the fleece as I want a finer yarn for weaving. This fleece is perfect for carding and I may well explore that later, but first I will comb it and see if it works for spinning.



Here is a little bit of combed top. There is much crimp to this fleece. I find that there is a soft bit to the fleece that when combed comes out in a lovely way for a medium type fleece. Unfortunately, this doesn't translate visually. You have to feel it. Tactile amusement.



At long last we come to the spinning... and this is just the beginning. I find it to have good luster and a fair hand. It is a shorter staple (about 2 inches), but still combs out. However combing does separate the small soft underfleece (this is not a doublecoated breed). When I combed it out the initial top spun up well, but the back end was much coarser having been separated in combing and was more problematic to spin up. In the end I discarded more than I wanted too. However, that means that perhaps combing is not the best for this fleece. As I said in the beginning I wanted a worsted spun yarn and combing it seemed the right process for that purpose.
I will card some and spin a sample up. I am about ready to ply the first bobbins of combed yarn and skein it up. I'll have a skein post with the plyed karakul as well.


Every fleece has its purpose. This one is a medium grade fiber and is definitely for an outer garment. I have heard that fabric made (knit or woven) with this fleece type does not pill (a happy thought indeed). The trueness of the black is possibly unparalleled. I love the color. I'd recommend this for tapestry as well. I will post later with the first skein.

A long post, but lots of information.

Could I possibly learn to count?....

So Sunday is a day of rest ... right... absolutely, no laundry, no vacumning... no 'Work'. Right, I played all day. I scoured/washed fleece all afternoon. (and Yesterday afternoon (although, yesterday it was intermixed with cleaning the patio)).

So I posted earlier today.. 2 down and 2 to go... Hard that since I have '5' fleeces.. Yes folks, the hot water has scalded my little brain. I cannot count. However, I am pleased to report that I have scoured 3 fleeces and have 2 left! Light at the end of the tunnel (the tunnel of washing that is).

The thing is that I am tightly focused on a goal and the deadline is May 20th... well the entry in the hands ON May 20th so If I look at my calendar that means I have to mail it Sat May 16 or express mail it on Monday, May 18th. So that means I'll be express mailing it... I will not even toy with you to think that I would even think myself capable of not sending it in at the last possible minute!

So another discovery is that if one works with fleece all day, one can come out smelling like a sheep. It was very warm today. Really, I'm out in Southern CA and it was in the low 80's today. (please don't throw tomatoes, I'm sorry it isn't that warm where you are right now). So working hard carrying around various stages of clean and dirty fleece ... the fleece and I started to smell the same, except that sadly I smelled more like it than it smelled like me. Nope I could not start dinner without showering first. My son even told me I smelled like a sheep (in the nicest possible way). Poor guy. He really didn't mean anything by it, but by the end of the fleece scouring I had to agree. I also thought that tonight I didn't need to get into my bed smelling like this. So no harm done, I was forced to take a nice hot shower. Yea!

My fleecy accomplishments are 1 karakul -- 1 black welsh mountain sheep -- 1 teeswater. All three washed. I think one develops a rhythm to all of it and so the more you do, the faster it goes. Even with all this washed I have this inner fear peeking out every now and again saying... do you really have enough time for this? I mean a scarf?, but said scarf must be fleece to scarf. I suppose I could design it using natural color, but no.... noooooooo... I must make it as complicated as possible. That's right, I will be naturally dyeing certain portions of the yarn (when it becomes MORE yarn). All natural this scarf -- it's in da rules -- It is after all the International Year of the Natural Fiber.

Yup, and then I get to warp and weave...and I didn't say one other little thing... I am actually planning a 2nd scarf, because one should really have TWO entries or even THREE... I'm a little nuts on this, Well, we'll see. I have actually gotten the design work done on 3 separate scarves. They lend themselves to so much, because they are limited canvases. I will post the designs with the scarves,,, I don't want to jinx myself. Meanwhile, you can see ALLLLLLLL the processing. I will post fleece pictures and their washing on another post. I hope to be spinning tonight. Wash during the day and use the sun as a dryer, spin at night - watch a move... oh, I forgot I have a significant amount of combing to do too!

Totally Jazzed - Completely excited!!!

Well, I've been ploughing through the karakul and I love its locks, but I've been impatient because the bag just seemed somewhat endless.





