Mabel went to the vet this morning. She was not pregnant! It was a false pregnancy, which happens...But the great news about that is she is totally healthy and there is no reason she won't be able to have a whole heap of babies in about a month from now :-D Really this the best possible outcome, I'm just SO happy she is healthy and didn't have a problem!!
And for another silver lining it'll be another month closer to spring before I head up to the wild northern winter...I'm not too upset by that ;) I don't drive in winter weather, so spring is good!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday Morning Update
Still no babies from Mabel. Sherry read that it can actually take up to 34 days, which would be tomorrow...so if she doesn't have them by then Ken and Sherry will be taking her to the vet for an Xray. We're certainly hoping and praying that isn't necessary, and that she has a happy healthy litter TODAY!!
I hope to maybe get a picture of the new french cross babies today...something to tide me over while I wait for our babies ;)
I hope to maybe get a picture of the new french cross babies today...something to tide me over while I wait for our babies ;)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesdays Update
We are STILL waiting on Miss Mabel to deliver the babies. This must be what fathers used to feel like sitting out in the waiting rooms at the hospitals! LOL
The other doe, the French/German cross, had a beautiful litter of babies today :o) So there is some good news...but as for Mabel...we just keep waiting...and praying!!
The other doe, the French/German cross, had a beautiful litter of babies today :o) So there is some good news...but as for Mabel...we just keep waiting...and praying!!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Update on Mabel
I received an email from Ken and Sherry at www.backacresangora.com letting me know that they're still waiting on Mabel. She's at 30 days as of yesterday I think it was....so everyone is anxiously waiting and it should be any time now! :o) This is Mabel's first litter...so I'm sure she's much like I was having my first baby...thinking it's about time for this to be over, but still sorta wondering exactly what's happening. lol
If I understood correctly, and please contact them to see, they also bred at least one of their French/German crosses and she is due any minute too! So there could be more babies available in the next 8 weeks or so, just in time for Spring! The French/German cross has a lovely gray/silver color fiber.
I'll keep you posted and will share a picture or two as soon as I hear they are born. Here's hoping it's today!! :-D
If I understood correctly, and please contact them to see, they also bred at least one of their French/German crosses and she is due any minute too! So there could be more babies available in the next 8 weeks or so, just in time for Spring! The French/German cross has a lovely gray/silver color fiber.
I'll keep you posted and will share a picture or two as soon as I hear they are born. Here's hoping it's today!! :-D
Friday, February 4, 2011
Ideal Conditions For Raising German Angoras
As we anxiously await the arrival of the baby bunnies from Ollie and Mabel we are preparing for them and making sure that their new home will be the best possible place for them to grow into happy healthy fiber producing bunnies! :o)
There are some characteristics about the Angora rabbit that make it different from your everyday run of the mill bunny chewing the edges of your lettuce leafs in the garden. Here I will cover basic rabbit requirements and will make special note of those things that are specific to the Angora rabbits.
Food- First let me say...Rabbits can not live off of carrots, no matter what Bugs Bunny might say. Rabbits require a high quality rabbit pellet. We will be feeding the high fiber show quality Purina rabbit pellets.
Grass Hay should also be fed to help increase the fiber in the diet. Fiber is VERY very important for the digestive health of any rabbit...but especially for the Angora rabbits. As they groom themselves they can ingest large amounts of their own fur. That fur can then cause what is called "wool block" where it literally binds up in their digestive systems and can kill them. Certainly that is a tragedy that we want to do all we can to avoid...and high fiber helps to keep that from happening by keeping everything "moving" through their systems. One tip that I have read is to take a toilet paper roll and cut it in half. Stuff it full of the hay and the rabbit will eat it from in there. This helps reduce waste, and in the case of the Angora rabbit it also helps to keep the hay out of the fiber where we don't want it causing matted areas.
Treats can also be given in moderation. A daily carrot is not the best idea...but perhaps once a week a bit can be given as well as bits of apples, black oil sunflower seeds etc.
Water- Your rabbit MUST MUST MUST have water available at all times! And it must be clean water. Rabbits will not eat if they are thirsty. Water bottles should be washed out regularly and rinsed very well to be sure there is no residue from the cleaning agents left inside of them.
Housing- There are many different types of cages available for rabbits and it's best to really think of what you will need, and what will make your rabbit most comfortable.
Smaller rabbits can use smaller cages, but German Angoras and many of the crosses with German Angoras are LARGE rabbits...they need LARGE cages. A minimum size cage for a German Angora should be 30 x 36 inches and at least 24inches high. You can play around with that slightly...as I know some people who build their own cages will make them 24x48 and then the same 24inches high. German Angoras can get to 20 pounds, they need room to move around if they are going to live happy healthy lives.
