~The third Monday of every month Alice Mattson of Reflection Farm in Eatonville , Washington opens her home / shop to any and all interested in gathering to spin, knit, crochet, craft.....we gather in the evening and stay as long as we like. There is coffee, tea, hot chocolate, someone or someones usually bring something tasty to eat. The ladies gather in the living room and begin on the projects they brought . I usually bring my spinning wheel to spin or ply my wool.
~Of course I don't begin spinning until I have perused Alice's shop. Aren't these spinning wheels beautiful ? The wheels alone are works of art...useful art ! Why, they are so beautiful I think they would be nice in my home JUST for viewing pleasure.
~ This is Alice( right, spinning on her wheel ). She is amazing. You need to see her farm. Alice has a huge pond in front of her home where you can see wild ducks, she has peacocks roaming her acreage, and a very large number of sheep with the very best fleeces. ( wool ) These are just a few things that make Alice amazing, she would probably humbly disagree with me. Alice is very kind and friendly too.
~ These are Alice's fleeces. Her sheep are shorn, the fleeces are for sale. There are many, many more fleeces around the room. I did mention Alice has a LOT of sheep didn't I ?
~ Here are some of the many ribbons Alice has won for her exceptional fleeces. Alice breeds her sheep for the fleece, but she also takes very, very good care of her sheep and her sheep wear COATS all year round to keep their wool clean and almost free of the debris MY sheep seem to fill their wool with. Hay, mud, leaves, whatever the lambs stick in their mom's wool as they jump on and off their mom's backs. By the way, the ribbons are displayed above a wool picker, something I have been coveting but cannot justify buying right now.
~ This is Kellee. She is Alice's English Shepherd. She is a sweetheart and she likes me. I think she likes everybody. She is a working dog. Well, a sometimes working dog. Alice has big white guard dogs for her sheep, but she needs a dog to herd her sheep where she wants the sheep to go. Kellee is young though, and Alice said Kellee will be going off to dog boarding school to learn to do her job better. Kellee will be a career girl ! That's Alice's plan...Kellee, listen up !
~This is Lindsay. Lindsay lives next door to Alice with her family. Lindsay's family owns Bel Tine Farm. They spin wool into amazing yarns. Lindsay is very talented too. She spins, but tonight she is knitting.
~Here is a sweater she just finished !I am not kidding you, her workmanship is so good that the sweater can be worn inside out and you would not know, that is how wonderful her work is. I was told this is a 'Philosopher' Sweater pattern. I was also told it is very easy. Yeah, right ! Anyway, throughout the night Lindsay would stop knitting and help some ladies new to spinning work on learning how to spin.
~ This is Lindsay's mom, Sharon. Sharon is another of those women who seem able to do ANYTHING they set their minds on. Sharon and her family also have a herd of dairy goats, they make soaps among other products from their goats. Just google Bel Tine Farm if you're interested in checking out their yarns.
~This lady was here with her daughter, and granddaughters. They were trying out spinning wheels and drop spindles.They do not yet know how to spin and were beginning to get the hang of it just before they left. They're hooked, I know. They'll be spinning soon. Then they'll need to have a sheep or two or three....
~Ahhh, Kellee. Isn't she sweet? You just know SHE thinks she was born to keep someone company on the couch. Curled up into a ball, snuggled into you.
~Come on out next month ! Third Monday, 7:00 p.m. Alice's place will be open. Lots of ladies there to help you learn, or just hang out with enjoying the soft whirring of spinning wheels, quiet clicking of knitting needles, stories about our farm animals, and learning from one another !
~
"She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.....she is clothed with strength and dignity ; she can laugh at the days to come...." Proverbs 31: 13, 17, 19, 25
This is Thor, sheep guard dog ( Maremma ) in training. He is only 4-5 months old and he is very friendly. He also wants to be with us as we dye and spin wool. He did spend a lot of time with the ladies but Alice , shepherdess of Reflection Farm, sent him back into the pasture with the sheep he is supposed to bond with and protect. Isn't he cute? Don't you just want to cuddle this big floppy puppy?
One of Alice's sheep. Alice jackets all her sheep to protect their wool. Alice's sheep produce beautiful wool that is pretty near free of the debris you will find in the wool of my au' naturel sheep, and her wool is prized by hand-spinners and knitters.
The third Monday of every July is 'Dye Day' at Reflection Farm. We ladies bring our dye pots and kettles, propane stoves, a dish to share potluck style and some handwork. As you can see, while kettles simmered most of us spun wool and visited. Alice's other dog, Kellee, sniffs for hidden snacks amidst the spinning wheels.
Look at the wool just pulled out of the dye pots and drying on a sheet in the sun.
More of Alice's sheep, wearing their jackets.
My just - dyed wool fleece drying on a hot metal fence near my sheep, shortly after bringing it home. Look at the fuchsia ,violet, and lavender wool fleece to be spun into yarn, can't wait!
I also dyed some yarn I had already spun up, in the same dye bath as the fleece.
Joey Cat enjoying the comfort of a plush wool bed.
