Ram shearing

Well, it has begun. I have started to shear the rams. WOW! Guess I really didn't  stop and think how many rams I had!
Started shearing in February. 4 Shetland rams had a date to go to freezer camp so they were sheared first. It was unseasonable warm for March here in Kansas so I wasn't too worried about them getting chilled. Should have known that would change as soon as I sheared them! 4 days after I sheared we had the lowest temperatures all winter. So they went into the horse trailer with a heat lamp on them. With plenty of hay to eat and the heat lamp, I don't think they even realized it was 5 degrees!

The next group weren't rams but my three wethers. Oh what beautiful fleeces they have! And since they are four years old this year they kinda knew the routine and stayed nice and calm.

This week the temperatures have been in the mid to upper 70's all week! So started on the young rams (born last year) Most of these are destine to freezer camp next fall, but a few will be staying and will be getting a breeding group next fall.

This is Budster, an Icelandic ram, he will be getting a breeding group next fall. He has nice fleece and a meaty conformation. And a great personality to go with it. He is out of my ewe Garnet and by Hank, the ram that broke his leg this winter. I am so pleased this young guy has turned out so nicely.

This Icelandic ram has an incredible soft fleece, dense with thel. Unfortunately I forgot to get a before picture of him I sheared him. He has a very wide horn set and a fairly calm personality.

This is Skor, an Icelandic ram, he has wonderful fleece with lots of thel. With a nice set of horns on him. And a nice personality.

There are seven other young rams that need to be sheared, along with a Merino ram, a Shetland ram and 2 older Icelandic rams. Then three Angora bucks.

So that makes a total of 24 'boys'!! 

Ok, so 4 have already gone to freezer camp, six more are going this fall, one Angora buck will be for sale this spring, and one older Icelandic ram will be returning to his home this fall. Soooo, only 12 'boys' will be remaining. And three of those are wethers. So really only 9 'boys' Oh, my, when I put it in writing like that it still looks like a lot!! Better do some more 'thinning'!!

Going to get shearing done first!

Knitting with different colors

As some of you know I have been doing the KAL (knit-a-long) at Knit Purl Hunter . Well, the month of February was called Disappearing Act. I was so excited when I say that it was going to be knitting with two colors at the same time!! I had been eyeing (and even bought the pattern) this beautiful blanket and this very cute hat! But I had no idea how to go about knitting either one. So when Michelle's KAL taught the beginnings of color work I was thrilled! I now feel confident that I will be able to knit both the hat and the blanket (someday)

So here are the socks I made for this KAL. They not only introduced me to color work, but also a heel that I had never even heard of! It is call an Afterthought Heel and it is done after the sock is finished. It looks MUCH harder than it really is. In the picture you can see my finished sock and the other sock with out the heel done.

See that purple yarn? Well, that is where the heel goes. Basically you insert your knitting needles into the row above and below that yarn and then pull the yarn out. Michelle at Knit Purl Hunter has incredibly good videos that goes through each step.

Going to finish the second sock this week! (hopefully)