The wire on the bottom of the cages needs to be sturdy to hold that sort of weight. Again, what may hold a 3 pound rabbit is not going to be able to handle one seven times that size. Holes no bigger than 1 inch by a half inch should be on the bottom to give the rabbit good solid footing and to make sure there are no inguries for feet slipping through the holes. On the sides 1 x 1 and 1 x 2 are okay.
Doors usually open in. The reason for this is there is less chance of escape by hippity hopping bunnies. German Angoras tend to be very laid back and happy rabbits and so some people reverse it so the door opens out. Either way it is important to be sure that the door secures tightly and that all edges are smooth and will not hurt the rabbit as you take them in and out.
The cages should also be hung or raised up on legs so that a drip pan can be placed under the cage. The droppings etc need to be able to fall down and not get caught up in the rabbits fur. A drop pan also makes clean up easy every other day.
If you are breeding there will also need to be nest boxes to be placed inside the cages, but I will discuss those in another post dealing with breeding.
Atmosphere- There are alot of things to consider under this topic. Some of them will make a difference in the fiber you get from your rabbit, some as to how the rabbits breed, and some are a matter of life and death...this is IMPORTANT stuff that should not be glossed over, so please read carefully!
Ventilation- Clean air makes us all feel better...rabbits are no exception. While rabbits do not do well with drafts, they do need air that is exchanged and refreshed. This can be done with doors, windows, fans, etc. In our rabbitry they will be living in a spare bedroom with two windows that are excellent for cross ventilation. Where a rabbit would not do well is a basement that has no windows, no doors, and no way to get fresh air...or in a shed that is so airtight that the air will be stale and stagnant.
Light- Sunshine is a beautiful thing...especially as I sit here on another cold overcast wintery day ;) But if you can not provide natural sunlight then it is important to provide good lighting, ideally set on a timer, for your rabbits. In terms of Angoras artificial lighting should be carefully thought out. When the days are longest and hot the rabbits will not breed, this is because of temperature mostly...but if you have the ability to keep them indoors and control such circumstances, then you may be able to get more breedings out of them than others who can not control it. If your rabbits are outside you should provide an awning or covering so that the sun does not beat down on your rabbit.
Temperature- And speaking of temperature...this is where the German Angoras really need to be thought of. One of the main reasons they are so coveted by fiber enthusiasts is because of all that long, oh so warm, fur. But that fur can be the death of them if we are not careful! The reason we have to travel so far to find good breeding stock is because most German Angoras are raised in the northern most states, where it's much cooler, and they can be kept outdoors all year long. In the South we need to take precautions to keep them cool and alive! Ideal temps are 58*-68* (which happen to be my ideal temps too...so the bunnies and I will both be very happy!) Once temps get above 75* cooling MUST be provided for them. By 85* the rabbits can die if we don't do something for them. I suspect that this is one of the big reasons that it's been so hard to find German Angoras here in the southeastern United States...but really all it takes is a little planning and some thought. Having indoor rabbits is an easy solution since most of us enjoy our air conditioning and it won't cost us any more to have the bunnies enjoy it too. Other people will put a small window a/c unit in the shed/barn where they keep their rabbits. Frozen water bottles, fans, iced treats etc can all help keep our bunnies cool and very much able to live down south. Truthfully I wouldn't live down south either if it weren't for artificial cooling methods...so I understand!
Grooming- Most people raise German Angoras for their fur. Either they are collecting it...or they want it to be perfect for showing. Grooming for the German Angora is as simple as brushing them a couple times a week. Every 90 days or so you can then shave them to collect all that fiber. Shaving may be the wrong word to use. Many people do use clippers to shave them, but from what I've read and seen most people use plain old blunt tip scissors. There are tons of videos on Youtube for this and as I get to that point with our rabbits I'll be posting more about it. German Angoras are the only angora that do NOT naturally molt their coats. The other three angoras all require more grooming and will lose their coats by themselves if you do not harvest the fiber.
Love- BinBins need love :o) They don't necessarily need it to survive...but if you want a happy healthy bunny it needs to feel the love. Spend some time with your rabbit. Take them outside to an enclosed fenced area and let them get some excersize. I have seen people use cat leashes on their German Angoras so that they can take them for a walk. Cuddle with them on the couch while brushing them.
With a little thought and a little planning it is very possible to raise these wonderful rabbits in any area of the country and still have happy healthy productive rabbits, for the love of fur and fiber!!
