It has taken over a week to recover from the Creative Fibre Festival held over the last weekend (21-23 April 2006). Shared the stand with a lovely lady who breeds Gotland sheep which was great. Had photos of some of my bunnies up on my stand's back wall to show people the type of colours you can get in angora plus a couple of examples of scarves knitted in the fibre. Everyone enjoyed stroking these to assess the softness.
Gave away 30 business cards and 55 spinning instruction sheets and sold enough fibre to pay for the feed over the autumn and winter. Agouti and sooty fawn were the most popular colours but if I had more than two small packets of the apricot (orange) I think this would have surpassed these as people loved the shade. Surprisingly the cream didn't sell as well as I thought but then I think colours have fashions and the darker shades are in at the moment. The third grade didn't move at all on the first day until I put a sign on the basket stating what you could use it for. After that some people bought it to try in felting and dying. One lady also bought a couple of packets to put in her artwork.
The blend I had done came out beautifully- a subtle shade of pearl grey at 25%angora to around 75% fine wool. I sold several smaller lots of this but the 200 gms didn't move. I should have broken these up halfway through the festival but then hindsight has 20/20 vision. I floundered a bit when talking to knitters which made me realize that I really do need to get back to knitting so I know what I'm talking about. Also I think I would have sold lots more to the public if I had spun yarn and knitted items there.
Did get lots of people who had had bad experiences with angora. I explained about the disadvantages of shorn fibre (sounds like they were using badly clipped angora from backyard pets) but some had already made up their minds on the subject. One lady also told me that angora is out of fashion. Good news though is that a local person who used to farm angoras has offered me some old cages she has sitting at her son's place. She doesn't know what state they're in so will have to go along and have a look. Perhaps they'd even be suitable for cannibalizing to repair some of mine.I also spent some of my money on two packets of alpaca (grey and brown) and a Gotland fleece from Irene to spin up with my fibre.
It annoys me how new people come and think they'll buy a couple of angora rabbits, breed them to death and then make a fortune at selling fibre and animals. The reality is that it is definitely a cottage industry and interest amongst the spinners needs to be drummed up. It's an uphill battle and you never ever make a profit. You either need to have a passion for the breed or be a little bit crazy!
All in all it was an interesting weekend and I hope that I've made enough contacts to get me through the next couple of years. I was asked to attend the next festival in Taranaki but told them I can't but would be willing to send my stuff along if they can find another trader willing to sell on my behalf. I did come away inspired by all the wonderful fibres and fashions I saw on display but oh so tired!
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Bird City
I haven't had much time to post the past week as I have been preparing for the Creative Fibre Festival here in Napier next week. Spent two weeks of evenings going through fibre I bought from a lady early last year. Much of it was clipped and ungraded so I had to painstakingly go through every bag and pull out second cuts and webbing. Ended up with 9 ounces of first grade white and blue fibre.
After the disappointment of Cordelia's clutches not hatching I was surprised and pleased to hear cheeping in the hen house when I went out to feed the chickens late last Sunday afternoon. The same hen who produced one solo pullet late November had gone and done it again, hiding in the broken plastic rubbish bin that I have in their run. I quickly scrubbed out an outside rabbit hutch and then carried the bin, Nutmeg, her one chick and three eggs there. Unfortunately the eggs were already cold so I think she abandoned them as soon as the only survivor hatched out. This seems to be a pattern with Nutty. Anyway a week on the chick's first pin feathers are showing and their dull brown colour seems to indicate another pullet. Very lucky break!
Happened to glance out the window yesterday afternoon to see a strange beady eye looking through the wire fence from the next door paddock. At first I thought it was a stray hen but as it cautiously moved into the open I saw a female pheasant. When I first came out here in 1999 there was a beautiful male pheasant who would come and walk across my front lawn. Unfortunately he disappeared (I guess due to the farm dogs) so I hope the same fate doesn't happen to this little hen.
With the days closing in the bird life is increasing again with the end of their breeding season. Yesterday I saw my first male chaffinch of the year plus there is a bellbird that comes and sings in the trees along my driveway. The fantails are returning and one cheeky one comes in the rabbit shed with me. They are my favourite native bird as they're so full of personality.
