Fiber artists clamber to get their hands on the lustrous Gotland curls. Felters, doll makers, and hand spinners all enjoy digging their hands into a lovely curly fleece. As a shepherd, it is my job to know how to properly skirt a Gotland fleece. This is one of my most important tasks on the farm. Our … Read More
Having nearly completed my third winter with Gotland sheep, I find I am still learning about this wonderful breed of sheep. Gotland sheep originate on Gotland island where the weather is a little more temperate than on our farm in Vermont. Our winters are longer, more snowy, and colder. Gotlands are now scattered across North America, living in all kinds … Read More
Curls…lustrous gray Gotland curls…that’s what spinners and felters are so eager to get hold of. Though I raise my own Gotland sheep, I too have ventured beyond my own flock in search of these silver ringlets. “One can never have enough,” I tell my husband when he asks why a box of raw fleece arrives in the mail. raw wool … Read More
~Woven~ All that I do as a shepherd is part of an interconnected community of individuals, from sheep shearers, to veterinarians, to mills, to hay farmers, to local feed stores, and to knitters and fiber artists. Our lives are all woven together through my flock of sheep. This felted vest represents that woven community and our relationships, one to another. … Read More
Merino wool + Gotland curls + Soap & Water = Pillow This pillow is made by creating a sleeve using a resist during felting. I laid Merino wool on both sides of the resist and then put Gotland curls on top of the wool. I used the deep palm felting tool by Heart Felt Silks to speed the felting process and … Read More