There are some characteristics about the Angora rabbit that make it different from your everyday run of the mill bunny chewing the edges of your lettuce leafs in the garden. Here I will cover basic rabbit requirements and will make special note of those things that are specific to the Angora rabbits.
Food- First let me say...Rabbits can not live off of carrots, no matter what Bugs Bunny might say. Rabbits require a high quality rabbit pellet. We will be feeding the high fiber show quality Purina rabbit pellets.
Grass Hay should also be fed to help increase the fiber in the diet. Fiber is VERY very important for the digestive health of any rabbit...but especially for the Angora rabbits. As they groom themselves they can ingest large amounts of their own fur. That fur can then cause what is called "wool block" where it literally binds up in their digestive systems and can kill them. Certainly that is a tragedy that we want to do all we can to avoid...and high fiber helps to keep that from happening by keeping everything "moving" through their systems. One tip that I have read is to take a toilet paper roll and cut it in half. Stuff it full of the hay and the rabbit will eat it from in there. This helps reduce waste, and in the case of the Angora rabbit it also helps to keep the hay out of the fiber where we don't want it causing matted areas.
Treats can also be given in moderation. A daily carrot is not the best idea...but perhaps once a week a bit can be given as well as bits of apples, black oil sunflower seeds etc.
Water- Your rabbit MUST MUST MUST have water available at all times! And it must be clean water. Rabbits will not eat if they are thirsty. Water bottles should be washed out regularly and rinsed very well to be sure there is no residue from the cleaning agents left inside of them.
Housing- There are many different types of cages available for rabbits and it's best to really think of what you will need, and what will make your rabbit most comfortable.
Smaller rabbits can use smaller cages, but German Angoras and many of the crosses with German Angoras are LARGE rabbits...they need LARGE cages. A minimum size cage for a German Angora should be 30 x 36 inches and at least 24inches high. You can play around with that slightly...as I know some people who build their own cages will make them 24x48 and then the same 24inches high. German Angoras can get to 20 pounds, they need room to move around if they are going to live happy healthy lives.
The wire on the bottom of the cages needs to be sturdy to hold that sort of weight. Again, what may hold a 3 pound rabbit is not going to be able to handle one seven times that size. Holes no bigger than 1 inch by a half inch should be on the bottom to give the rabbit good solid footing and to make sure there are no inguries for feet slipping through the holes. On the sides 1 x 1 and 1 x 2 are okay.
Doors usually open in. The reason for this is there is less chance of escape by hippity hopping bunnies. German Angoras tend to be very laid back and happy rabbits and so some people reverse it so the door opens out. Either way it is important to be sure that the door secures tightly and that all edges are smooth and will not hurt the rabbit as you take them in and out.
The cages should also be hung or raised up on legs so that a drip pan can be placed under the cage. The droppings etc need to be able to fall down and not get caught up in the rabbits fur. A drop pan also makes clean up easy every other day.
If you are breeding there will also need to be nest boxes to be placed inside the cages, but I will discuss those in another post dealing with breeding.
Atmosphere- There are alot of things to consider under this topic. Some of them will make a difference in the fiber you get from your rabbit, some as to how the rabbits breed, and some are a matter of life and death...this is IMPORTANT stuff that should not be glossed over, so please read carefully!
Ventilation- Clean air makes us all feel better...rabbits are no exception. While rabbits do not do well with drafts, they do need air that is exchanged and refreshed. This can be done with doors, windows, fans, etc. In our rabbitry they will be living in a spare bedroom with two windows that are excellent for cross ventilation. Where a rabbit would not do well is a basement that has no windows, no doors, and no way to get fresh air...or in a shed that is so airtight that the air will be stale and stagnant.
Light- Sunshine is a beautiful thing...especially as I sit here on another cold overcast wintery day ;) But if you can not provide natural sunlight then it is important to provide good lighting, ideally set on a timer, for your rabbits. In terms of Angoras artificial lighting should be carefully thought out. When the days are longest and hot the rabbits will not breed, this is because of temperature mostly...but if you have the ability to keep them indoors and control such circumstances, then you may be able to get more breedings out of them than others who can not control it. If your rabbits are outside you should provide an awning or covering so that the sun does not beat down on your rabbit.
