Oh man, it’s Summer! Still have a few hours of Spring left, and actually it doesn’t feel horrible yet, but it’s coming…
I was out at first light firing up the dye pots and rinsing yarn dyed yesterday, Sue is washing (and drying at lightning speed) just sheared llama fleeces (they stick to you in this weather…Sue says she is covered) but, the animals are cooled out, hanging around napping in the shade. It’s best not to consider who is smarter sometimes.

This Sunday we finish up our Spring market season at the Dupont FreshFarm Market in DC. I haven’t heard or looked at the forecast, hoping it’s cooler!
We are going to bring:
• Alpaca/Merino
• Border Leicester sport weight (nature dyed)
• Leicester Longwool/Border Leicester (nature dyed) (20% off)
• Shropshire baby yarn (20% off)
• Romney aran (couple new colors)
• Shropshire double twist
• Suffolk/Dorset boot sock (some new colors)
• Targhee 3 ply (some new colors…)

Market customers have had an advantage…because I have not updated the web site with all the new colors for way too long. But that is one thing that is going to change during our Summer market break! I will send an email out announcing updates! We have a big to-do list going…dyeing and preparing information for several new yarns: a new Targhee 2-ply, a Montadale baby yarn, A Montadale woolen spun heavy worsted yarn, a Romney variagated single…very interesting, and another single that is North Country Cheviot blended with Romney (weaving yarns!). What else? A Cotswold lace yarn and new breeds and dyed-in-the-wool colors of roving. Busy! And Sue is off to farms to buy more fleece! wash more fleece! go! go! No napping under the trees for us! We are also going to do some business planning (not as fun, but really important).

Coming up soon: The Tour de Fleece spin-along (we spin yarn during the Tour de France) check out the group on Ravelry, we have a team: Peace & Solitude. Starts Saturday June 30th
shortly to be followed by…Ravelympics. Yep, we will be knitting athletes. Again, it is a group on Ravelry and we have a team: Peace & Solitude. Cast on during the opening ceremonies!

Then our next outing will be the Uniquities Fiber Farmers Market on Saturday, July 21st at the Vienna Community Center in Vienna, Virginia. 1 pm to 5 pm in lovely air conditioning…

Hope to see you this Sunday at Dupont!
Thanks,
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.