This weekend my quilting/knitting group and family enjoyed a sheep shearing event at Hidden Villa in Los Altos, California.
The event included sheep dog herding, sheep shearing and explanation of how to do so handspinners can enjoy the wool. They try to shear the animal in a single pass in order not to have any short pieces of hair that would mess up your yarn. Very cool.
They also had a felting project for the kids to take some wool and felt it around a rock to make a big wooly paperweight. They even had a station where the kids learned to spin yarn. My kids of course already knew a lot about it.
It was a great photo opportunity and we shot some video as well. I would highly recommend this event to anybody who knits, spins, takes photos, or has kids. A little video clip of the shearing itself for you here:
Hear more about it from my friend Sue's blog - So Sue. She did a really informative post about it. The folks there said you can even buy yarn from these sheep at the Los Altos Farmer's Market.
Sue also recently nominated me for the The Liebster award, and so did Bridget of the Nickel and Dime Ranch. I will have to decide who to pass along the blog love to next. Thanks for the award. It's fun to feel loved!!
This sheep shearer took his time compared to the ones I've seen do it. Here in MD we have Sheep & Wool Festival in early May every year and it includes a shearing contest. Those guys shear FAST!
ReplyDelete:) Linda
What a fun video.....here in NY we have our sheep and wool festival in the Fall and it is so fun to see all things wool! And I don't even knit or buy yarn but I sure do love quilting with wool :0). I think this sheep shearer love his little sheep and was extra gentle ( maybe for the kids watching)
ReplyDeleteHappy Sewing