Work to Do

Prepping my next project-2 years worth of angora fiber to spin. Plan to coordinate colors and do separate batches mixed with this beautiful assortment of yak, camel down, alpaca, merino, shetland, tussock silk (that I purchased on Etsy), and baby Bichon from Nolan. The baby Bichon hair will be spun with the tussock silk because they are both stark white.

Nolan and his baby hair

Getting ready to spin

From Bison to Yarn

DH has an interesting job as a forest ecologist/prairie management coordinator.  Last week he was seeding one of the paddocks at his workplace where the Bison roam and found a small section of shed Bison down.  Bison lay on the down in the winter months and as it gets warmer of course they shed it.  Click here for some interesting information about Bison fiber which is considered to be a luxury fiber.

 Shed Bison down-this is laying flat in one side of our sink so you can get an idea of amount. It is all matted into a piece that feels like thick felt. The down had no odor or oil and contained some lighter, probably sun bleached areas.  It was mostly dusty with bit of earth clinging to it.

 As soon as you wet the fiber it is easy to pull apart. Washed fiber/24 hours to dry.

 Carded fiber. This particular bit of fiber was mostly very short to medium in length.

 This preparation of Bison was hairy with a varied staple length.  It required a tight twist to keep the yarn from separating.  All of the hair and varied lengths has resulted in a more rustic looking yarn.

25 yards of heavy weight yarn/rewashed to set twist. Very soft (not scratchy yarn).