Tag Archives: angora

12 Months of Mindful Fiber: March with Bloomindale Farm

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. CHECK BACK FOR APRIL’S MINDFUL FIBER!**

The angora goats, sheep and angora rabbits of Bloomingdale Farm in Ohio (with the help of Jeanette and her family) produce a variety of natural yarns, rovings, batts, and fibers.

follow the leader

If they aren’t stirring dye pots, turning carders, warping looms or spinning at wheels, you’ll find the family in the barns with the animals. Jeanette says “In our spare time, we take care of horses, kids and stray cats. We believe in a natural style of living, and have great respect for God’s creation.”

She also reassures people about the kindness and care given to her
animals. “People sometimes ask us if we have to hurt our animals to remove
their fur. The answer is NO! Angora rabbits and goats need to have their hair removed regularly, just as sheep do. Leaving the coat of fur or wool on a fiber animal is detrimental to its health. In addition to the fact that an overgrown coat becomes dirty and matted, it can also hide underlying skin problems. Angora rabbits groom themselves daily and in doing so ingest a large quantity of hair. If the hair is not periodically removed, the animals will develop hairballs in their intestines—a condition that can be fatal.” For these reasons, fiber animals are shorn either with scissors or with electric shears.

The fiber harvested from the animals at Bloomingdale Farm is processed into yarn, batts, doll hair and roving. All of the handspun yarn is produced at the farm studio with fiber from their own animals. Occasionally, a bundle will be sent to the mill to be professionally spun or processed into roving, though Jeanette explains “sometimes I have to buy wools and fibers
from others, mostly here in Ohio, to make up enough to do a mill run.”

fuzzy wuzzy

Janette’s Etsy shop is known simply as angorayarn. Most of the fiber Boomingdale’s herd of German and French angora rabbits produce is sold in bulk to some of the best natural fiber vendors in the U.S. But she saves enough to offer exquisitely soft, fuzzy, fluffy and delightful skeins to her direct customers.

angora!

Hand Dyed, hand painted and natural shades (including grey from Commodore, Edward and Stu) are available. Spinners can asks about locks or rovings. Don’t let the softness fool you into thinking that this is a delicate flower of a fiber: angora yarn is seven times warmer than wool, strong as anything, and only gets better with age (halo halo halo).

This simply splendid angora yarn is our featured yarn for March! I’ve put together some Itty Bitty Bunny kits to give folks a chance to try something new and make something fun all at the same time.

everything you need

Handspun angora yarn, organic cotton stuffing, blue and brown eyes, pink nose and a printed pattern.

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. CHECK BACK FOR APRIL’S MINDFUL FIBER!**

I’ve got a kit each for TWO lucky winners this month! To win these Mindful Fiber treats, just leave a comment on this post. The random number generator knows what to do. For more chances to win, refer your friends and have them mention your name in their comment (this is to raise awareness after all). March’s Mindful Fiber Giveaway will be open for two weeks (until Tuesday, March 20). We’re early this month so the winners have plenty of time to knit angora bunnies for Easter!

You can find more luxury yarns from Bloomingdale Farm on Etsy, Ebay or on the blog, Bloomingdale Farm Natural Fiber and Yarn.

Everything but the kit picture is copyright of Jeanette Roberts. Images are used with permission.

12 Months of Mindful Fiber: February with Shadyside Farm Studio

Happy Valentine’s Day! There is no better way to celebrate than with yarn. Fluffy, fluffy, pink yarn. I’m getting ahead of myself. First, let me introduce February’s Mindful Fiber.

If you could peek in my wool box, you’d know right away that Shadyside Farm Studio is a personal favorite of mine. After examining my collection, you’d know why: great weight, great spin, great fibers, great farm. Great prices too! If you thought a handspun sweater was beyond your reach, think again.

baaaaa

baaaaaa

At Shadyside Farm and Mill, Deb’s flock of Romney and Shetland sheep graze on 100 Pennsylvanian acres. The flock’s fleece is often spun with fibers from other small farms. The alpaca fiber comes from local small herds. The mohair comes from a little farm with a small flock of goats in Ohio. As for the angora: “I grow my own bunny or buy the fiber from my friend that has a large herd on her farm, she lives near me…her bunnies are very well kept and comfortable..as are mine.”

bunny? are you in there?

There *is* a bunny under there.

The natural fiber processing methods (no scouring) result in a low pilling, long wearing, lustrous and soft yarn. In the studio, Deb blends fresh fibers into handspun yarns of exceptional quality. The natural shades paired with the subtle thick and thin of the spin gives a friendly, comfortable character to the resulting yarn. When used, the low impact dyeing methods present a delightful, earthy pallet of ‘nearly solid’ or heathered tones.

I love this yarn. Can you tell? I want to give you a chance to love it too, so this month’s giveaway is for two skeins of Homespun Bunny in a soft pink.

pink!

The labels just tickle me.

This is a 25/75 blend of German angora and lambswool, both from Shadyside Farm. It has a nice long staple and won’t shed all over the place. I know it for a fact: I’ve used this yarn for toys! Each skein is 4 ounces (245 yards) of fluff. Plenty to make Just Enough Ruffles by Linda Chau. (Ravelry links – The scarf looks just like a Valentine.)

Or if you have a little sweetheart in your life, it’s enough to make all but the largest size of Like Sleeves for kids from Yumiko Sakurai.

LOVE

Yumiko has kindly offered to gift her pattern to the winner!

That’s what I’m making – I bought the rest of the pink bunny for Ellie. If there’s ever a “Like Sleeves for grownups”. I’ll make it for me and wear it to shreds.

To win this Mindful Fiber and your pick of pattern (ruffles or sleeves), just leave a comment on this post. The random number generator will take it from there. For more chances to win, refer your friends and have them mention your name in their comment (this is to raise awareness after all). February’s Mindful Fiber Giveaway will be open for two weeks (until Tuesday, February 24).

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. CHECK BACK FOR MARCH’S MINDFUL FIBER!**

You can find Shadyside Farm Studio on Etsy and at local fiber festivals, most recently the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival. As a special treat, Deb made a coupon code just for Valentine’s Day. Use the coupon code “VALENTINE” to apply a discount to your Shadyside Farm Studio purchase!

I already have all the pink Homespun Bunny (neener neener neener), but there are other splendid yarns to choose from. Like the alpaca dream in old rose or the shetland in lichen. Unless I get to it first.

Sheep and rabbit pictures are copyright Shadyside Farm Studio and used with permission. Like Sleeves is designed by Yumiko Sakurai and the image used with permission. Either pattern will be delivered as a pdf.