![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf45XHhMdT_WZRU32rgPxS5P3myk5sI-RMaKboEw_9FhJqY4I1gH8QDvN-o83i_3TdUc4kBolgrIuepVfnhFSdwqwJJqZ0A3LZobhP-umMwnfGwXlWoIKo6drm7j7MPfgmqu5VE3gPPxY/s320/theherd034.jpg)
I'm lucky enough to have been sent samples and can compare spinning fleece from a year-old ram with some from an older ewe.
The young fleece is very consistent in colour - inky-black (with bleached tips of course). It's very 'zingy' - crimpy and bouncy
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrtc0cXfIi93gO3oyd931WYqgmFG3r21pmPKI7_IKIEJRxHfc6XXX18MX3n9TxQfMtJcFiu1gSoWRwQZ5ou9aGARemPk8n0XgU4PNgdQXXFgjnIPbeQ47RRzOabCJDyoAMZf1tlWhWDo/s320/yearoldram.jpg)
The older fleece is less crimpy and isn't quite so black. It's a little more brown with a few silver threads in it (like me).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjVnULkZHK1N9xojUyt47_PC8_ZO8UBg9YujE9Ep2J0iSyVhuc565gbKFzQRWMUJ82N-B7cBYE1XInuZgHmeHQK4_mJXjOR-CKYCLgnzCrnUvxl817XIZgUHNCiVKaiYXkisNGXpVGA4/s320/olderewe.jpg)
Surprisingly I enjoyed spinning the older fleece a little better. The fibres were longer and they were also 'tamer' and so the result has a little less of a halo. It may not end up as bouncy as the younger fibre, and not quite as black but it's no more coarse and I think I prefer the resulting yarn.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcXx3vdwL5SYSzfhxSjphH0Ib2H_GyRLbtVABBSKexiD8hPUsSWPjMVie8KpEk42UHePIolY-FBaxUk06mrQCtiAiclU-pEM457NOqjKwghckTwrtYJoyhhP1HrY6x_5jP2JRLjqCOXA/s320/sampleskein2.jpg)
The two sample skeins are soaking now, which I hope will plump them up a bit. When they're dry in a day or two I'll compare them again and update this post.
[Update]
These are the finished sample skeins - the younger on the left and the older on the right.
1 comment:
But it can't go in my British breeds blanket. Ah well, I'll have to start a 'rest of the world' blanket next.
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