Temperature- And speaking of temperature...this is where the German Angoras really need to be thought of. One of the main reasons they are so coveted by fiber enthusiasts is because of all that long, oh so warm, fur. But that fur can be the death of them if we are not careful! The reason we have to travel so far to find good breeding stock is because most German Angoras are raised in the northern most states, where it's much cooler, and they can be kept outdoors all year long. In the South we need to take precautions to keep them cool and alive! Ideal temps are 58*-68* (which happen to be my ideal temps too...so the bunnies and I will both be very happy!) Once temps get above 75* cooling MUST be provided for them. By 85* the rabbits can die if we don't do something for them. I suspect that this is one of the big reasons that it's been so hard to find German Angoras here in the southeastern United States...but really all it takes is a little planning and some thought. Having indoor rabbits is an easy solution since most of us enjoy our air conditioning and it won't cost us any more to have the bunnies enjoy it too. Other people will put a small window a/c unit in the shed/barn where they keep their rabbits. Frozen water bottles, fans, iced treats etc can all help keep our bunnies cool and very much able to live down south. Truthfully I wouldn't live down south either if it weren't for artificial cooling methods...so I understand!
Grooming- Most people raise German Angoras for their fur. Either they are collecting it...or they want it to be perfect for showing. Grooming for the German Angora is as simple as brushing them a couple times a week. Every 90 days or so you can then shave them to collect all that fiber. Shaving may be the wrong word to use. Many people do use clippers to shave them, but from what I've read and seen most people use plain old blunt tip scissors. There are tons of videos on Youtube for this and as I get to that point with our rabbits I'll be posting more about it. German Angoras are the only angora that do NOT naturally molt their coats. The other three angoras all require more grooming and will lose their coats by themselves if you do not harvest the fiber.
Love- BinBins need love :o) They don't necessarily need it to survive...but if you want a happy healthy bunny it needs to feel the love. Spend some time with your rabbit. Take them outside to an enclosed fenced area and let them get some excersize. I have seen people use cat leashes on their German Angoras so that they can take them for a walk. Cuddle with them on the couch while brushing them.
With a little thought and a little planning it is very possible to raise these wonderful rabbits in any area of the country and still have happy healthy productive rabbits, for the love of fur and fiber!!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
7 Reasons to Raise Rabbits
I'm still a bit surprised by how hard it was to find a German Angora breeder in the southeastern United States. There certainly seems to be a hole in this part of the country and I hope to be able to fill that some. There are many good reasons to raise rabbits...let me share some of them with you :o)
1) If you are a spinner you probably already know and understand how great the fiber is from Angora rabbits. The white fur of the German Angora is great for dying any color in the rainbow. There are other types of Angoras that come in natural colors as well.
2) Rabbits are great pets to have inside the home, which makes them just as easy to keep in the city as in the country. The cages should be cleaned out every other day, but other than that rabbits are not an overly smelly animal or very expensive one to keep. Many people even train their rabbits to use a litter box just like a cat and then the rabbit can have free run of the house or apartment.
3) Rabbits are quiet pets. You'll hear some jumping around the cage, and some bumping of the water bottle...but you won't hear barking all night, or cats meowing in your ears, or birds screeching with the morning light when all you want is some peace and quiet. Again another plus for people who live in the city ;)
4) Rabbits are an excellent way for children to get involved with groups such as 4H without having to get involved in larger, more expensive, and more time consuming animals. It can very much become a great social outlet with a purpose.
5) Breeding rabbits can become a helpful source of extra funds for a family. I don't know anyone who has or is going to become rich with rabbits, but every little bit helps. There are rabbits who are raised for meat, either for the families use or for sale to the public. There is the "pet" business that deals with pet stores etc. The droppings from rabbits make great material for people who raise worms and worm farmers will pay for what many owners clean out of the bottom of the cages. Other rabbits are raised for show: they are raised and entered into competitions etc where winnings may be earned. And finally there are rabbits who are raised for Fiber, for their wool, such as the German Angora.
6) Rabbits have very few extra costs. There are no yearly vet visits, no shots, no heartworm medicines, no flea and tick meds. etc. Rabbit feed if fairly inexpensive ($16 for 50 pounds at our farm store for the good stuff)
7) Rabbits have great personalities and can become cuddly lovable parts of the family :o) Their cute wriggly noses and twitchy ears can brighten any persons day!!
Rabbits make a great addition to many homes...ours certainly wouldn't be the same without a BinBin to love!
1) If you are a spinner you probably already know and understand how great the fiber is from Angora rabbits. The white fur of the German Angora is great for dying any color in the rainbow. There are other types of Angoras that come in natural colors as well.
