Wool

I recently acquired a bag of wool from the Missouri Humane Society's Longmeadow Rescue Ranch from Pepe the sheep, whom Chuck sponsored for me as a Christmas gift. We had gone out in February for Valentine's Day to see the facility and to meet Pepe, and I learned then that they have a hard time finding someone to take the wool when they shear their sheep. (This year, there was only the one sheep - the others were adopted out.) So I put my name on the list. I picked up the wool a couple weeks ago.

I used some of the wool in its natural state (burrs, hay, lanolin and all) in a wall-hung window piece which I plan to display in my solo show at the Green Center in October. Yesterday, I washed the remaining wool, following the instructions here that a friend emailed me. Now it is drying. Next comes carding... I have bought several dog brushes on sale for this purpose and hope to take the activity to the upcoming St. Louis Women's Caucus for Art Gathering event in June.

It is amazing how much wool one sheep generates (and how dirty it gets). I hadn't realized that I would have so much of it. I am planning to offer some of it to other artists at the Gathering since there is more than I need, and I hope that they might make a donation to Pepe to say thank you for the wool. It won't be good for spinning because it's too short, but after the feltmaking workshop at the last WCA-STL meeting perhaps some artists will want it for that purpose.