I am now DONE with washing the Karakul. The last bit is drying and I've started spinning up the combed top I've been working on from previously washed (last week)locks.



And when it has dried, I've been combing it out. I will post the spinning pix tomorrow, because I want to take them in good light.


This is the combed tops all in a row. Very sweet.

And It's a good thing that I finished washing today since.... drum roll.... the 3 fleeces I purchased from the fabulous Myrtle Dow of Black Pines Farm blackpinessheep.com/ arrived yesterday! I opened them.. yes inside... I don't mind the smell of fleece (or sheep), but that is not how my husband and kids feel. Suffice it to say that they did not share the same joy as me when I opened my bag'O fleece. Yes, inside the bag were 2 wensleydale fleeces and one teeswater fleece. I have one more fleece coming from Desert Weyr desertweyr.com/ of Black Welsh Mountain Sheep.


After all this I better have all that I need for the Spin-Off scarf contest. Lots of fleece to wash, but it is loverly, lucious, incredible fleece. Myrtle was kind enough to send me one of her show fleeces, a black lamb Wensleydale.

Both Oogie from Desert Weyr desertweyr.com/ and Myrtle from Black Pines Sheep blackpinessheep.com/ have diligently worked to propagate special rare and/or endangered sheep Breeds.
Oogie has been instrumental in bringing in the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep and has the largest flock in the United states I believe. Myrtle has worked for years on the Karakul breed and the Wensleydale breed. She also breeds Teeswater and CVM. I think it is important for hand spinners and hand weavers to work to help support these breeds as well. This is one reason for my personal choices of which fleeces to use.

Believe me if I had the space, I would have more fleeces of all sorts, more looms, more wheels, more stash. But the truth is I don't own a barn or a studio ... lol... If I had a barn I might get sheep!

More tomorrow... it is time for this little fiber fiend to go to bed.

Where have I been, what have I been doing???

Aside from dealing with a school district, that has lost its ability to communicate with anyone including its own schools.... and then there was the stomach flu making life difficult for my youngest...

I've been working on scouring a fabulous Karakul fleece. I love supporting the rare breeds and I love the locks of the Karakul. When I look at fleece I really do try to think... application... etc... but you know... it is so beautiful, those colors, the locks, the luster... I can't help myself. So well, I saw it and I bought it. Even a few years in the bag and it is coming out loverly. If we don't love and use these ancient and rare fleeces will the breeds survive. Spin-Off did a wonderful project a few years ago on rare sheep breeds that included people making projects using the fleeces of these wonderful critters. Eventually, it went into a book from Interweave. It brought about an important and meaningful awareness of these breeds. We really are so incredibly fortunate to have had sheep in our human history (but that's another soapbox for another day). Sheep are as important as dogs. Yes, they are. ;)

I went and found a lovely little explanation and history of the Karakul from the Sheep 101 site and it says (directly quoted)(including photo):
http://www.sheep101.info/breedsJ-L.html


Karakul Ram from Black Pines Sheep
http://www.blackpinessheep.com/images/other.htm

(Astrakhan, Bukhara, Persian Lamb)

The Karakul may be the oldest breed of domesticated sheep. Archeological evidence indicates the existence of the Persian lambskin as early as 1400 B.C. and carvings of a distinct Karakul type have been found on ancient Babylonian temples. Native to the plains of Central Asia, Karakuls differ radically in conformation from most other American breeds. They are of the fat broad tailed type of sheep. In their large tail is stored fat, a source of nourishment, similar in function to the camel's hump. In Central Asia and South Africa , large flocks of Karakuls are still raised for pelt production from very young lambs. The skins of baby lambs with their tightly curled wool are used in the "Persian lamb" fur trade. Karakuls were introduced to the United States between 1908 and 1929. They are a specialty breed in the U.S. Their fleeces, long and colorful, are prized by hand spinners. Karakul wool is the wool upon which the art of felting evolved. The Karakul classified as a "rare" breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Breed categories: double-coated, fat-tailed, rare
Distribution: USA, Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia

END QUOTE ---

So I have been scouring, sorting, combing in preparation for spinning. Maybe tomorrow I will get some pictures taken before it all becomes yarn,,, but I have to say for a little fleece there is a whole lot of wool... scouring as I can with no big blocks of consecutive time is problematic at best and it tries my patience, cause I wants it done now! lol... oh well