Cerise Red

Lovely weather and so nice to get wool dried in the garden.  I dyed these locks last night and they were dry by lunch time today!!
They are now listed on Etsy
 https://www.etsy.com/listing/124108945/cerise-hand-dyed-wensleydale-locks


A busy day with sheep as they were all vaccinated against horrible things that sheep get.  Given to the ewes before they lamb passes resistance their lambs when they are born

Kingfisher Flash

I have made four of these skeins all at least 100 gms and about 53 yards.  The first time I have tried to get all the skeins around the same size and it seems to have worked well.  They are a turquoise blue with small amounts of rusts,  yellows,   black and a little natural white.   Variable it thickness but about 7 w.p.i .  It appears to be totally dye fast and I have listed it on Etsy   ahttps://www.etsy.com/listing/123799934/kingfisher-flash-hand-dyed-hand-spun

Woodland Colours Wensleydale Locks

More of my Wensleydale locks that I have hand dyed.  I have used three different dyes to get these colours using both Landscape Dyes and GayWool dyes.   The locks are mostly about 10 inches long and have a lovely sheen.  I have 150 gms in total and am selling them in 50gm lots.  They would be great for tail spinning or to add to many felting projects.  I have them listed on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/122615155/woodland-colours-wensleydale-locks-50gms

Natural Dyes

A better photo of my yarns dyed with Ivy.  The light a little better today so showing the 4 different shades more clearly

March Workshop

This is some yarn that I spun from a fleece from one of my neighbours sheep.  I have dyed it using a natural dye.  Join the workshop in March and have a go at this,  great fun.  Colors have come out very poor,  the day was too dark

From Fleece to Yarn

I am running a two day workshop at Markree Castle Hotel,  Co. Sligo on March 9th and 10th.   This will be a hands on and demonstration of  how to get a fleece from its smelly dirty state to a wearable yarn or fibre ready to felt.

It will include washing, dying,  using both natural and synthetic dyes, carding and spinning wool.   Participants are welcome to bring a small amount of their own fleece and any spinning equipment they own if they wish.

The cost is €150 and this will include tea/coffee, lunch on both days and any materials needed.
 Hopefully at the end of the weekend you will go home with a little washed fibre,   some hand spun yarn, some hand dyed yarn and lots of new ideas and enthusiasm.

For more details contact me at mary@markreewoolcraft.com or see the Markree Castle Hotel website, markreecastle.ie

Wensleydale Spun Yarn

This yarn is made using the short bits that are left over after combing the washed Wensleydale  fibre.  I have dyed them and then drum carded each colour separately twice and then combined the colours on the third carding.   I love using autumn colours and for this yarn I used some of the new dyes I bought from 'The Threshing Barn' which are much softer shades and are the background colours..  I have called this yarn 'Autumn Again '  I have listed the yarn on my Etsy website markreewoolcraft