Learn The Joy of Handspinning Yarn and Fiber » Handspinng Art Yarns one Fiber at a Time

May 14 Sales Fleeces; Long Gorgeous

Natalie — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:42:38 +0000

Gorgeous Wensleydale/Coopworth. Beautiful variation in color from silver, to darker silver/grey. Really a nice fleece that can be tailspun. 7-8 inches stretched. Very very nice fleece; uncoated, no VM. This is a hogget fleece. OUT

Gotland/Wensleydale. This is a 9 out of 10 as far as handle. SUPER SOFT… hogget fleece. Uncoated with absolutely beautiful handle. This is a very special fleece. 40.00 lb

Sales Fleeces May 8th

Natalie — Fri, 10 May 2013 03:47:22 +0000

Gorgeous Corriedale, the “French Fry Fleece;” this is a beautiful fleece with a long staple and a gorgeous creamy color. One of the amazing fleeces I keep talking about. 36.00 lb

Teeswater, beautiful, nice long staple about 5.5 inches plus. Lovely handle; 38.00 lb

CVM/Romeldale coated, beautiful with a super color 35.00 lb

White coated Teeswater with perfect character. The structure on this is something else. You will have locks that keep their form. 38.50 lb

Sales Fleeces May 7

Natalie — Thu, 09 May 2013 03:52:19 +0000

Coated, beautiful black fleece. Just gorgeous with lovely handle. 36.00 lb

Very beautiful white coated Teeswater. Super with beautiful chunky locks that are so easy to lockspin. These are my favorite. 38.00 lb

It’s What We Do

Natalie — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:44:37 +0000

Today when I was working outside with my dogs, I thought, “There are millions of people, right this minute, sitting indoors, in an office.” My job is physically demanding, but how lucky am I? My coworker is a dog, and I live in sunny Southern California.

This is Lace, my dream employee, purchased from Jennifer Ewers; Canines N Ewe Ranch, Campo, Ca. If you’re looking for a dog with grit and brains, contact Jennifer.

Sale Fleeces April 16th

Natalie — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:19:52 +0000

One of my favorite fleeces with the best of both worlds; silvery grey and white. FANTASTIC curl with a super super handle. I love this fleece. 40.00 a lb.

Teeswater, coated. Nicer than pictured. 35.00 lb nice handle.

GORGEOUS fleece. Super super nice with a fantastic handle. One of “those” amazing fleeces. Very dark, basically black… great crimp and handle. 38.00 lb

My New Assistant

Natalie — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:55:28 +0000

I work so hard and I realized, I’m probably working physically harder than I actually have to. I started asking my shepherd friends if they could live without their Border Collies and each and everyone said, “No.” One of my friends, Joy Dally (wife of Martin Dally) said, “If I didn’t have my working dogs, I think I’d get rid of my sheep.” So this made me start going on the hunt for a fully trained working Border Collie.

People don’t realize there is a difference between a weekend warrior trial dog and a working ranch dog. I don’t need a trial dog that can pen sheep in a giant field. First of all, my sheep aren’t gregarious; this means, they don’t bunch tightly. Also, they are very flighty and they can be aggressive. Besides that, each of my pens has something in it that can get hurt, like geese and turkeys, OR, can hurt the dog; like alpacas, llamas, bulls, and horses. I knew whatever dog I bought, would have to be really special. Truth be told, I didn’t think there was a dog that could actually fit the bill.

I asked my Facebook friends to help me. Tracy Wessel a Belgian Breeder in Montana gave me the name of Terry Kenny. In turn, Terry Kenny gave me the name of a breeder, trainer and judge who he said was, “One of only two names I want to give you. Her name is Jennifer Ewers.”

I called Jennifer from “Canines N Ewe” and she told me, “I have just the dog. She’s really not for sale because she’s my own dog, but she can do the job. She can do any job you have, is gritty and will work for someone who doesn’t know how to work a dog.”

I have to say, one of the things that scared me is that I thought all dogs were instinctively heelers; i.e., they go to the heel of the animal. If you do that on my sheep, they will run from the dog and be so feral, they will run right through the fence (breaking their necks). I asked her about the dog and asked if she was a heeler. Jennifer explained that Border Collies are instinctively “headers” i.e. they want to turn the sheep back to you. I said, “Okay, there is one hurdle gone.” I then told her, “I am afraid to get a dog with too much “sting” i.e. bites and doesn’t read the sheep, again, sending them through the fence where my sheep will break their necks. Jennifer explained, “I raise a large flock of Rambouillets and my dogs have to be ranch dogs first, trial dogs second. They can read a sheep. If the sheep go through the fence, it won’t be my dogs fault.”