2) Rabbits are great pets to have inside the home, which makes them just as easy to keep in the city as in the country. The cages should be cleaned out every other day, but other than that rabbits are not an overly smelly animal or very expensive one to keep. Many people even train their rabbits to use a litter box just like a cat and then the rabbit can have free run of the house or apartment.
3) Rabbits are quiet pets. You'll hear some jumping around the cage, and some bumping of the water bottle...but you won't hear barking all night, or cats meowing in your ears, or birds screeching with the morning light when all you want is some peace and quiet. Again another plus for people who live in the city ;)
4) Rabbits are an excellent way for children to get involved with groups such as 4H without having to get involved in larger, more expensive, and more time consuming animals. It can very much become a great social outlet with a purpose.
5) Breeding rabbits can become a helpful source of extra funds for a family. I don't know anyone who has or is going to become rich with rabbits, but every little bit helps. There are rabbits who are raised for meat, either for the families use or for sale to the public. There is the "pet" business that deals with pet stores etc. The droppings from rabbits make great material for people who raise worms and worm farmers will pay for what many owners clean out of the bottom of the cages. Other rabbits are raised for show: they are raised and entered into competitions etc where winnings may be earned. And finally there are rabbits who are raised for Fiber, for their wool, such as the German Angora.
6) Rabbits have very few extra costs. There are no yearly vet visits, no shots, no heartworm medicines, no flea and tick meds. etc. Rabbit feed if fairly inexpensive ($16 for 50 pounds at our farm store for the good stuff)
7) Rabbits have great personalities and can become cuddly lovable parts of the family :o) Their cute wriggly noses and twitchy ears can brighten any persons day!!
Rabbits make a great addition to many homes...ours certainly wouldn't be the same without a BinBin to love!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I'm SO Excited to Introduce You!!
I just received an email from Ken and Sherry at www.backacresangora.com with a picture of Ollie and Mabel for me to share with you!! Now you can see why we are SO excited and just how stunning these Rabbits are!!
This here is Mabel :o) She is STUNNING as far as purebred German Angoras goes!! Look at all that Gorgeous fiber!! Mabel is in her full fiber length here. This is what she will look like when it is time to shave her.
And this is Ollie :o) Such a dashing young rabbit with excellent breeding and already producing beautiful beautiful offspring!! Ollie is not at full fiber here...he's about midway through growing out his coat...which is nice because you can see how big these rabbits really are, and just how cute!!
Ken and Sherry have also bred some very German/French Angora crosses and I think they may have a few of those available right now...so if you're interested in a colored rabbit who is a bit smaller but still full of lots of beautiful fiber click the link and visit their site :o)
This here is Mabel :o) She is STUNNING as far as purebred German Angoras goes!! Look at all that Gorgeous fiber!! Mabel is in her full fiber length here. This is what she will look like when it is time to shave her.
And this is Ollie :o) Such a dashing young rabbit with excellent breeding and already producing beautiful beautiful offspring!! Ollie is not at full fiber here...he's about midway through growing out his coat...which is nice because you can see how big these rabbits really are, and just how cute!!
Ken and Sherry have also bred some very German/French Angora crosses and I think they may have a few of those available right now...so if you're interested in a colored rabbit who is a bit smaller but still full of lots of beautiful fiber click the link and visit their site :o)
Preparing The Roving
It was time to play with the roving. First of all I now understand why people dye the roving. I had wondered when I looked at pictures why they didn't just spin the yarn and then dye it all. The answer is because spinning white after white after white just isn't as exciting...or at least that's my theory right now.
I once again turned to theartofmegan on Youtube...for how-to's watch the following.
So you saw my fist full of fiber in the previous post. Now it was time to get it ready for spinning!
I split the original roving in half and got these two balls. It was like the ball of roving was multiplying! Each of those balls looked bigger than the original one.
Then I took those two balls and split them in half again. So this is the original fiber quartered.
This is one of the quarters next to another quarter that was split in half one again. It started getting a little trickier at this point trying to make sure that the two halves were similar in size.
The last step in preparing the roving was to take one of those eighths and pre-draft it out. Megan explains it well in the video above. So after all the pre-drafting I wound it into a nice neat little nest...and next will come spinning!
I once again turned to theartofmegan on Youtube...for how-to's watch the following.
So you saw my fist full of fiber in the previous post. Now it was time to get it ready for spinning!
I split the original roving in half and got these two balls. It was like the ball of roving was multiplying! Each of those balls looked bigger than the original one.
Then I took those two balls and split them in half again. So this is the original fiber quartered.
This is one of the quarters next to another quarter that was split in half one again. It started getting a little trickier at this point trying to make sure that the two halves were similar in size.
