SHEEP SHEARING FOR WOMEN UNDER 5'2

My flock of sheep and goats are seniors. I have been with them for a very long time now. They are beyond drag 'em out, wrestle them to the ground - 4 minute professional shearing sessions (at least I feel they are). Over the past few years I have refined our shearing practice so that I am able to do all of the work by myself, quietly, gently and with as little stress as possible.
So for anyone who might be interested here is my unconventional shearing method...

1) you need good barn facilities, a clean, indoor shearing room with an electrical outlet.
A series of relatively small pens that your animals can be funneled into should lead into this room. This makes "catching" a non-issue.
Your animals must be acclimated to these pens so that they are not faced with new conditions come shearing day.
2) I use a steel stanchion like this one.

Mine has a ramp and hydrolic lift so that the sheep can walk on with ease and can then be raised if necessary (it was one of the best anniversary gifts I've ever gotten - to each her own).
If you happen to use a stanchion, like mine, that uses a chain to harness the sheep's head, disregard the chain and attatch a good sheep halter to the head piece. Your sheep will be far more secure (and safe).
Again, I expose my sheep to the stanchion all winter so that they are not totally offended by it on shearing day!

3) Don't bother with the three pound 10" diameter sheep shears. I've been there and won't go back. I use a small (domestic) Whall cutter with size 7, 7F and finishing blades. This equipment is small, lightweight, quiet and most importantly easy to control. I do need to have a good supply of blades sharp and ready to go for shearing. It takes me considerably longer than a professional shearer and the longer your blades run the sooner they're dull. I do manage to get through my small flock with little fuss in two evenings. I listen to a good book on my ipod while I'm working which keeps me slow and methodical. Good shearing = good spinning so I'm working on making it good for both me and my woolly gang!

CLEAN UP

Cleaned up in the studio this week. Not that I am overly obsessive about such things, after all this space is also shared by 12 birds and a 180lb dog (creature comforts). I am pleased with the tidiness however, makes me want to stay and play .....and play and play.

MORE PHOTOS FOR TEXTILES

Black Locust Burls from the Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia.

MORE OF THE CHALLENGE

Hi everyone,
I'd like to list all of the participants in our mixed media challenge on my website.
I believe we have participants from RHD and elsewhere!
I'll record my progress as I work through the challenge and I hope that you will join in and do the same.
Sooo.... please message or e-mail me if you'd like to take part!
Cheers,
Heidi

MIXED MEDIA CHALLENGE

Hey everyone, your welcome to join in our
Mixed Media Challenge
"Nontraditional Traditions"

join in the fun at Rug Hooking Daily
Group: Hooking Expanded; interests in Mixed Media and felting as added techniques

Create a Piece of fibre art using at least 2 traditional textile techniques
possible examples could be :
rug hooking and felting
quilting and embroidery
rug hooking and weaving
weaving and felting
crochet and rug hooking
bobbin lace and felting ............. you get the idea

* your piece must en-corporate at least two
traditional textile techniques
* your work must also en-corporate at least one highly
nontraditional material
* your work must be themed on the quote of your choice
*your work may be two or three dimensional
* your piece may be any size you choose
* your work should be completed by
December 31/2010

LINKED SUMMIT KNIT ALONG

....... had a fantastic time meeting with the "Yarns on York" knitters this past weekend.
Of course a plan was hatched and we are now collectively involved in "The Great Yarns on York - London-Wul, Fredericton/Moncton Knit- Along"
...... feel free to come out on Sunday Afternoons while we work on the SUMMIT shawl (among other things).
Are you blogging this knit along? Let us know so that we can add you to our participants list.

The SUMMIT shawl was voted in as our project of choice. Knitting starts now and finishes up by September 1 when the London-Wul gang plans to visit Yarns on York just as they have come to visit us.

HAPPENING HERE

Socks are happening here!
The weather has been extremely cooperative and my dye pots have been full, full, full of sock yarn. Dried and tied they are ready to morph into hand made footwear.
.. there's really nothing quite like wearing a comfy pair of hand knit socks is there?