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In addition to being a geologist, I am also a sheep owner and fiber artist.
In addition to being a geologist, I am also a sheep owner and fiber artist.
I have North Country Cheviot, Icelandic, and Shetland sheep, and I shear, clean, process and spin their wool and then dye it using native Appalachian plants that I collect from my property and the surrounding area and turn into dyes. I have recently started growing and processing flax to experiment with linen production.
I am a member of the North Carolina Sheep Producer's Association and my latest projects involve modified rigid heddle loom weaving and spinning with a walking great wheel that I refurbished using scrap lumber and old knitting needles. I do not sell any of my products, because I do not want to run a business; my only goal is to have a fun, local, interesting hobby.
In addition to processing my own wool, I make my own knitwear designs. This is a "Fair Isle" trilobite design forming a sweater border (sleeves and waist).
One of my sheep, who is scowling about wearing a lead.
Sheep shearing lessons through the NC Sheep Producer's Association. Photo by Follow Your Arrow Farm (@followyourarrow on Instagram).
DIY setup for drying wool in the sun, post washing and scouring. Used lawn chairs weighted with old tiles and a bunch of crow netting.
Shearing my sheep in our barn. This sheep weighs more than I do and is prone to squirming and kicking.
Bloodroot. This makes a beautiful deep golden-orange dye.
Bloodroot dye pot (top = no vinegar, bottom = vinegar added).
Soaking wool in the New River prior to processing (lanolin removal). All of my wool is scoured with river water in a big gas outdoor burner (I use an enormous crawfish boil pot) on the riverbank, as it is far more efficient than trying to do it indoors.
Test spinning for new wool types from the last run of shearing: breeds include Southdown Babydoll, Romney, Jacobs, (no dyes; these are natural wool colors).
Rigid heddle loom warping setup using handspun Cheviot wool and dyes I made. Colors from walnut, pokeberry, goldenrod, bloodroot, willow, and blackberry.
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