There is an agistment paddock next to our bush block. The most recent arrivals have been a flock of sheep. When I saw her I thought, "My word you are a shaggy sheep". I have since found out that some sheep breeds are self shedding so they don't need shearing. My guess is that this is one of those. But this has me wondering, "Why would they shed fleece at the start of winter when we are all putting on our woolly jumpers?"
That then had me thinking about woolly jumpers. I have knitted 10 or more jumpers for myself and hubby over the years but I don't do it anymore. The upfront cost of buying all the wool for a jumper is high and I have a habit of getting fed up with the job and throwing it aside for a couple of years before it gets finished. It is cheaper and easier to just go buy something from the shop though I do miss the mesmerising relaxation of knitting.
Have you knitted jumpers? Do you still do so?
I used to knit jumpers for my children, but the cost of wool was quite expensive compared to buying jumpers, and children grow out of their clothes so quickly. I knitted my husband a lovely cable jumper when we were first married but it didn't fit him so I unpicked it and never re-knitted it! As for the sheep, we saw some at Spear Creek in the Flinders Ranges called Dorpers which lost their fleece but didn't know they lose it in winter, that seems a bit harsh for them..
ReplyDeleteI have a similar story on the husband jumper. I knitted him a lovely one and he complained about it being too hot and never wore it. Fortunately he did wear the other two I knitted him.
DeleteA photogenic duo.
ReplyDeletePhotogenic if you like bad haircuts!
DeleteI used to knit a lot and then I got a hand injury and haven't knitted since. I still have my jumpers and other woollens though.
ReplyDeleteOh no. I thought for sure you would be the one who still knits jumpers. I am sorry to hear about your hand injury. Hand knits do keep well provided they are treated well. Two of my jumpers lost to my husband's less careful laundering. My fault of course for just dumping them in the laundry basket.
DeleteI love knitting. I am knitting squares to be made up into blankets for the homeless. Someone else does the sewing up of the squares, but our little group just do the knitting along with lots of other groups in the Penrith area. I don't knit jumpers any more, although I used to, especially when my children were little. I didn't know about the self-shedding sheep.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had children to knit for as their jumpers are so much smaller. Knitting the squares seems like a good idea. Self shedding sheep were new to me too. I looked them up and as Rosie says above they are Dorpers. I see they are raised for their meat not their fleece.
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