Lavender and Fleece
We have a huge lavender plant growing in our herb garden. Huge -- as in the plant is six or eight feet in diameter and the flower spikes are almost four feet tall. In addition, we have smaller plants -- originally cuttings -- growing in wine barrel planters. Lavender is part of our fiber business. We make lavender sachets which we include with our fleeces to help protect the fiber from moths. Right now, the lavender is blooming and it's time for me to start cutting and drying lavender.
I've never tried dyeing with lavender, but I suppose it can be done and I assume that's the origin of the color.
Today's fiber project is stripping the dried flowers from the stalks of lavender I dried last year? Yes, I know the project is so last year, but I am trying to make some space in the hobby room and dried lavender is at the top of the stack right now. Even though it's a year old, the odor is so strong I have to strip the dried florets outside.
Fleeces for sale -- Chloe
Today I'm adding Chloe's 2006 fleeces to the list of available unskirted fiber. Chloe is a medium silver gray with just a hint of lavender (the color) in her fleece. Her fleece spins to a heathery salt and pepper and overdyes beautifully. Overdye white for bright colors. Overdye a silver gray for rich jewel tones. Chloe's fleece has always been one of our best sellers at Black Sheep Gathering.
Chloe 2006 Half Blankets
Fleeces F054 and F055, each 16.6 ounces for $33.00 before skirting. Good softness and will pass the chin test with most people. I expect to price these half-blankets around $37-40 after skirting.
Fiber Statistics:
Average Fiber Diameter: 25.1 microns
Coefficient of Variation: 21.5 (Std Dev 5.4)
Comfort Factor (percent of fibers under 30 microns): 85.6%
Staple Length: 90.0 mm
Curvature: 31.1 Dg/mm
Chloe 2006 Seconds
F056 11.4 ounces for $17.00. Like all seconds, this fiber will have greater variability in both texture and staple length than the blanket and seconds will contain noticeable guard hair. As a result of her tuxedo pattern, Chloe's seconds contain both gray and white fiber.
These fleeces are currently listed on the fleeces page of our catalog.
posted by Upper Alpacas | 6:27 PM
1 Comments:
So thrilled to find your site! We are about to get our first alpacas, and I am offering my herbs (including lavender sachets) at a Farmers' Market for the first time this year, so I feel we have much in common. It is so interesting that you feel overwhelmed with the smell of lavender. Lavender is the "mother herb" and is an amazingly powerful balancer/healer. Your method of hand stripping the stalks is the best. Perhaps if you just did a few each evening through the winter it would not seem so daunting a task. Easier said than done, I'm sure. I have zero knowledge presently of fiber arts but am excited to learn. Will vistit your site daily from now on. Thank you for sharing!
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