The last step in preparing the roving was to take one of those eighths and pre-draft it out. Megan explains it well in the video above. So after all the pre-drafting I wound it into a nice neat little nest...and next will come spinning!
The Next Step In Spinning
Now that I've spun my first bit of fiber I can't wait to do more!! Thankfully I'm well aware of how I am, so I bought some roving off of Ebay the same time I bought the drop spindle and they both arrived the same day :o)
I bought 8ounces of Corriedale wool roving from Red Barn Farm. It's important to know what you're buying when you start looking for things on Ebay. Perhaps I should back up just a bit...
You can purchase what is called Roving, or you can purchase raw fleece. What Roving is is a raw fleece that has been washed and carded and put into long strands. Most fleeces need to be washed (Angora on the other hand does NOT ;) ) because the animals live outdoors. It can be a messy and delicate matter. The wool needs to be washed and gotten clean, but not agitated much because then it would felt the wool and ruin it for spinning.
Carding is the process of taking the wool after it has been washed and brushing it so that all the fibers lay straight and in the same direction. Think of it as taking big teased hair from the 80's and brushing it out into one of the smooth sleek styles that are popular today. Carding paddles are not quite as cheap as I would have thought, so when I looked at trying this I wanted to make sure that the fiber would be ready for spinning and not need any extra work from me.
This is the roving as it looked when it came out of the package. Red Barn Farm was sweet enough to even through a little free lavender sachet in with it...so the roving came out smelling wonderful! :o) It's a little touch...but one I as a customer really appreciate.
As you can see the strand is quite thick, and we're going to have to work at it some to get it ready for spinning on the drop spindle.
As you can see 8 ounces is quite the fist full of fiber! It was really hard for me to imagine how much fiber that was going to be. There is no set "1 oz of fiber will give you 10 yards of yarn" kind of conversion. It all depends on what the fiber is, some are lighter than others so you get more for that same weight, and how thick it is...you're not going to be able to spin some wools and bulkier fibers as thin as some others.
In shopping on Ebay pay attention to unit price!! Figure out how much it will cost per ounce including the shipping fees. With no reference for size in the pictures it's easy to make a one ounce ball of fiber look as big or bigger than the 8 ounces that I bought...and you'd never know it till you received it in the mail and wondered where the rest of your fiber was!
So my next project will be splitting this long row of roving into smaller sections. After that we will predraft it and get it ready for spinning. We'll see you then!
I bought 8ounces of Corriedale wool roving from Red Barn Farm. It's important to know what you're buying when you start looking for things on Ebay. Perhaps I should back up just a bit...
You can purchase what is called Roving, or you can purchase raw fleece. What Roving is is a raw fleece that has been washed and carded and put into long strands. Most fleeces need to be washed (Angora on the other hand does NOT ;) ) because the animals live outdoors. It can be a messy and delicate matter. The wool needs to be washed and gotten clean, but not agitated much because then it would felt the wool and ruin it for spinning.
Carding is the process of taking the wool after it has been washed and brushing it so that all the fibers lay straight and in the same direction. Think of it as taking big teased hair from the 80's and brushing it out into one of the smooth sleek styles that are popular today. Carding paddles are not quite as cheap as I would have thought, so when I looked at trying this I wanted to make sure that the fiber would be ready for spinning and not need any extra work from me.
This is the roving as it looked when it came out of the package. Red Barn Farm was sweet enough to even through a little free lavender sachet in with it...so the roving came out smelling wonderful! :o) It's a little touch...but one I as a customer really appreciate.
As you can see the strand is quite thick, and we're going to have to work at it some to get it ready for spinning on the drop spindle.
As you can see 8 ounces is quite the fist full of fiber! It was really hard for me to imagine how much fiber that was going to be. There is no set "1 oz of fiber will give you 10 yards of yarn" kind of conversion. It all depends on what the fiber is, some are lighter than others so you get more for that same weight, and how thick it is...you're not going to be able to spin some wools and bulkier fibers as thin as some others.
In shopping on Ebay pay attention to unit price!! Figure out how much it will cost per ounce including the shipping fees. With no reference for size in the pictures it's easy to make a one ounce ball of fiber look as big or bigger than the 8 ounces that I bought...and you'd never know it till you received it in the mail and wondered where the rest of your fiber was!
So my next project will be splitting this long row of roving into smaller sections. After that we will predraft it and get it ready for spinning. We'll see you then!
