Breed & Colour Study Conclusion (Charollais)

Dear Spinning Circle,

Note: This episode has been updated to include a ~15 minute conversation - please check it out and listen from ~27 minutes in!

Can you believe that we are at the end of another Breed & Colour Study?! 

We started Breed & Colour Study in July 2016. The evolution of the study has grown and changed over the years but the overall goals are the same - learn, study, reflect and grow! 

This study was challenging for a few reasons: 

1. Staples are short (1.5 - 2.5 inches),

2. Might be many second cuts since these are not sheep kept for fleece (shearing is utilitarian - it's a means to an ends - ie. get the fleece off), and

3. Matte, lack-lustre striking of the dye on this wool leaving almost chalk-like colour

It's actually too bad that these sheep are mainly meat-centric because, although the fleece is short stapled, in a woollen preparation with woollen-style spinning, it is a finer wool and spins easily. It is fine to medium in quality but I think it has tremendous potential and certainly pushes us out of our often limited focus on certain wools. This is where and how we grow as spinners -- to spin other breeds and fibres! 

To learn about my study on the Charollais, please check out these links:

How I Spin Transcript - Part I

How I Spin Vlog - Part I

How I Spin Transcript - Part II

How I Spin Vlog - Part II

How I Spin Transcript & Vlog - Part III (bonus content, public links)

Community Participation

Sherri's finished yarn here

Megan's pillowcases here

Maggie's waffle shawl here

References

Ekarius, C. & Robson, D. (2011). The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook. Storey Publishing: North Adams, MA.