Handspun creations

Blatant advertising eh? Hadn't seen this category before. Mind if I have a go?

I've just reopened my etsy shop after a long absence. Crowing Hen, farm fresh handspun yarn I specialize in quality handspun yarns and other handmade textiles and textile supplies.

Whenever possible, I use sustainably sourced materials, most of which I grow myself. I'll be adding more things as the winter progresses. My specialty this year is handspun, handwoven, freeform scarves.

Permaculture isn't just about food, it's about a holistic way of living - which includes clothes.

Lovely!

Hello R

I have bags of mohair from my goaties, I have wanted to turn a spinning wheel but that is fairly far down the list.....

Do you ever spin folks' fiber for them? What I have is raw shorn mohair about 10-12 paper grocery sacs !full!

If you are interested in helping us get this processed to yarn let me know, it's hard to find help getting raw mohair processed because everyone wants to mix in wool.....

Thanks
Chadwick

Chadwick Holmes wrote:Hello R

I have bags of mohair from my goaties, I have wanted to turn a spinning wheel but that is fairly far down the list.....

Do you ever spin folks' fiber for them? What I have is raw shorn mohair about 10-12 paper grocery sacs !full!

If you are interested in helping us get this processed to yarn let me know, it's hard to find help getting raw mohair processed because everyone wants to mix in wool.....

Thanks
Chadwick

Mohair goaties, sounds delightful.

I love custom spinning. I start with a sample to see how the fibre acts and to make certain you like the yarn. The sample will tell if I can spin it without needing to mix in other fibres. I haven't spun as much goat as other fibres, so I'm curious to give it a try.

One of the reasons for my delay getting back to you is that I'm trying to discover what the import regulations are for raw (unwashed) fibre from the US to Canada. I know for other countries one requires a wool import licence - which is pricy. Without one, we risk having the wool 'lost' in customs, or even facing a (hefty) fine. Still looking up what the US/Canada regs are.

One option to avoid the problem of getting an import licence, is to have the fibre washed and carded before sending. Blue mountain mill is suppose to have a good reputation, and I think it's near you.

I'm going to keep looking into this, but it's been a bit difficult understand the information from customs.

I wouldn't have thought of it at all!

I've sent the customs people an email.

The website for Canada customs is self contradictory - one page saying it's fine from the USA, another page saying it's fine with 'inspection', a third page saying we need a special licence, and a whole bunch more pages that I really can't understand.

Tomorrow I'm seeing someone who does a lot of importing of wool, he should be able to help me understand more about the process and potential pitfalls.

I took the expiry date of the coupon.
A coupon for all you lovely people: ilovepermies gives you 10% off, no minimum purchase, no expiry date.
Trampled by Geese

I got a very nice reply back from the customs people. It looks like unwashed fibre won't make it through customs. There are two different agencies that govern the import of fibre, and the regulations often change daily due to whatever threats they perceive. They are pretty... um... conscientious about organic matter so... well... they are just doing their job and I respect that.

Cleaned and carded (or combed) fibre makes it through just fine. I think the primary concern is pathogens or insects in the raw fibre.

I guess I can understand that, I wouldn't want your Canadian goats to some American goat pest problem!! Hahaha

Chadwick Holmes wrote:I guess I can understand that, I wouldn't want your Canadian goats to some American goat pest problem!! Hahaha

ewe, goat cooties. (off to hug my goat now - sadly not a fibre goat, but she loves hugs, the little rascal). I don't mind goat cooties.

Mine all get a good morning hug and a goodnight hug! Nice!

My wether puts his hoof on my leg to ask for hoof rubs ( rub between toes and under the dewclaw). Angoras are very docile though.

What breed do you have?

Wow, they look fantastic!

At the moment I have Oberhasli grade/experimental goats. Basically they are ones that had the wrong colour for the breed standard, so they were scheduled to be eaten. Hoping to get some more land soon and some fibre goats to go with it.