My First Attempt At Spinning
With baby bunnies being born this week and all the anticipation of their soft white fiber I thought perhaps I should learn how to do something with it all. My go-to place for learning things is Youtube...I'm a visual learner ;o)
There are a couple great videos there that really helped me figure it out. The young lady whose Youtube name is theartofmegan has an entire series on the subject that I highly recommend.
I then hit one of my other favorite sites...Ebay...where I purchased a drop spindle and a small amount of pretty pink fiber from billman7312 to begin with. The spindle came yesterday and I was very pleased with it. It's not a high tech item, but I did appreciate that it was stained nicely and then had a clear coat put over it. It's well made...although I do think if I purchase another one I may look for one with a notch in the side to help keep the yarn from sliding as I'm trying to re-loop it.
After a few minutes with Megan and the drop spindle this is what I was able to create...it was VERY exciting!!
The fiber was probably about 18inches long and so I had to pull it into thinner sections and then join those sections together for one long piece of yarn. The sections where there were no joins actually look pretty uniform in thickness. Joining is an art I'm going to have to work on a bit more though ;)
By the end of it I had a spindle full of pink yarn! The fiber that came with the spindle was a good strong fiber...which is great because I do believe I did what they call "over spin" LOL The yarn is VERY twisted. I'm not sure I will bother processing it like a regular yarn since there is so little of it...perhaps I might be able to knit it right off the spindle into a little swatch??
Someday I believe we will invest in a spinning wheel, but I will need to have a good amount of fiber to do that, a little chunk of change, and a very understanding husband ;)
There are a couple great videos there that really helped me figure it out. The young lady whose Youtube name is theartofmegan has an entire series on the subject that I highly recommend.
I then hit one of my other favorite sites...Ebay...where I purchased a drop spindle and a small amount of pretty pink fiber from billman7312 to begin with. The spindle came yesterday and I was very pleased with it. It's not a high tech item, but I did appreciate that it was stained nicely and then had a clear coat put over it. It's well made...although I do think if I purchase another one I may look for one with a notch in the side to help keep the yarn from sliding as I'm trying to re-loop it.
After a few minutes with Megan and the drop spindle this is what I was able to create...it was VERY exciting!!
The fiber was probably about 18inches long and so I had to pull it into thinner sections and then join those sections together for one long piece of yarn. The sections where there were no joins actually look pretty uniform in thickness. Joining is an art I'm going to have to work on a bit more though ;)
By the end of it I had a spindle full of pink yarn! The fiber that came with the spindle was a good strong fiber...which is great because I do believe I did what they call "over spin" LOL The yarn is VERY twisted. I'm not sure I will bother processing it like a regular yarn since there is so little of it...perhaps I might be able to knit it right off the spindle into a little swatch??
Someday I believe we will invest in a spinning wheel, but I will need to have a good amount of fiber to do that, a little chunk of change, and a very understanding husband ;)
Monday, January 31, 2011
And So It Begins
It all started with jealousy...the green eyed monster. My girlfriend knits the most beautiful things, and I couldn't knit. I have crocheted for over ten years, but that wasn't good enough for me...I wanted to be able to knit things like she did. The problem? I couldn't knit :/ She sent me to www.knittinghelp.com where they have videos teaching people like me how to knit. I started knitting...and it was actually turning out!! I mean it was just the knit and purl stitch...but those two stitches weren't awful, it was very encouraging! :o)
As I started making nicer things, I naturally wanted nicer yarns to make them out of. I had picked up a bag of yarn at a thrift store and in it was a part of our future...it was a little white ball of Angora yarn...and it felt like Heaven! I would have never thought a bag of thrift store yarn could change us so much.
I began my search for Angora yarn...and immediately went into sticker shock! So being the country girl I am I thought "I'll just get me a rabbit and do it myself!" After all...as a family, we really try to be a self sufficient...and we usually do pretty well with such things...surely we can do this!
And so began the search for what turned out to be the very allusive German Angora Rabbit in the southeastern United States. We searched, and we searched....and we searched. We just couldn't find any for sale. I found dozens of websites that hadn't been updated in years. I sent all sorts of emails that were mostly never answered. I even left a few phone messages where numbers had been listed, with not a single call back. I was beginning to think there was some German Angora Rabbit Conspiracy!! My Darling took me out for an evening and we stopped by Barnes and Noble. I browse the magazine section and find Spin Off (a Spinners and fiber magazine), and what do you think the featured animal was??? Yup, you guessed it...Angora Rabbits! I was being taunted. I knew how great they were, I knew we wanted one...and no where could one be found south of the Mason Dixon Line and East of the Mississippi.
