Fair Isle from Scratch: The Plan (So Far)

Washed fleece

Wow! Who would have guessed that my little Fair Isle Sweater from Scratch project would provoke such response? In answer to the questions:

The fleece comes from a Shetland sheep of some sort--lamb? hoggett? ewe? I don't know. I was browsing in The Weaving Works (Seattle) and I ran across a bin of Shetland fleece. Now, I was not looking for fleece. No, sir! But, I do love the smell of fleece! And this one felt so very soft. Lots of crimp. And the locks had a nice sound to them when I snapped them (this is a hard thing to explain to non-spinners: you take a lock of wool at both ends and you tug it quickly while listening--a sound fleece will ping a bit, whereas a poor fleece will break apart or be silent--that's how I understand it anyway). The tips weren't matted and there were no guard hairs or kemp. Although there was some vegetable matter, it didn't seem excessive given that I suddenly and urgently wanted to get started right away.

Why did I choose Shetland wool?

• I've been working with Shetland wool yarns for many years now, and it is the traditional wool for the type of color knitting that I love.
• Shetland sheep have been on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) list, which classifies rare and endagnered breeds of sheep, as Recovering. That is, there are enough of them not to be endangered but not enough to feel like they don't need monitoring. When we use a rare-ish breed's fleece, we help assure that ranchers will continue to raise that breed. A great introduction to rare breeds can be found here.
• Shetland sheep are cute as buttons. They are relatively small and their personalities, I am told, are "endearing."
• Shetland sheep come in many colors.
• Shetland wool, carefully chosen, is very soft and wearable.

In Sheep's Clothing by Jane and Nola Fournier is full of information about different breeds, what to look for, and the uses of their wool. The sweet book Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools by Deborah Robson explores a number of rare breeds and the uses of their fleece. Spin-Off magazine has published several articles about Shetland sheep recently (did you know that indexes to Spin-Off are available at http://www.interweave.com/spin/spinoff_magazine/spo_indexes.asp?)

I bought 1.25 pounds of the fleece, which I have washed in a hot bath (directions here) with Orvus paste, a gentle detergent for horses and cattle, and rinsed several times. It is now drying on a towel in the kitchen. I toss it a bit every time I walk past.

Plans:

1. I'm going to hand card the fleece because that is how it was done in Shetland as far as I can tell. It's hard to get accurate information about technical details from the past, but I found some photos from 1910 online and a drawing purportedly from the "mid 19th century" that showed Shetland women using handcards. I'll spin up the yarn woolen and ply it to match commercial Shetland 2-ply jumperweight yarn in grist.

1. My sister and I are going to the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon, in June. I hope to find a gray fleece and a light brown one, which I will also wash, card, spin and ply.
2. I will then dye the yarns with natural dyes: indigo and madder seem to be the traditional dyes, plus the Shetlanders used lichen dyes that I cannot approximate here on the West Coast of America. (Of course, we have our own lichens, but I assume they are different.) I'm planning to dye the yarns to different depths of shade, and of course overdyeing the gray and light brown will produce different colors than dyeing the natural white.
3. Once the dyeing is done, I'll design a garment. I really don't want to dye to order--I think it's easier to design based on what is at hand. I don't envision a museum copy of an old Fair Isle, however--to be honest, the older patterns have never appealed to me. But the design will come later.

When Elizabeth Gilbert and Anne Lamott were talking last month, one of the subjects they spoke about was the importance of staying in the "now." But they also noted that, according to specialists on happiness, the happiest people are those with memories of good times and things to look forward to. Anne (or Elizabeth, I can't remember) said that the lesson is to "take lots of pictures and make lots of plans."

I'm having fun making plans!

Comments

[Jessica]

I can't wait to watch your progress on this. Plus you get to buy two fleeces at BSG. Squee!

[Diane]

Wow, what a project! I'm really glad you're sharing your pictures and your plans with the world. Hope to run into you at BSG!

Diane

[Rachael]

This is SO COOL. We will watch with fascination.

Also: Where were Elizabeth G and Anne L talking? Is it archiving somewhere? Would love to know -- I missed this one.

[Linda "K"]

I believe it's still Shirley that picks out all the fleeces at WW and she's always happy to tell you how and why she chose them above the rest and what she knows about the farm and breeder. Our very own Andrea is now a bit of a specialist on lichen dyeing from species she's collected herself. Whadda talent pool we have in Seattle! Jeeze!

[Knitman]

Good luck! I'd love to do the same but already tried a wheel and just cannot manage cos of my physical limitations. I look forward to seeing your end product.

[mary.l.]

you might like/try this book, that i bought in lerwick 20 years ago,

Jean Fraser, Traditional Scottish Dyes & how to make them, Canongate Publishing Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland. ISBN 0 86241 036 3.

i was surprised to see the use of the iris flower's root to make blue grey - who knew?

[Cathy]

I used a dog comb on my fleeces.

[KarenJoSeattle]

Wow. Quite the project.

As I think I remember from botany class, lichen was a trade product as the colors do vary a bit from place to place. Would the Shetland women have had access to lichen from elsewhere.

[Thalia]

That is wonderful! I am also a fan of rare breeds (I have some Llanwenog yarn waiting for a project worthy of it, and some Balwen and Colored Ryeland as well), and adore Shetlands. What used to be my LYS before I moved East, Sheep Street (www.sheepstreet.com), is located on the proprietors' land, and is nestled next to their flock of about 100 Shetland sheep. The rams would come right up to the fence, if they were feeling so inclined, to get their chins scratched. Wonderful sheep. And I just started learning to spin with a drop spindle, and picked up some Shetland roving! It's gorgeous stuff.

I'm looking forward to seeing your project develop!