After spending about 15 minutes on the phone, I hung up and called Tracy Wessel. Tracy is very experienced dog trialer and also a shepherd. She called Jennifer and talked to her. Tracy called me back and said, “Buy the dog.” And that is just what I did.

You have to understand, these dogs are professionals. They have words you say to make them go clockwise, counterclockwise, walk up, get out, bite, to watch the flock and and and… I didn’t know any of the commands. Further, I see these dogs work in giant fields, we don’t have fields, we have lots of pens and a few small pastures. I said all this to Jennifer, and she said, “I sell dogs to the feedlot cowboys, and the dogs will figure out how to work for you.” So, with that, I paid Jennifer, loaded up my new dog “Lace” and back to Temecula we went.

Lace and I work everyday together. It has only been 9 days and I have no idea how I lived without her. This dog is amazing. She “bites” only when she needs to (when they are about to run over the top of her” and reads the sheep. She listens to me stumble with the commands and reads my body language. She stops DEAD in her tracks when I say “LIE DOWN.” We are a team and she is my partner. I can’t believe I lived without this dog and I see why Joy Dally said; “…I’d get rid of my sheep without a dog.” So, please check back for more pictures of my amazing canine.

I want to thank Canines N Ewe and Jennifer Ewers for selling me my “best friend” (watch out Scrappy!).

Martin Dally Explains Finewools and Tippiness

Natalie — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:13:14 +0000

We had some amazing fleeces in Marches Breedbox. One of the questions I had for Martin was “Why are almost all the coated finewool fleeces I buy “tippy.” The always have dark grey ends and are very blunt. I have to pull them apart, which is usually not difficult, but I notice it doesn’t happen with longwools.”

Martin explained that this type of tippiness is not usually bad and, because, the tips of finewools are blunt, (unlike longwools). the yolk will accumulate on the ends of the newly grown fiber. When the cover lays on top of the yolk with these blunt ends, it sticks together. This is very common and not something to worry about.

He also explained tippiness can also happen when covers are too small. If the tips separate easily, then it’s not something to worry about, however, it is the producers responsibility to make sure the blankets have adequate room to prevent felting of the fibers.

Below is a picture of a fleece I purchased which has the blunt tips with the “tippiness” I’m speaking of. This is a gorgeous fleece and the tips separate easily.

Amazing Targhee fleece.

Nat Geo Wild Show

Natalie — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:02:05 +0000

Most of you already know, but we will be filming for a Nat Geo Wild show in the next couple of months (April-June). I am really excited and people in the fiber community should be too. This is fantastic because it will increase our demographic and show people the amazing world of fiber arts. I will keep you posted and sneak in livestreams. Keep checking back. Please FR me on Facebook and join our Namaste Farms Ravelry group. Below is a gift the production company sent us to celebrate. WOOT!

Sale Fleeces March 22, 2013

Natalie — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 01:39:11 +0000

These are pretty awesome. The black ones are blowing my mind… great handle, super color and I’m loving the length. Also, super silky mohair 2nd clip.

Averaging 7.5 inch staple… so incredibly amazing. BLACK, great handle with awesome tips. Coated… this is an early shorn hogged fleece. 40.00 lb

Washed Leicester Longwool. Averaging about 7 inches. Super nice fleece. Some tips a bit discolored but very normal. 44.00 lb.

Awesome mohair. Super white 2nd shearing with great structure. Raw but clean of VM. Will dye absolutely amazing. 32.00 lb

Washed Grey Wensleydale 44.00 lb. SUPER SUPER lock structure.

Teeswater Coated AMAZING… 39.50 lb

Janice Rosema Estate Auction

Natalie — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:28:23 +0000

Natalie Redding wearing a partially freeform scarf by Janice Rosema

I have been feverishly auctioning some amazing items off on Facebook. These were items that my friend, Janice Rosema, had in her collection. Going through her things has made me realize what an amazing talent she really was. I always knew she was special, but to this degree, is beyond. Anyhow, yesterday my husband took a picture of me in one of her scarves.