Breed Study 2013 Membership News!

We're heading into the third year of our breed study club for spinners, and membership is open! Read on for more information about the club and signing up (first published on Ravelry) . . .

Welcome to year 3 of the breed study club! The past two years have been a delight, and I’m looking forward to this next year full of new sheep breeds to explore!

2012 Members/Renewals: Every member’s subscription will be coming to an end in April, with our last shipment being Corriedale. Next year’s changes include having Acorn Works Fiber Mill process the fleeces and the elimination of the dyed option for the club. We’re going all-natural! Read on for information about prices, registration and breeds. And check it out … the prices are staying the same!!! Every member that has been a part of the club for at least 6 months and renews will receive a special thank you gift with the first month’s shipment.

New Members!
Thank you for your interest in the Breed Study Club here at Inspiration Fibers! We’ve been going strong for two years now and would love to have you join us for next year.

In the club, you will receive: 
2.5 oz. of fiber (processed as roving) 
an unwashed lock sample 
a breed information card 
a spinner’s notes card

Unique to this club is our collective learning environment. Each month I begin a new thread dedicated to the breed we’re studying. On every Monday, I post a question or topic about the breed including history, random facts, spinning approach, opinions, etc. Every post after that for the week is entered into a random drawing for a prize on the following Monday.

I know we can all fall behind in our spinning from time to time, so as an added incentive, I create a “finished yarns” thread for the breed each month. At the end of the month, I draw a winner at random for a nice 2 oz. dose of additional wool.

All the wool comes from small farmers across America (except where impossible) and are processed at a local mill: Acorn Works Fiber Mill. None of the wool comes from commercial sources.

There are two options for enrollment: 6 or 12-month memberships. The cost of the club is $98 for 6 months and $180 for 12 months. Additional shipping charges are $15 for 6 months domestic; $30 for 12 months domestic. Canadian shipping will be $45 for 6 months and $90 for 12 months due to the increase in US postal rates. The total cost is:

6-month US membership: $98 + $15 = $113 
12-month US membership: $180 + $30= $210

6-month Canadian membership: $98 + $45 = $143 
12-month Canadian membership: $180 + $90 = $270

All payment will be through Paypal. To enroll, please send me a message via Ravelry OR email me at aj@hartrich.org

Shipments will go out the first week of the month beginning in May. The club runs from Spring to Spring to take advantage of freshly shorn wool.

Breeds that we’ll be studying this year include (but are subject to change due to availability): 
Merino 
Tunis 
Texel 
Polypay 
Montadale 
Icelandic 
Fine wool Shetland (from my flock!) 
Suffolk 
Kerry Hill 
Wensleydale 
Coopworth 
Bluefaced Leicester (this is a repeat from year one and may change)

I’ll announce the order of the shipments when I start getting fleeces in and talk with Diane and Acorn Works. I know Merino will not be until next Winter/Spring due to an October shearing.

Thank you for your interest, and please feel free to contact me with any questions, 
Amanda Hartrich

First Fiber Festival and Fantastic Friends!

Last Saturday's Western New York Fiber Festival was absolutely wonderful! We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather or a more perfect setting. Crisp Autumn air got everyone in a fibery mood! 

This was the first time I've ever set up my own booth at a fiber festival, and I've been very excited and even more nervous, but it all came together with the help of some wonderful friends and a great sidekick.

My friend, Hannah (seen here posing with me!), really encouraged me to get it together and have a booth, so I made her help :) She was my right-hand girl for getting it all ready, setting up, selling and taking it all down. Oh, and for taking pictures!! Thank you Hannah!!!

And I can't forget my friends Petra and Jen who devoted themselves to cutting paper and packaging products all day last Thursday. Couldn't have gotten through that without you!

My parents are in town from Texas, so they had to see what all the fun was about. And my in-laws couldn't miss it either! Brendan, Morgan and Mike were with me all day doing various tasks for the festival. Did I mention I was on the planning committee as well? Brendan and Mike ran the jump rope maker until Sue (of The Critter Ranch)'s son Cameron showed up to help Brendan. Thank you family!!!

Jude and Dave (in-laws extraordinaire), Mike with Kat, and Janice and Bill (best parents ever).

One of the very best parts of the day was getting to see old friends that I only catch up with a few times a year, and getting to meet people I've only ever met on-line. What an amazing community of fiber friends we have here in Western New York. I am so blessed!

And now for some random fun shots of the day!

The BoothFoofing

Sue Phillips of The Critter Ranch hard at work in her booth.Brendan helping me twist up skeins (with Petra looking on!)Petra and Renee having a great time!Morgan telling me all about the great things she'd found (and it was her birthday, so she was a bit spoiled!)Jen and Rich Johnson of Whispering Pines Shetland Sheep Farm with FOUR bags full!Packing up after a long, wonderful day!!Now that the festival is over, I'm turning my sites toward Winter and organizing some classes to teach. I collected a lot of names and email addresses on Saturday for a E-Newsletter that will include more details. If you'd like more information, please feel free to give me your email to be added to the list. Off-hand, I know I'll be teaching beginner drop spindling, beginner knitting and the pattern "Wingspan."

Wordless Wednesday, August 22, 2012

June peeking around our willow.

Getting Big

Our llama, Confetti, was due to have her cria on May 1, 2012. It is now May 21, 2012. She's a bit over-due, and getting pretty big! 

However, for having been pregnant for over a year now, she seems to be taking it well. 

Everyone else is getting big as well. Here are some fun lamb shots to make you smile!

Waylon--by far our best ram. He may replace Knox in our program.Willie--twin to Waylon, and also really hard to photograph! Emmylou is in the background.Emmylou--she is simply stunning. I'm so excited about her structure and her fleece. My fingers are crossed that she doesn't fade too much.

Johnny--he's got the absolute wrong type of fleece except that he's black. Jet black! He's staying with us, but as a wethered pet.

And, of course there's Princess June! Can you tell who's the darling of the barnyard?

June.June and meKat and JuneGlutton for scratches

The Wonder of Birth

Warning: the following pictures are graphic images of a sheep giving birth!

Our last ewe to lamb, Emerald, cooperated with us last Saturday, April 28, by giving birth at a reasonable hour--9pm! I had noticed her nesting and acting very about-to-give-birth-y, so I grabbed my camera and declared, "I'm sitting in the barn until this lamb comes!"

That was at 7 pm, so I didn't have too long to sit in the cold. She began having contractions around 8, and then things went pretty fast. Morgan, Mike and my mom-in-law, Jude were all present. Morgan is only 7 and handled things very well. She quietly asked questions as things progressed and wasn't phased at all.

Contractions

Bag of water emerging.Hooves and nose emerging through the bag of water in the "diver" position.

The bag of water breaks and things get slipperier (hooves and nose again).

 

Head emerging.Shoulders emerging.Body emerging

Body mostly out. At this point, the sack came off the lamb's face and she started breathing. If Emerald had given birth standing, gravity would have helped finish up.Emerald was finished pushing, and the little lamb more or less kicked her way into the world.

Welcome to the world EmmyLou!

Gooey but alert.Up and searching. She was a little confused about which end had milk for a while. She finally got it.This was the best entertainment in the barn!

Starr (the llama on the far left) had a hard time containing herself; she wanted to help lick Emmylou clean. She kept sticking her nose between the slats of the birthing pen until Emerald finally gave her a strong head butt.

Lick, lick, lickingThe next morning, all clean and fluffy.

Out in the pasture on a foggy Wednesday morning (4 days old).