Wednesday, April 9, 2014

An Embarrassment of Wooly Riches



Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? As much as I hate to admit it, yes, it is.

In the photo above you see a fuzzy darling lounging at ease. Though he almost seams lethargic at times, he’s actually very productive. In case you haven’t seen previous posts featuring this critter, his name is Angus, and he’s a black English Angora Rabbit. EAs, as they’re often known, supposedly produce 4-6 ounces of wool a year. It doesn’t seem like a lot, does it. (I say “supposedly” because I haven’t weighed the hair I harvested during the last 3 molts.) Here’s the funny thing about Angora wool. What it lacks in weight it makes up for in volume. Alas, the large container in my royal treasury (aka the stash) is full of Angora wool.

With a bit of finagling I could probably squeeze another container into my storage closet. And, as much as I would like to get started spinning what I already have, there are other projects around here that take precedence right now. (A little over a year ago, we had to tear up our back yard to replace the line that provides electricity to our house. We’re now trying to make the yard look pretty again, before the weather gets too hot.) Regardless of other responsibilities I have right now, there’s one I can’t put off because it affects the health of my rabbit. Angus is beginning his quarterly molt again, so it’s time to shear him. After giving it a bit of thought, I concluded that it might be best to share some of my wooly wealth. I’m giving away the next harvest.

The wool from 1 Angora shearing may not sound like very much. Let me assure you the recipient will be pleasantly surprised. I place the usable hair I cut off the bunny into a plastic shoe box while I’m shearing him. When finished, the box is full. Spun on its own as a lace weight, there may be enough wool to make a hat or two. However, Angora is usually blended with something else, often at a 90 to 10 percent ratio. (10% Angora). When blended with other fibers the wool definitely goes much further.

Those interested in receiving an Angora wool shearing should contact me by email. The link can be found when you click “View my complete profile." In the event there is more than one individual who would like to have some bunny wool, I will determine the recipient by having a drawing. If there is a drawing, I will announce when it will occur and may make a video of the event. Angus may even help me pull a name from the basket. Right now, I can’t say when a drawing will be. I’m starting shearing today and usually finish in 2-3 days. After that, it will just depend on the level of interest. It’s my hope to award the wool to someone by the end of May.

In the meantime, while you’re here, feel free to look around, leave comments and ask questions about anything that interests you. I’ve only had my bunnies a little over a year, so I don’t consider myself an expert. If you ask a bunny related question I can’t answer, I’ll be more than happy to direct you to someone with more experience.

The Project Queen

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