# Marshmellow Suffolk Sheep/Fleece/Roving/Yarn and now Socks!



## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

This began with other ladies here who inspired me to try something new. I had been reading about all the spinning and hand made yarn....oh sigh...if only I could do that! Then a lovely lady named Katie, offered up her Suffolk Wool Fleeces for those who wanted them. I was so excited and began a little research...well not enough before the fleece arrived. Marshmellow is the nick name I am giving the sheep since she did not have a tag and her owner, Katie said she was a crazy Ewe...LOL

Here is Marshmellow, the sheep my fleece came from, she is the one in the back hiding. 










When the box came, I soaked some and some I did find out later, was easier to skirt first, lol. I did a lot of soaking on the first batch though and I got it really clean. I also did a lot of picking out of the VM which to me sounded quite reasonable, Marshmellow wore her coat for at least two years.  I opened up the big box and I loved how the smell of the sheep came into the air...sigh reminding me of my Grandparents beloved farm...I was hooked!

Some of the fleece looked like this:










Some had more VM in it so it looked like this with some sticks but hey, this girl had to wait at least two years to get sheared so to me it was reasonable:










This is how long some of the fibers are!:










I carded it with dog brushes and it started to look like this:










Then a picture of the roving....


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Then I used a drop spinner to make it into a rough one ply yarn.



















Then I made socks and used a thick barely spun roving to thread through the cuffs edge for a puffy affect. They have not been washed yet, they are very comfy and no itch at all. 










Now during this process I learned to skirt the wool first and to back comb it which I figured out on my own....plus to be very careful in washing it as I did felt one batch. Lucky for me I had a lot left.  I am going to use it for batting for quilts, stuffing crocheted stuffed animals and I want a pillow! I am expecting another fleece so that one will be all yarn. 

I can't thank Katie enough for getting me started...!


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

That is a really nice description of the long process from nasty fleece to finished project--good job, and I'll bet those socks are very cushy to walk on. Suffolk shouldn't felt too easily in the wash, but I'd still be careful.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Great job Romy!


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

WAY COOL !!! I agree....for free, cant complain about VM ! Looks like beautiful fiber, and so long of a staple !


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

AWESOME! I want to try spinning, and I think I'll just have to take the plunge soon. I think your yarn came out beautiful romy! Rustic is a perfect description.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Romy! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story. How fun! I'm so impressed with how fast you were able to get thru it and finish a pair of socks....very squishy comphy looking socks


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Katherine in KY said:


> That is a really nice description of the long process from nasty fleece to finished project--good job, and I'll bet those socks are very cushy to walk on. Suffolk shouldn't felt too easily in the wash, but I'd still be careful.


Thank you, I read you can machine wash this wool if the crochet or knit is tight, don't think that the socks are. I will be careful.....



Woodpecker said:


> Great job Romy!


Thank you Dreamy, it was sure a new thing for me.



Miz Mary said:


> WAY COOL !!! I agree....for free, cant complain about VM ! Looks like beautiful fiber, and so long of a staple !


My hands were soft after I worked with it. It is fluffy soft roving, thank you. Yes well worth the time.



Taylor R. said:


> AWESOME! I want to try spinning, and I think I'll just have to take the plunge soon. I think your yarn came out beautiful romy! Rustic is a perfect description.


Thank You Taylor, it just took time but it was fun to learn. My Yarn will get better as I go along and now I understand why other ladies get spinning wheels. The drop spinner does take a lot longer to produce yarn then a spinning wheel. I am still mastering the drop spinner...rustic is right. I may be dying some next fleece.





DragonFlyFarm said:


> Romy! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story. How fun! I'm so impressed with how fast you were able to get thru it and finish a pair of socks....very squishy comphy looking socks


Thank you, I had a lot of other projects going lately, the socks were over a two day time from spinning the yarn to crocheting them I did not time the wash/picking/carding as I did that over TTY be past week here and there. On my I can't stop crocheting thread it shows some of the other things I made while doing this. I don't think I am fast, just persistent...lol they are very comfy, no itch.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> nice work!
> 
> Fiber with lots of VM just takes more time and I admit- it used to scare me - but if the fiber is right (or free) I'll invest time into it like you did and get something wonderful.
> 
> ...


