Fiber on four legs

Alpacas, my favorite to watch but the llamas are much more

friendly. And they don't spit on you unless they are being

bothered. Like you wouldn't see it coming. The kids petted

lots of llamas while we were there.

This is the wool on a back of a sheep. It was the softest

and curliest I've ever seen.

Bluefaced Leicesters.

Jocelyn petted as many sheep as she could get her hands

on. Something about little people didn't scare the sheep as

much. This one looked her right in the face and said BAAAA

Baby J just laughed! Jocelyn would stick her hand in the

pens and the sheep would run in circles. We had to finally tell

her to stop before we got yelled at.

Icelandic sheep. It was a little warm for all that long hot

hair. I would think they must get pretty stressed in the heat.

Angora goat. Ray and I thought he had a great goatee.

Pygoras. Little pygmy angoras. I like the little versions of

animals.

They were judging the goats while we were there. I thought

this young lady and her goat were a perfect match. Just

because of their hair, she was way cuter than the goat........

Horns do have a special purpose! Other than knocking you

into next week. They were good for dragging around

uncooperative animals too. This guy wanted no part of what

she was trying to make him do.

So those are my pictures from the Fiber Festival. Glad we

went on Saturday because Sunday was a washout. Lots of

rain. Just an observation...it looks like people are still

counting their money. Not a whole lot of shoppers like last

year. It was easy to walk down isles. I did buy some

roving for felting, couldn't go home empty handed.

It's better to be the Shearer than the sheep...

Michigan Fiber Festival. The one thing I look forward to
every year. This time I took my nephew Ray and his wife
Jennifer and the kids with me. We wondered around and
looked at all the animals and then went through the vendor
barns. This year we got to watch the sheep shearer doing
his thing. Its amazing. I've seen three different people do
this and I am no expert, but this man was great.
He grabbed a sheep out of the bunch and flipped it over on
its back and started the removal of the fleece.

First cut down the center and the sheep just laid back like
it was something it knew it was suppose to do. Or else they
are like turtles and when you flip them on their backs it
throws them for a loop. Not quite sure.

It wasn't a very good day for this demo. Very hot and humid.
Bet the sheep were glad to loose this wooly coat.

So after cutting down the center and through the sides, he
came back up the neck. Sheep stayed still.

A couple of passes sround the head. I remember reading
that before there were electric clippers they used shears.
How they kept from cutting more than wool off is beyond me.
Another observation about this man was that he didn't knick
any area on the sheep. No blood at all. Good job.

And there you have it, the wool...almost in one piece. He
rolled it in a cube and stuck it in a large plastic bag.
It's really amazing to watch and realize that this is just the
beginning of the process. There is so much more to the
hanks and skeins of wool we buy in the shops.

And excuse the pun, but sheared sheep are butt ugly!
Thank goodness for Adobe...so you don't have to look at it.
Tomorrow I'll show some of the cuter critters.

Another give away!

Alrighty now, I want to give another dove away! Cause
I think they are so darn cute and someone else should
have one too. But before I get to the question for the
give away I want to show this sheep ornament I got
at the craft show this weekend. It was so cute!
Just look at that little face. I'm thinking about raising
sheep one of these days. Just a couple for fun. Fun?
Anyway it'll look good on my tree.
Now for the question....What's your favorite Christmas
decoration that you love to put out year after year?
Below is my most favorite, its a Father Christmas that
was made by a doll artist from Grand Rapids.
Her name is Connie Masten. She doesn't have a website
that I could find I bought him at a craft show at
Cook Nuclear Power Plant in 1995. Way before 911,
cause now you can't drive pass the gate.




Any way she sculpted his face out of clay, looks so
real. His coat and mittens are hand knitted by her.
The card states ,"that the peacock and crown design
was found on a glove knitted for a British lord.
The date 1833 was also knitted into the glove."
The coat is a beautiful navy flecked with red and
cream colored designs. He has a beard of curly
sheep roving, its so soft and looks so real,
there's even a twinkle in his eyes.
The basket is full of miniature wooden toys.
I have to describe him, cause my pictures didn't
turn out like I hoped they would. It was a tricky day
for me. So, I will draw another name on Saturday,
tell me what your favorite Christmas decoration is
and you might be the one to win a dove.

Sheep

Preparing the sheep to show. There were lots of
animal classes and ribbons for everyone. People
brought their prize animals to be judged. If it wasn't
for these guys and the other animals, there wouldn't
be a Fiber Festival. If you love fibers or anything to do
with them you should think about contacting your
local groups and guilds. Be a member...Be a volunteer!
They need our support. And that's all I have to say
about that.....