It was very nice to see that sun for a few days.  I am sure there will be more to come.  It has been a busy time of year.  The baby lambs have been popping out.  We have 39 baby lambs out of our flock of 22 ewes.  Of course that means once lambs are out, it’s time for the shearer to arrive and take off the woolly coats.

Next time your in the shop say a hello to Carlota.  She came from a wool shop in Sevilla, Spain.  Her job will be to hold the mini skeins.  If you need a little wool to make that project extra special, she will try to help out.

Our new Puppy,  Mina (11)months,  is busy learning the ropes of the working farm and shop business.  Her training continues and she will be a valuable employee.

Hello we are trying to do more blogs and keep you all up date on what is happening at the shop.  Mill manager is back from her holidays so we will be back at the mill.  We will be trying some new blends with it once it gets a wee bit warmer outside .. it is still a bit brrrr!  Sorry we have sold out of our core wool, but it is on the list to things to do first.

Please check out the workshop page as we have some spaces in the February workshops.  This is a great chance to start to learn how to weave!!

We have some lovely batts for the spinners.

Welcome to the New Year! 2024 is here!
With a new year beginning we think of the things we would like to accomplish.
Have you ever thought of learning to weave? spin? felt? use a drop spindle? At
Grinsheep we can help you out with these very attainable ambitions!!
We have been working through our own fleeces over the past year. No matter
what, the sheep keep growing lovely wool and I am happy to take it off them.
Just to recap that in the shop we carry weaving looms and accessories. Time to
warp up that loom in the corner!
Perhaps you need to pull out the spinning wheel. Dust it off and pop into the shop
and select a nice fibre to spin up. We have some fabulous colour spinning batts.
Felting has become very popular over the last few years. New and advanced
felters stop in and share their ideas and the latest completed projects. There is a
lot of talent in our community. We carry a large variety of coloured roving in
corriedale, merino and merino blends.
If any of this is new to you stop in an we will see about bring you to the dark
woolly side. 2024 will be fun!

Upcoming classes:
Feb 3, 2024 1-4pm Wet felting
Feb10, 2024 1-4pm Needle felting
Feb 24 10- 4pm Schacht Rigid Heddle
Mar 2 10-4pm Schacht 4 shaft cricket quartet

This weaving class is intended to start your weaving journey. This is just an
enjoyable come and weave. Looms will be warped and ready for you to start
weaving. $100.00 +taxes for both days ( includes materials and instruction)
Please bring your lunch and we will take a little break.

Feb 3 2024 Felted Bowl
Come and join us to make a felted
bowl. This photo gives you an idea
but we will have some very poppy
colours for this class.
$65.00 + taxes/ per person
All materials and instructions supplied.
Please contact the shop at
grinsheep@gmail.com to reserve your
place
and pre-pay for the class, as classes
space is limited.

Feb 10, 2024 Felted Hedgehog hold a
heart
We will be felting a wee hedgehog
holding a heart for this class. See a
picture of Mr Hedgehog above, He is
so cute and will bring a smile to your
day.
Come in a join us for some heartfelt
fun.
Cost $ 65.00+taxes/ per person
All materials and instructions supplied.
Please contact the shop at
grinsheep@gmail.com to reserve your
place
and pre-pay for the class, as classes
space is limited.

We ready did need that rain! Now that we are done with all the summer activities and the garden has been put to bed.  Its time to think of things to keep us busy in the evenings.  It is getting darker earlier.

I have been very busy with the new puppy, Mina.

She has me running in all directions and a joy to watch grow.  So I was a little slow in getting the classes sorted out but we have planned a few in the month of October!

Classes this month:

October 14, 2023 10am Weaving day. Schacht Cricket Rigid Heddle Loom 

$160.00 +taxes.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to weave on a loom but did not have the time to commit to do it.  Here is your chance. This is a beginners 2 day course.  The first saturday you will experience weaving in plain weave on a rigid heddle  loom that has been set up for you. All you have to do is weave and take your scarf home

Week 1:  I will have a loom warped up and ready for you to weave a scarf.  We will start at 10 am so bring a lunch and you can continue to weave until your scarf is done. 🧣

 October 28, 2023 Weaving Day

Week 2  This time you will learn about weaving on a 4 Shaft Cricket Quartet Loom.  I will have the loom again warped and ready to weave another scarf. This time in a simple twill weave structure. On this saturday bring your lunch.  We  will start at 10 am

If you have any questions with regards to this course please email me at grinsheep@gmail.com or call 250-954-8152.

October 21, 2023 1-4pm  Felted Pumpkin Bowl.      $65.00+taxes

Many people love the felted bowls we have in the shop.  This day we will wet felt in the spirit of Halloween!🎃

June 17, 2023  We will be doing some felted flowers in the morning and in the afternoon a felted scarf.  The Art Deco scarf was very popular so it will be a repeat class

Well it was very business this past Sunday.  All hands were on deck to help with shearing the sheep.  The shearer arrived bright and early with blades sharpened and got to work.  We had 25 sheep gift their wool coats. IMG_0  <-click on the link watch how fast we work.  We really don’t work that fast we did manage to get all fleeces off, skirted, bagged and labels  This is the easy part!  Next comes the washing, picking carding….

Well this snow has given me time to wrap up a few projects.  We just finished up the February classes and had a great time.  The classes are a great way to get out of the house and learn something new or just have a fun time out.

So the next new class coming up is:

March 25,  2023 1:30-4:30 pm  Felted Scarf

This class has been requested several times so we will offer it again!  In this class we will be learning about nuno felting to make a lovely scarf. We will be using the new Ashford 30% silk and merino adding some spring pussy willows details.

Cost $75.00+taxes  contact the shop to reserve your spot!!!

Since spring is around the corner that means the baby lambs will be popping out. After the lambs come then we will be preparing for shearing.  We will be up to our ears in wool! It will be a busy time here on the farm.

Please check the workshop page as we have added some new classes.

We will be doing various classes including  a felted hedgehog holding a heart, a felt hand bag, nuno felting a scarf, then for Easter a felted rabbit.

New shipment to the shop includes Ashford Montage (a blend of all their fibres).  This is an economical roving of ever changing colours  that is good for spinning, wet felting, or even just core wool.

Their other new fibre is pure luxury– black Merino and 30% mulberry silk we will be using this in our scarf class on February 18,2023

Well, we had a good run of summer!😎 Time to tuck in and do some fibre projects.  Please check the workshop page for the upcoming classes, check your email as we have sent out a newsletter.  If you wish to be on the mailing list and be the first to know what classes are being offered, you can sign up here on the website.

November has started and a handmade gift for family and friend is always nice for Christmas. 🎄 Please pop into the store and pick up your supplies for knitting (hint some lovely sock yarn), weaving, felting (kits or classes or create your own design with the many colours of Ashford roving.

They have a new shipment of spinning wheels for sale!😊