Thankyou! One of the things I noticed about the fiber when carding it was that the fibers were so strong when I was pulling them apart. I had gotten my drop dinner off of ebay and it came with a little bit of roving, that was considerably easier to pull apart. I didn't find any weak spot so far. Rustic is a good way to describe my first yarn and the socks....onward and upward, what next? Lol


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I'm really impressed that you used a drop spindle. :rock:


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks for the pics! It's neat to see the process from start to finish! Good news on potential weak spots, I don't think this ewe ever lambed, or at least she definitely didn't lamb this year. I think she was only 3 or so, so it's possible she never lambed at all. 

I love the puffy yarn around the hem of the sock!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Maura said:


> I'm really impressed that you used a drop spindle. :rock:


Thank you and also for looking past my typo...oops. What happened with my drop dinner was my tablet corrects what I write. Currently my computer is down so my new charger cord will be in my postal box soon. The drop spindle was an $8.95 bargain on ebay including shipping, this guy makes these and they look like they are antiques, stained, varnished and really nice. I will post a pic of that drop spindle after I get my computer up and running again. 



MDKatie said:


> Thanks for the pics! It's neat to see the process from start to finish! Good news on potential weak spots, I don't think this ewe ever lambed, or at least she definitely didn't lamb this year. I think she was only 3 or so, so it's possible she never lambed at all.
> 
> I love the puffy yarn around the hem of the sock!


I just had to post the process, it was my first try at it. My thought was, if I could do it...so could others who were wanting to but had not tried yet. I was very happy with the roving, still working on the yarn part. My last yarn turned out much better then the first. I thought the puffy yarn would be fun to rim the socks, I am so glad you like that too. They did wash up very nicely and look better than before. As to the spinning part, mastering a drop spindle is something the hands must practice...I will get better... So how is Marshmellow doing? Is she still being a crazy girl?


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

romysbaskets said:


> So how is Marshmellow doing? Is she still being a crazy girl?


I don't know! Her owner was just keeping the 3 of them here temporarily. They left a while ago. :grin:


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

MDKatie said:


> I don't know! Her owner was just keeping the 3 of them here temporarily. They left a while ago. :grin:


My grandson loved the pics I showed him of the marshmellow sheep and the process of making yarn. He will be 5 in October but has a fascination with how Grams makes things....awww Glad the sheep are back with their owner, hope they get yearly shearing from now on. Gosh they must have been hot in the summer?


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Love seeing what you create! Your socks are great! And so is your yarn. I never did get the hang of a drop spindle. I am doing better with the wheel. lol!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

mamajohnson said:


> Love seeing what you create! Your socks are great! And so is your yarn. I never did get the hang of a drop spindle. I am doing better with the wheel. lol![/QUOTE
> 
> Why thank you most kindly Mama J! Oh that yarn I have made is rough....or rustic I guess and no I have not mastered that drop spindle yet...LOL I need lots more practice, I can see a spinning wheel in my future!


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## dhodge (Jul 20, 2013)

Those sheep are so cute! I do love your socks. I also made the mistake of not skirting the fleece before I started washing. Ugh! I was _almost _discouraged until I figured out my folly; I also have been carding with dog brushes. I have in a holding pattern about the viking combs. I want them but I became impatient to start and went to petsmart and purchased some large metal dog combs. The have wooden handles and after watching a youtube video on correct procedure for combing I have done a reasonable job with them. , The only problem is that the teeth are short. I am still on the fence. 
I purchased a drop spindle in New Mexico a couple of weeks ago while on vacation. I am hooked. However, I have also ordered a spinning wheel that I found on ebay for a great price, brand new. Can't wait for it to arrive. I have never had a hobby that I loved this much. I feel so connected to nature and calm when I spin.
Thanks for sharing the pictures. I will take some of my new spinning wheel when it arrives.
Darlene


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

It looks wonderful. Thanks for the pictures. When I made my first yarn, all the nice people here said that I should save that first yarn since after a while, I'd have a hard time making it like that again. They were right. I couldn't see why I'd want to make such textured yarn. Now I do! It's hard to put bumps in on purpose. I love it that you made socks right off. I'm sure Marshmallow is happy about your use of her fleece, where ever she is.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Callieslamb said:


> It looks wonderful. Thanks for the pictures. When I made my first yarn, all the nice people here said that I should save that first yarn since after a while, I'd have a hard time making it like that again. They were right. I couldn't see why I'd want to make such textured yarn. Now I do! It's hard to put bumps in on purpose. I love it that you made socks right off. I'm sure Marshmallow is happy about your use of her fleece, where ever she is.


