I attended Black Sheep Gathering In Eugene, Oregon, this past June, I went with my friend Larraine. What an experience.
I have heard great things about the wool judging done by Judith MacKenzie at this event, and I was able to catch a few minutes of her in action. Amazing!
The crazy part of Black Sheep Gathering was the fleece-crazed folks lining up to buy a fleece or ten after the judging was done. It seemed like forever we stood in that line on a hot, windy day, waiting to get inside. We talked with many folks from faraway places. It’s always a lovely experience to meet others who share the same passion. Larraine had no interest in buying a fleece and probably found it pretty funny to just be an onlooker with everyone running around.
Finally, the doors opened, and the crowd surged forward to get those ribbon-winning fleeces. I would compare this to Black Friday when the newest 60-inch TV is available for $100 to the first five people in line. Can you say CRAZY?
I managed to get one fleece, a lovely little Wensleydale X in natural black. Upriver Wool Company entered it into the fleece competition, and I believe it won a ribbon. I was lucky to grab it before those crazed-eyed fiber folks swooped in and took it away. Trust me, there was a real chance of that happening.
The sheen and color are incredible, and I plan to comb it for spinning into a sweater after I finish my California Red, of course.
I believe a Wool Breed Study will be next for the upcoming post.
Share your thoughts…