The Dorset Wool Year – July 2021

What is going on?  July was another month that flew by.  The damp weather continued, then it was too hot and warm for me at least.  This led to an increase in the fly population.  I didn’t have much time between the showers to hand shear the sheep, as they must be dry to be shorn.  Therefore, for the first time in 11 years, I brought in a shearer to finish the job, before fly strike started.  Fly strike is difficult to find and treat before serious damage can be done to the sheep, so it was important for their welfare to ‘cheat’ this year.

Shearing

Alex, the shearer, only gave me an hour’s notice of his arrival, so it was a bit hectic sorting out pens and moving sheep to where they needed to be.  Fortunately, he was very forgiving and helped us push them into the pen ready for shearing.  Thanks to Rachel and Ian for their assistance too!  Alex did a lovely job using electric clippers, so it was very peaceful and well worth the money spent.  As it was still warm and damp a week later, I treated the sheep for flies.  This is the first time in years that I have needed to do this, but for peace of mind it was the best thing to do.

Prehistoric Market

On the last full weekend of the month, I joined the Ancient Wessex Network at Salisbury Museum for the festival of archaeology weekend.  It was a lovely, fun weekend. Sadly, it wasn’t the warmest or sunniest weather, but it was great to be out and about again.  The crowds were not too large, but it was pleasantly busy. I love sharing my knowledge with others at these events.

I created a new Bronze Age outfit for the event.  It was made with some second-hand linen, dyed with Madder to give reds and Weld for yellows.  The design was based on Bronze age grave goods from Scandinavia.  The top is one of the best designs ever, as it is basically a rectangle with 2 cuts to create the sleeves and 2 seams, one across the back and the other up the back.  You then cut a head hole in the top.  The skirt is just a tube of material, held up with a length of material simply wrapped around, which acts as a belt.  I wish modern designs were as simple!

Washing and Dyeing

The rest of the month was spent sorting out wool.  When it is sunny, warm, and dry, washing the fleeces is a pleasure.  They can be dried in the sunshine and take less than a day to dry out.  If you want to see how I prepare the fibre please watch on my Facebook page. As the month progressed the weather again became very damp, so it was hard to get the fleeces dry.  I am currently waiting for some warmer drier weather again.  It has been raining again today! The last week was spent dyeing some yarn with madder and weld.  I have also extracted some Woad and will prepare a vat for that in the next few weeks.  Watch out for some new yarns (aran weight) and colours arriving in the shop.

Next Month

Next month I am giving a Nalbinding workshop in the Crafter’s Community group that I am a member of.  We meet in Frampton Village Hall every Thursday morning 10am – 12pm, so please come along and join us if you are local and interested.  It is just £3 a session and all crafts are welcome.

At the end of the month, I will be part of the Ancient Wessex Network camp at the Oak Fair on the Stock Gaylard estate, near Sturminster Newton.  This is a fantastic event celebrating all rural crafts.  Well worth a visit even if we weren’t there!

Looking ahead.  There is the Artists and Artisan Makers sale, again at Frampton Village Hall, Dorset from 10am – 4pm on 18^th September.  This is a great opportunity to start you Christmas shopping and support local small businesses and creators.

I hope to see some of you at these events.  In the meantime, happy crafting!