A long overdue thank you for the compliments...it was fun but interesting doing this without a teacher or someone to show me any techniques... Somehow I managed through it to have the yarn turn out to be useable. As a matter of fact I did save some of my first yarn. 

Marshmallow's wool is still going strong! I used some to stuff a crocheted fish and a crocheted monkey..will post pics after my daughter sends them...made those for my Grandkids for Christmas. I still have some left for pillows or quilts...mmmm I did process her fleece and a part of one of the other's fleeces into Roving which I am still using. I made slippers for my brother and used some of the roving to spin with his Pomeranians hair at his request which I lined a pair of slippers with.

I did post these on my other thread but not on the one I should have. The yarn I was able to spin became several more items. I have to round up the last item, a very thick pair of Mary Jane slippers. 

This hat and scarf set were some of those items...along with head bands and more.....all of this plus more from Katie's generous gift of fleece!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I honestly believe that the projects that we do "by the seat of our pants" 
working mostly from our own observation and intuition
are the ones we learn the most from.
There is just no substitution for hands-on experience.

Book learning and classes with qualified teachers do not provide the same situational awareness.

Great work, Romy!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

This is an awesome thread!!! It was so fun to see the whole process as you worked through it all. 

Nice work! And inspirational!


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Wow, great job!!!


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

Daaaaang. I'm jealous! I wish I had that nice of long wool!

You did a lovely job! I want to squish those sheep sooo bad.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

gone-a-milkin said:


> I honestly believe that the projects that we do "by the seat of our pants"
> working mostly from our own observation and intuition
> are the ones we learn the most from.
> There is just no substitution for hands-on experience.
> ...


Thank you GAM, I think you are so right and it is more rewarding that way. It is fun to wear things I make....I feel special in them.  Plus I have learned so much on HT!!



Kasota said:


> This is an awesome thread!!! It was so fun to see the whole process as you worked through it all.
> 
> Thank you K, it was something I felt I should post. I figured there must be others like me who had never done this before.
> 
> Nice work! And inspirational!


Thank you very much!



MDKatie said:


> Wow, great job!!!





ErikaMay said:


> Daaaaang. I'm jealous! I wish I had that nice of long wool!
> 
> You did a lovely job! I want to squish those sheep sooo bad.


Thank you EM, they are like big marshmellows aren't they? I did feel like it would have been fun to see them in real life. I found out that their fleece was 3 years of growth..no wonder it was so long. I was very happy to get long wool to work with, it is easier to spin then the shorter wool I spun. You do get better fast with a hand spindle, it is funny now to look back even now.... That old saying of "practice makes perfect", well it sure makes it better anyhow...


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Oh. My. Goodness. 

Those are fantastic projects! Love them all.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

BlueberryChick said:


> Oh. My. Goodness.
> 
> Those are fantastic projects! Love them all.


Thank you so much Blueberry Chick! I am still waiting to get pics from my daughters of the little stuffed animals I made and stuffed with the wool roving....


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

More! More! We want to see more! What are you working on now? 

(Yes, I was the kid in the back seat of the car asking if we were there yet....)


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Kasota said:


> More! More! We want to see more! What are you working on now?
> 
> (Yes, I was the kid in the back seat of the car asking if we were there yet....)


I recall my boys were the ones who always asked when we were going to be there and were we there yet? LOL I was bad, I did not post a fraction of what I have made... I seriously crochet every single day. My other thread about crocheting had some newer things on it but I have not updated this thread yet. I will once I download my phone's pics onto my computer tonight. 

I did post today a thread encouraging sweater unraveling for yarn. I had fun unraveling a mohair sweater...love my new to me yarn..how lovely the scarves will be.  I made some yarn out of alpaca roving from Mama J over the summer and still have some wool to process and some wool roving to spin I did work up. 

I made three angora scarves from a trade I did in the past week and got lovely angora yarn in two colors. I also made a shawl of angora I posted on another thread prior to that. I will be posting pictures of the several pairs of mittens I just made and will pull out the alpaca yarn I did spin to take a pic to post on this one.


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