The baby sparrow I raised a year ago has gone strangely silent over the past weeks. Finally I noticed he was sitting in the corner of his cage and wouldn't even move if I wanted to clean it out. Suddenly it occurred to me that the weeks of tearing his cage cover and collecting grass out of the dried flower arrangement next to him had a purpose- he was building a nest as he thinks he's sitting on eggs! He is still completely unafraid of my cats which is a huge worry and the reason why I was unable to release him as I had hoped. The other day Demelza was sitting up beside him and turned round when I told her off. Suddenly Tuppence saw his chance and began pulling the fur out of her tail- obviously to make a nice soft lining for his nest of invisible eggs. He used to be completely enamored of Gypsy who, as a kitten, would sit beside him. He was forever reaching through his cage and trying to kiss her while she would rub him. Unfortunately or fortunately depending what way you look at it, Gyps grew out of her fascination with the sparrow and now completely ignores him.
After the disappointment of Cordelia's clutches not hatching I was surprised and pleased to hear cheeping in the hen house when I went out to feed the chickens late last Sunday afternoon. The same hen who produced one solo pullet late November had gone and done it again, hiding in the broken plastic rubbish bin that I have in their run. I quickly scrubbed out an outside rabbit hutch and then carried the bin, Nutmeg, her one chick and three eggs there. Unfortunately the eggs were already cold so I think she abandoned them as soon as the only survivor hatched out. This seems to be a pattern with Nutty. Anyway a week on the chick's first pin feathers are showing and their dull brown colour seems to indicate another pullet. Very lucky break!
Happened to glance out the window yesterday afternoon to see a strange beady eye looking through the wire fence from the next door paddock. At first I thought it was a stray hen but as it cautiously moved into the open I saw a female pheasant. When I first came out here in 1999 there was a beautiful male pheasant who would come and walk across my front lawn. Unfortunately he disappeared (I guess due to the farm dogs) so I hope the same fate doesn't happen to this little hen.
With the days closing in the bird life is increasing again with the end of their breeding season. Yesterday I saw my first male chaffinch of the year plus there is a bellbird that comes and sings in the trees along my driveway. The fantails are returning and one cheeky one comes in the rabbit shed with me. They are my favourite native bird as they're so full of personality.
The baby sparrow I raised a year ago has gone strangely silent over the past weeks. Finally I noticed he was sitting in the corner of his cage and wouldn't even move if I wanted to clean it out. Suddenly it occurred to me that the weeks of tearing his cage cover and collecting grass out of the dried flower arrangement next to him had a purpose- he was building a nest as he thinks he's sitting on eggs! He is still completely unafraid of my cats which is a huge worry and the reason why I was unable to release him as I had hoped. The other day Demelza was sitting up beside him and turned round when I told her off. Suddenly Tuppence saw his chance and began pulling the fur out of her tail- obviously to make a nice soft lining for his nest of invisible eggs. He used to be completely enamored of Gypsy who, as a kitten, would sit beside him. He was forever reaching through his cage and trying to kiss her while she would rub him. Unfortunately or fortunately depending what way you look at it, Gyps grew out of her fascination with the sparrow and now completely ignores him.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Baby Photos
Finally got my latest film developed with shots of the last litter. Although they're now five months old and have just had their first adult coat harvested in these shots they're just ten weeks old.
This is Giselle and Sherbet in all their glory. Sherbet is the buck I had to revive in warm water at age three days when he got out of the nestbox one night. This was not a one off experience as he was constantly trying to get to his mother for a sneaky feed. He is a huge character. Giselle has a stunning coat now, beautiful and silky. Like all sooty fawns she is extremely outgoing.
Harmony and Goblin are both gentle and a bit more laid back. I had forgotten how incredibly white angora coats can be.
I am having problems obtaining a fine white fleece for blending so will have to put some white into a pale grey one I bought last winter. I have some grey fibre I was given but this was clipped and third grade was thrown in with the first. Have spent three nights painstakingly picking through the bags removing substandard fibre and second cuts. This has reduced the amount of first grade fibre quite drastically and there is not enough for a blend. Note to self: contact the wool buyers a couple of months before you actually need the fleece to give them time to source something good.
This is Giselle and Sherbet in all their glory. Sherbet is the buck I had to revive in warm water at age three days when he got out of the nestbox one night. This was not a one off experience as he was constantly trying to get to his mother for a sneaky feed. He is a huge character. Giselle has a stunning coat now, beautiful and silky. Like all sooty fawns she is extremely outgoing.
Harmony and Goblin are both gentle and a bit more laid back. I had forgotten how incredibly white angora coats can be. I am having problems obtaining a fine white fleece for blending so will have to put some white into a pale grey one I bought last winter. I have some grey fibre I was given but this was clipped and third grade was thrown in with the first. Have spent three nights painstakingly picking through the bags removing substandard fibre and second cuts. This has reduced the amount of first grade fibre quite drastically and there is not enough for a blend. Note to self: contact the wool buyers a couple of months before you actually need the fleece to give them time to source something good.
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