Greetings!

Our second Field Day to learn about different breeds of sheep and their wool is coming up fast! On Sunday, September 16th, from noon to 4:00 pm, we will be at Davlin Farm in Lincoln, Virginia (in Loudoun County, about 50 miles from DC). Davlin raises Cotswold sheep, a heritage, Longwool breed with beautiful lustrous curls of wool. Come meet the sheep, learn about their wool and history, and see Davlin Farm. Sue and I got a tour from Lynn Updegrove, our shepherd host, and it is lovely land with lots of pasture (I’m envious!), a stream, pond and very nice barn. You can just hang out and knit or spin, shop of course and maybe go on a nature walk (we hope to have a guide).

Davlin Cotswolds with their Summer hair cut

This time we are offering two different mini-workshops:
Introduction to lace knitting with our new Cotswold lambs wool yarn: taught by Karin Fellers (who taught at our first Field day to rave reviews). I don’t have photos to share yet, but the plan is to knit a lace bookmark. We will have two sessions: 12:30 and 2:30 with a limit of eight students per session.

Introduction to spinning Cotswold wool: taught by Caroline Hockenberry. Caroline will cover fiber preperation, spinning a 2-ply lace weight yarn and tail spinning locks of Cotswold. You need to be able to spin yarn and bring your own wheel or spindle. We will have two sessions: 12:30 and 2:30 with a limit of eight students per session.

Cost: there is a $15 entrance fee. You will receive a $10 coupon good towards any Solitude Wool purchase the day of the event; $5 of the fee goes to Davlin Farm.
You can pre-pay if you want, but you can also pay that day at the farm.
Each mini-workshop is $35, which includes a $15 materials fee. If you want to take both classes, you can sign up for one at 12:30 and one at 2:30.

Pre-payment is required to reserve a spot in a mini-workshop, but if there is still room, you can pay at the class that day.
To reserve, please send me an email at: f-fsolitude@mindspring.com and I will send you a PayPal request for payment (no PayPal account needed), or we can work out another payment method.

We had a great time at our first field day, and we are really looking forward to this next one. Hope you can join us!
Gretchen

First in a series of on-farm, direct experience learning about sheep breeds and their wool

K A R A K U L

RedGate Karakul sheep in full fleece

We want to share with you the way we get to learn about wool of different breeds of sheep: meet them, hang out and watch them, then stick your hands into the raw fleece on a skirting table, and if you like, knit with some Karakul yarn.
Sue Bundy, Solitude Wool partner and Chief of Fleece is inviting us into her farm, RedGate, just outside of Leesburg, Virginia. Sue raises and shows (mucho ribbons) Karakul sheep. Karakul is a rare breed and Sue works hard to promote and save these sheep. Sue will talk about the breed and introduce her sheep. You will also get a chance to see their chickens, turkeys and bees.

Sheared ewe with her lamb

other RedGate critters

freshly shorn Karakul fleece

During the day we are offering a Knitting mini-workshop: Karakul knit-to-felt
Knit and felt a coaster using Solitude Karakul yarn (including yarns specially dyed for this workshop), then take home enough yarn to finish a set of four. You should know how to knit, but it will be simple knitting and kids 8 and older may participate.
Two sessions: 12:30 and 2:30, space limited, reservations suggested (advance payment to reserve)

Or, bring your knitting (or spindle, or crochet…) with you, sit near the pasture and just soak up a bit of farm: sheep, chickens etc…

field trip details:
date: Sunday, June 3, 2012
when: Noon to 4:00pm
where: RedGate Farm, 17883 Running Colt Place, Leesburg, Virginia 20175
how much: $15 entrance (and you get a $10 coupon towards Solitude Wool purchase that day)
workshop (optional): $30 includes instruction, pattern and yarn

Reservations suggested for the Knitting mini-workshop (limited number of participants), but if there is space left, you may join the group that day.
To reserve, send an email to Gretchen at: f-fsolitude@mindspring.com, she will send you a PayPal request to complete your reservation.