@marzipanandminutiae To complement on the black sheep conversation from the other day, I have recent shearing pictures from today!
This is before, during and after. As you can see, the skin is completely black but the wool looks almost golden (would the legend of the golden fleece be originated from similar haired sheep?)
Now, as for the wool itself:
This is some leftovers from last year (we forgot about it). It stayed partially in the shadow (some times of the day it was the full sun on it) and not very rained on but it certainly got humidity in winter. The darkest part looks like a very dark brown after a year exposed to the elements.
This is from today:
It was quite sunny and so the light reflects on the black wool so much so that it looks gray or even ash white :/. But anyways, you can notice the difference in colour between the inner part and the outer part. Reminds me of fire a bit.
We have 15 sheep. This is what we obtained from them. It is the cleanest I have seen their wool in the past 4 years (and some parts of it I am just throwing away because they were covered in shit, but if I had been a poor peasant girl in the 18th Century, I would have kept it anyways because free wool!). If I knew how to spin, I could start spinning without washing at least half of this.
I will try to wash it next week, I can show you how it looks like once it's been washed with water (no soap needed for what I want, plus it keeps more lanoline this way).
My guess is... If you separate the best and darkest fibres and you keep the resulting fabric protected from the elements most of the time, you can have quite dark garments that would look black very often. With just some tiny help from certain tinctures, it could be really really dark.
For many people, and particularly those who spend a lot of time outside, tones of brown it is.
Last week I attended a sheep shearing! There were about eight other people there, all guild members, and while they helped to skirt and bag the fleeces as they came off, the farmer very graciously allowed me and my mom to stand in the pen and watch the sheep. These are border Leicesters that averaged 180 lbs, and the shearer was handing them like they were nothing!
One of the guild members very kindly walked me through characteristics of the wool, and allowed me to handle it. I was surprised by the amount of lanolin! I actually rubbed it into my hands and was surprised by how soft and supple it made them, as well that it didn't cause a reaction with my eczema.
They'll be sheared again in eight months, and I hope to help skirt at that one.
We raise Angora and Colored Angora Goats! They grow amazing mohair!! For more than 20 years we’ve been breeding for fineness, softness, luster, curl and good healthy animals. Yes, on our farm there are a few that are pets, but our girls are career girls that grow fiber for our yarn and roving. They get shorn twice a year, usually fall and spring. This is Kevin Hickman of @sheargrazing He does an excellent job. Kevin has been shearing since he was a teenager. He has shorn in a number of different countries, all over the US, has competed; he mainly shears sheep but also does goats. He did a great job today! Thanks Kevin. #goatlife #shearing #angoragoats #mohair #coloredangoragoats #goats #mohaircouncilofamerica #fiberfarm #fiberfarming #goatfarm #goatfarming #farmlife #mohairyarn (at Avalon Springs Farm) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkzDgg0pKiR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
Another attractive young woman taking on the tough work of shearing sheep in Australia. Sophie Neylon from Victoria has the determination not only to pass tally milestones in the shearing shed but also take on the fashion industry.
https://www.starnow.com/u/sophieneylon/
Myway Fabrication work is done on a large scale, in factories or industrial settings. However, it can also be done on a smaller scale, in shops or even at home. Fabrication work often requires specialised equipment and skills.