Cormo is a breed developed by crossing corridale and merino sheep. So it has many of the same characteristics as merino and is a very soft wool. It's harder to home process because of the higher lanolin, but wonderful to spin, especially in the lock.
Here's a photo of the locks from my breed sampler file:
I talk about how I like combing the cormo better than carding and that after combing I pulled some fiber through a diz and spun that. I also spun fiber straight from washed locks and I found that my singles from both methods were spinning to about the same WPI.
Here's a picture of two ply, combed and lock spun. Just like merino there's lots of bounce to the yarn.
The second breed of sheep I talk about is the Montadale, not a fleece most spinners will get to try unless they have a local shepherd raising that breed of sheep. It is a down sheep breed and is used for both meat and fleece. This means that the fleece is not a soft fleece, although it is certainly OK for socks by my standards and therefore probably sweaters too.
Here's the photo of the locks:
I had a very small sampling of fiber to work with on this breed, so I combed it all, and this is the sample yarn skein:
I had a very small sampling of fiber to work with on this breed, so I combed it all, and this is the sample yarn skein:
2 comments:
Nice! I haven't had a chance to listen to the latest podcast, but I'm looking forward to it.
Your "lock library"-- what exactly do you have there? A washed lock and a carded bit? Just curious since I'm thinking of starting something similar myself.
Yes, use plastic photo sheets that have several pockets per page. I stick the washed lock in one pocket and whatever skeins I have spun in the other pockets. I label everything because after awhile wool starts looking alike.
All of these sheets that I have worked up now fill two plastic filing containers. So I have done quite a few.
I started all of this with a purchase of a rare sheep breed fleece offering from a vendor. They had gotten fleece from 12 different breeds not normally available for spinners. I haven't really seen something like that offered again.
You can do the same thing, with any fleece you try. It makes a great learning experience and good reference for later.
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