From the Pastures: The need for tweed

The weather forecast for the weekend in northern Illinois is calling for the four-letter word — snow. Only a week ago, there were a couple 70-degree days. My hope with Easter being in early April is this will be our last snow.

It always amazes me the difference in the weather where my daughter lives in Georgia. They have already planted the first crop of sweet corn. Maybe I will start some sunflower seeds inside to make me feel like spring is close.

The family to whom I lent a yearling black ram brought him back last weekend. He seems happy to be back in his pasture with his wether friend. The ram’s fleece has faded a little and has gray on the outside ends. Underneath the fleece is still a nice black color. I am looking forward to having him sheared and working with his fiber. True natural black roving is hard to find. The black roving should sell well.

My next project in the mill is making a tweed-type yarn from a Shetland fleece. I found a nice cream-colored fleece and a light tan fleece. Both fleeces should spin to nice yarn.

To make tweed yarn, small pieces of yarn or other fabric is added to give a splash of color. I have some small bits of fabric which were cut from a lot of different colored fabric. The small pieces are added when making roving. Some will fall out, but most stay with the fiber all the way through spinning. They become part of the fiber and yarn. When the yarn is finished it has a lot of color and texture. Makes a unique yarn that is fun to knit with. I am hopeful I can get this yarn finished before the Stephenson County Fiber Festival on April 18.

Every time I look out to the pasture, I check to see if it is turning green. Not yet. No green underneath the brown grass that has been there all winter. I will keep watching it and hopefully can report some green shooting up next month. Happy Easter.