Spring Shearing for Sale

If you can't buy the sheep, you can still own the fleece!  Our "Spring" shearing is finally complete (although it dragged into Summer a bit due to the wet season we've had in Wisconsin this year).  I'm proud to say that Hank whirled through 17 sheep with nary a nick!  The sheep are happily out in fresh pastures with fresh, new coats.  And that leaves me with a bit of a storage issue.  I already have a healthy supply of lambswool (which I don't sell) and a huge batch of roving expected back from the mill any day now.  So, my friends, that means this year's wool needs to find a new home. 

So have we any spinners in the audience?  Felters?  Weavers?  Here's your chance!

All fleeces are raw.  They have been heavily skirted and given a once over.  That means no manure, no matted tags, no briars, no cornstalks, no barbed wire.  They will still require a a second picking for fluffing and to remove minor vegetable matter.  All fleeces include britch wool.  Most include neck wool (unless it was too full of hay).  Fiber length is approximately 4-5 inches on average.  Most fleeces are double-coated and wavy, not excessively crimpy.  I do not coat the sheep so all fleeces have sun-fade.  Several fleeces are heathered, meaning they have a grey flecking throughout even if the fleece appears brown or ivory.  You will see second cuts as Hank is not a professional shearer.  Raw weight is approximately 3-4 pounds resulting in 2-3 pounds washed.  Fleeces are $15 each plus shipping.  

Buttercup - very dark brown, almost black

CoCo - medium brown

SOLD - Flopsy - heathered ivory

Gingersnap - heathered ivory

Gretl - light, heathered brown

Mammy - 50/50, medium gray/brown

MaryBay - almost pure ivory

SOLD - Melly - silvered, light grey

Smudge - silvered, light grey

Trillium - two-colored fleece resulting in creamy, light brown

Willow - almost pure white with light grey heathering

Of course, photos don't do the fleeces justice.  The darker fleeces (Buttercup, Mammy, CoCo, Trillium) are rich and velvety dark on the cut side.  Others have gorgeous heathering (Mammy, Gretl).  And others are very subtle when spun and knit.  Please contact me at willowhomestead@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing a particular fleece.  Thank you!