MDSW Friday: A Fleece Extravaganza

I’ve been attending the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival since I was a child, but it’s only been within the last ten years or so that I started going into the fleece barn.  I have a recently found passion for washing and processing wool, and Maryland is a great place to find some of the best fleeces on the east coast. 

Thanks to my friend Lois, I was able to volunteer in the fleece barn on Friday morning this year.  It was probably the most expensive volunteer gig that I have ever had.  Not only did I get to see most of the fleeces coming in as an intake volunteer, I also got to meet some of the farmers whose sheep produce the fleeces.  Plus, volunteers can call first dibs on two fleeces to purchase that evening.

Here’s how the overall process of the sale works.  Volunteers take fleeces from farmers and match the fleece with the preprinted paperwork, double checking that all the info is correct (this was my job).  They then walk the fleeces with the farmer to volunteers that staple and label all the fleeces with the information sheet and fleece number.  Maryland uses a 2 tag color system.  Blue tagged fleeces are entered into the judging and then to sell.  Yellow tagged fleeces are just available for sale.  If a volunteer wants to claim a sale only fleece, they write the number on a clipboard, and place a tag with their name on it around the fleece, then move it to a special area.  If a volunteer wants to claim a judged fleece, they write the number on the clipboard and wait anxiously to see if it will score high enough to win a prize and be entered into the silent auction.  If that happens, the fleece can not be claimed by a volunteer.  

As soon as the shepherd, Lee Langstaff of Shepherd's Hey Farm, dropped off her fleeces, I was captivated by a dark, almost black colored fleece. Lee breeds her sheep, not as a pure genetic breed, but for fleece for handspinners (You can read more about her process in the Hue issue of Ply Magazine).  Lee is meticulous about tracking the genetics of her sheep.  My fleece came from Teacup who was born on January 30th 2022.  Teacup is a mix of Romeldale, Corriedale, Romney, and Wensleydale.  This fleece is lovely to the touch and has a lock that is around 5 inches long.  The total fleece weighs 5.25 pounds which will be more than enough for several sweaters. I appreciate the care Lee takes with her sheep and their fleeces.

Teacup was entered into judging so I had to not so patiently wait to see if she would be available for purchase. Finally, in the early evening, I received the news that I would be able to buy her! She placed 11th in the Shepard’s Cup, so not bad at all!  My friend Deanna also helped me locate a lovely, small cheviot cross fleece in a dark brown, so I went home with two dark colored fleeces!

MDSW is always such a treasure trove for fiber lovers.  Were you able to attend?  If so what treasures did you find in the fleece barn or elsewhere in the show?