Look what was waiting for me when we got home from Thanksgiving holiday in Fairbanks: 

 These are samples I sent to the new mill that were delivered while we were out. I’m super excited to see what the mill has produced, it’s the first fiber mill in Alaska that can process wool and the first time I’ve sent fleece to a professional mill for processing. 

 I sent all the things I couldn’t, or rather wouldn’t, sell raw. This was primarily neck wool and very dirty with a lot of vegetable matter. I’m impressed with how clean it all turned out.   

 Betty is an Icelandic ewe, about 4 yrs old, with a very heavy fleece which cannot be coated as it felts if I even consider a coat for her. This fleece was dirty, a little matted, but a lovely color. The yarn freels a little rough, not corse, but not super soft like some of the other samples I have here. The roving feels light and fluffy and silky soft. I look forward to playing with it.  

 This is Niko’s neck wool. Being a ram he is not handled much and usually gets a great deal of hay and other vegetable matter embedded in the uncoated portion of his fleece. This feels like a bag of airy cloud. It will spin up into silky soft yarn to make a lovely hat or cowl. Niko is a 6 yr old Cormo ram bred here in Alaska. 

 Mocha’s neck wool made some lovely pencil roving. There are two bags of roving and true to her Romney/Rambouillett heritage it is all soft and fluffy. This too will be next to the skin soft.  

 Woolly Nelson is a Columbia/Hampshire Down wether with amazing fleece. He is a prince among our flock with a friendly personality and easy going nature that makes him a pleasure to handle. His fleece is just as pleasing the eye as it is to the touch. This yarn feels a little more course than I expected but it is neck wool, which many would have considered waste and thrown away. I’m looking forward to making something fun so I can see how it reacts to needlework. 

   
Nellie is our 7 yr old Polypay ewe. She has a fine wool with a good crimp and good staple. We have samples of different processes which all feel soft and silky. I’m impressed with the results and love the side by side comparisons. 

 Last but not least, Amanda, our American Teeswater.  I know the locks are wonderful to work with but I wanted to know what else could be done with that soft luxurious fiber. I’m blown away by the texture and sheen. This is heaven. 

 This bat feels like air. So very soft and silky. 

Look at the sheen of these skeins. It’s amazing and so very soft. I’m really going to enjoy making something out of this Teeswater yarn. 

Thank you Coyote Trail Farm and Fiber Mill