Baby Season is Here

Baby season is officially here. In 6 days we had 37 kids and lamb born. I still have ten does to deliver and 12 ewes. They appear to be a week or so out, which is giving me a small break to get shop things caught up. Photos and stories are below.

Just before the kid explosion, I picked up my roving and yarns from Sweitzers Fiber Mill. They turned out lovely. The above yarns are a three ply lace weight from a first fleece Border Leicester Shetland X. It is lovely and I dyed it dark turquoise. I always add yarns over a period of an hour, so there will be variation in color. The lighter ones at the top were put in last. I have 5 skeins of the paler turquoise (pictured below) and 10 of the truly dark ones. They all have 240 yards and will be priced at $17.25 a skein. You can order direct by email: jmarckathy@aol.com or wait till I get it listed on my eshop or etsy shop - hopefully later today.

 

This is a skein of natural colored Suri alpaca that I have spun. look for it on my eshop soon. I have one other in the wash.

 Above are two skeins that I got back from the Sweitzers Mill. The top is a moorit Merino blended with a first red kid mohair. It is gorgeous. The bottom skein is from a Shetland lamb blended with kid mohair. It is just a tad less silky feeling, but still gorgeous. Both are three ply and DK weight. I also have a dark chocolate 100% Merino.

 I have been busy spinning and playing with new ideas. The above yarns have twisted coils. Still have to knit or weave one up to see how they will look, but they feel lovely. The ones below are brushed mohair (not as soft as kid mohair) that are spun thick and thin.

 I just finished a scarf with random pleats and I will be listing the pattern on etsy, my shop and craftsy. I still have to get a good photo. I have ordered a mannequin that will arrive this week. My old mannequin now looks too beat up to use. All that hauling around for shows has worn out the "Headless Wonder."

 Now for baby pictures. The little doe in the back took five days to get on her mom. She had to be treated for pneumonia, since she got amniotic fluid in her lungs at birth. I finally took her coat off last night. She is happy to be running around freely with the rest of the kids.

 I just don't have enough hands to get the baby bottles and kids back and forth from the house. This little buck fit perfectly in a bag and was content to ride up to the house for a short session with a heating pad and baby bottle.

 Among all the baby births, the adult goats and sheep got their spring shearing. Now I can keep an eye on udders and predict (not likely) when the next batch of babies will be born. Got 53 fleeces and have already washed 4. I turned the water back on in the bank barn, so I can wash. Soon I will be listing classes since I  have a long list for nuno felting.
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This mom was awesome. She had just had a baby, when I had to pull a kid out of another white doe. The second mom was stressed and did not look like she would take her kid. I took the kid, covered in goo, and put it in with this mom. She adopted it as her own immediately. I will be able to tell them apart, since one is a buck and the second one is a doe.

Lots of babies: you can call to schedule a farm visit: 401-795-6070. I have decided that I am not going to do a fiber festival here at the farm this year. Too many issues with scheduling a shearer and so many shows in the fall. I will be updating the list of shows on my website as soon as I hear back from a few places. I will be doing Stitches East in November in Connecticut. This coming weekend you may find me at the Carroll County Home Show in booth #60.