Black Welsh Mountain Sheep update

Five month old ewe lamb Winnie (left) is almost as big as her mother Nolina.

The expression on the mothers face looks like the Mona Lisa!

The once shy ewe Chamisa (foreground left), is now trusting and curious.

More Black Welsh photos can be seen at our new website Newland Ranch

Progress continues on the weaving. I've put my hand in the photo to show the size of the yarn and design. The black yarn is singles spun from the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep.

Learning to Weave

Here is the first weaving project. The instuctions for building loom and this first sample project are from the book "Navajo Weaving Way" co-authored by Tiana Bighorse and Noel Bennett (Interweave Press, 1997).

At the top is a willow branch that creates the "stick shed" and another willow branch below creates the "pull shed". Then below that is the curved "batten", that slides into the shed and when turned on edge opens the shed, making room to pass the yarn either left or right. Below the weaving, is a large wooden fork used for packing each row of weft into place. I purchased the fork and batten from Weaving Southwest (Taos, New Mexico). I ordered by phone and their excellent staff had the tools in the mail the next day!

This week with the sheep - The weaned lambs have been enjoying their daily rations of "kibbles" and alfalfa hay. The sheep auction is only 2 days away, and I am trying hard to be critical and practical in choosing who stays and who goes to market. It is always one of the saddest days of the year.

The Finished Loom

The loom finished and waiting for warp.

Yarn (singles) spun from Corriedale/Romney wool, awaiting weaving.

The warp yarn was spun from Romney, then plied with the Chain or Navaho technique into a 3 ply high twist yarn. Perhaps too much twist! I had to add the weight of a can of beans as it dried, in order to straighten it.

I whittled off the bark from slim willow branches, to make shed rods.

So now it is time to make a warping frame, then warp the loom.

Building a Navajo Loom

Grandsons pose for a parting photo. Y' all come back now, ya hear?

Summer has flown by and I can't believe I haven't done a blog entry since mid July! The days were quickly filled with gardening, animal chores and lots of grandchildren visiting.

It's been a dry, hot summer and the grass in the paddocks barely grew. This has meant feeding the Black Welsh sheep, ever since spring. We have been fortunate that we had feed left from last year for them. The Corriedale cross flock have many acres to graze on, but the weather has taken its' toll there also.

Much of my summer has been spent presoaking, washing and drying wool fleeces. I've decided that it's time to learn more ways to use wool, which means weaving. I'd like to make rugs and saddle blankets, so I've started building a Navajo loom (photo shows beginning of assembly). I've read several books on the topic. I also have been spinning the warp and weft yarns. Everything will be trial and error, but I find that's a good way to learn. I contemplated making the tools - battens and forks, but I have no wood whittling skills. After doing a web search and ordering, the tools should be arriving in a few days.

This year is the 100th anniversary of our farm which was established by Farmer Bob's great uncle. The next generation to live here was his aunt and uncle Newland and family. We now have a website for Newland Ranch. It's homepage features info on the Black Welsh Mountain Sheep. Perhaps we will expand and add pages later. I will be updating photos there from season to season, so if you're interested, please check it out!