At the time I was about to give up, to just get a couple of other Angoras (which are beautiful as well, but not what we were looking for), the Lord worked it all out in a way we would have never thought :o) I was chatting via instant messenger with a dear sweet friend and mentioned I was looking for a rabbit, I never said what kind. She popped right back that she had a friend from her Bible study group that raised rabbits and sent me a link. I opened it up...and it was as if a small ray of light fell and I knew instantly that we had found the farm that we would get our rabbits from!! They were exactly what we were looking for. If you are up north or can get to Maine, look up www.backacresangora.com , Ken and Sherry are great people with great purebred German Angoras. I had been looking down here, hoping to not drive quite so far...I just needed to get the big picture...to get great rabbits I was going to have to drive where most German Angoras are bred and raised.
So I called and chatted with Sherry. They have two beautiful purebred registered German Angoras, Ollie and Mabel, who were bred and are due within the week. So right now we sit anxiously awaiting the delivery, and hoping and praying that there will be two does in there.
In the meantime we are preparing for them. We went to our local farm store today and ordered two cages for them. As a side note...we encourage you to patronize your small local family owned businesses as much as you possibly can. You may pay a few penny's more...but the cost to the community if those places are forced to close due to big box stores would be enormous. We firmly believe when you help take care of the small businesses in your community they will in turn help take care of you!
I had ordered a top whirl drop spindle with a sampling of Fiber off of Ebay and it came in today. My next post may be on my adventures with that! Stayed tuned!! lol They make it look so easy on the Youtube videos I've watched...but we'll see. I also ordered some extra fiber from another farm...I'll be reviewing them as well!!
Come join us on our journey...for the love of Fur and Fiber!
As I started making nicer things, I naturally wanted nicer yarns to make them out of. I had picked up a bag of yarn at a thrift store and in it was a part of our future...it was a little white ball of Angora yarn...and it felt like Heaven! I would have never thought a bag of thrift store yarn could change us so much.
I began my search for Angora yarn...and immediately went into sticker shock! So being the country girl I am I thought "I'll just get me a rabbit and do it myself!" After all...as a family, we really try to be a self sufficient...and we usually do pretty well with such things...surely we can do this!
And so began the search for what turned out to be the very allusive German Angora Rabbit in the southeastern United States. We searched, and we searched....and we searched. We just couldn't find any for sale. I found dozens of websites that hadn't been updated in years. I sent all sorts of emails that were mostly never answered. I even left a few phone messages where numbers had been listed, with not a single call back. I was beginning to think there was some German Angora Rabbit Conspiracy!! My Darling took me out for an evening and we stopped by Barnes and Noble. I browse the magazine section and find Spin Off (a Spinners and fiber magazine), and what do you think the featured animal was??? Yup, you guessed it...Angora Rabbits! I was being taunted. I knew how great they were, I knew we wanted one...and no where could one be found south of the Mason Dixon Line and East of the Mississippi.
At the time I was about to give up, to just get a couple of other Angoras (which are beautiful as well, but not what we were looking for), the Lord worked it all out in a way we would have never thought :o) I was chatting via instant messenger with a dear sweet friend and mentioned I was looking for a rabbit, I never said what kind. She popped right back that she had a friend from her Bible study group that raised rabbits and sent me a link. I opened it up...and it was as if a small ray of light fell and I knew instantly that we had found the farm that we would get our rabbits from!! They were exactly what we were looking for. If you are up north or can get to Maine, look up www.backacresangora.com , Ken and Sherry are great people with great purebred German Angoras. I had been looking down here, hoping to not drive quite so far...I just needed to get the big picture...to get great rabbits I was going to have to drive where most German Angoras are bred and raised.
So I called and chatted with Sherry. They have two beautiful purebred registered German Angoras, Ollie and Mabel, who were bred and are due within the week. So right now we sit anxiously awaiting the delivery, and hoping and praying that there will be two does in there.
In the meantime we are preparing for them. We went to our local farm store today and ordered two cages for them. As a side note...we encourage you to patronize your small local family owned businesses as much as you possibly can. You may pay a few penny's more...but the cost to the community if those places are forced to close due to big box stores would be enormous. We firmly believe when you help take care of the small businesses in your community they will in turn help take care of you!
I had ordered a top whirl drop spindle with a sampling of Fiber off of Ebay and it came in today. My next post may be on my adventures with that! Stayed tuned!! lol They make it look so easy on the Youtube videos I've watched...but we'll see. I also ordered some extra fiber from another farm...I'll be reviewing them as well!!
Come join us on our journey...for the love of Fur and Fiber!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)