Fabulous fleece and fibre
Photos supplied
English Leicesters are large-framed longwool sheep, with curly, silky and lustrous fleece – a joy to spin.
By Lorraine Clarke
SHEARING DAY at Jen and Tim Eddington’s Selbourne farm Ross Dhu is rather different from most. Here, coloured sheep of many hues are the rule rather than the exception. Lambs bleat loudly for mothers they can hear but not ‘see’ after they have been shorn of their long locks.
Jen specialises in maintaining rare breeds and producing fleece that appeals to hand-spinners and fibre artists – sheep whose characteristics are shunned by the commercial world enamoured of superfine yarns, superwash treatment and artificial dyes
Tim runs his ‘proper sheep’ flock on a separate farm, and they are shorn in a different shed to prevent contamination of their white fleece with coloured fibres from Jen’s sheep
The Elliotdale, a Tasmanian carpetwool sheep bred to supply the now-defunct Tascot Templeton Carpet factory, is being preserved here. It grows about 30cm of strong, coarse wool annually.
Finnsheep, unique for early maturity and having litters of up to seven viable lambs rather than the usual single, twins or occasional triplets, also grows a long fleece with a soft handle, a moderate crimp and high lustre.
English Leicesters are largeframed longwool sheep, draped in long black, silver or white ringlets before shearing, and glistening in the sunshine afterwards. Their curly fleece is silky and lustrous, a joy to spin
‘Finn wool felts beautifully,’ said Jen, ‘but felt from English Leicesters is more for furnishing fabrics than clothing. Curly Leicester locks can be added to the surface of felt for texture.
to the flock, with soft fleece in fawn and brown shades. Fleece is sold locally, interstate and overseas to a ready market of hand-spinners, weavers and textile artists.
oped to help save rare breeds, and they are selected for the qualities that spinners like.’
Jen has traced her ancestry back to the Isle of Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides, where a Gaelic-speaking 16 year old Angus McKay was convicted of being in possession of two sheep which did not belong to him, and deported to the colony of Van Diemen’s Land. He lived a long life here as a shepherd, and Jen credits him with her love of sheep.
Jen is an accomplished weaver and spinner. She also dyes her fleece, yarns and fabrics in striking strong colours or the gentle natural shades of eco-printing. She and a friend have a studio in Launceston, Artisan Ram, where they display their work and run courses to teach these crafts.
her Facebook page that they would be hosting a venue for the World Wide Knit in Public Day. ‘Well! It was like the United Nations!’ said Jen. They were overwhelmed with the response as knitters from all over gathered to share in this convivial activity that was until quite recently an essential part of keeping the family warm with the incomparable cosiness of natural woollen garments.
