Bentheimer Landschaf taking for a spin

All over Germany (and in some other countries as well) there are so called Nutztier-Archen (livestock arcs; farms with endangered farming animals, old livestock races that are deemed non-profitable for industrialised farmingand are in danger of dying out which would be catastrophic for biodiversity). From one of them I got some fleece last year. Mostly Bentheimer Landschaf and some mixed fleece. 

While sorting through my mum's stuff, I used her kitchen to sort and clean the fleece. And yesterday, I felt like taking some of it for a spin. This is the nicest thing about my new situation. I can just sit all day (or mostly all day there are still DH and Dog) and do just one thing. No jumping from one taks to another while taking care of mum, pushing some of my work inside of that insane schedule. This freedom takes some time to getting used to but when I just let go and allow myself this freedom, it is rather nice and relaxing. 

So I spun some of the white Bentheimer fleece from the fleece, I carded some and then I got out the mini combs and combed it. 

 

from the fleece, carded and combed (from l to r)

Combing is the best preparation. The visible difference is hardly to detect but you feel the difference. The combed skein is very soft compared to the others. Mind you, The old Bentheimer landrace is an almost dual coated fleece with 37 micron. This is not Australian Merino but a more robust, durable wool. You can knit durable socks from it or maybe some outdoor sweater. 

 

I then went on to the mixed fleece with much more guardhair but an even softer undercoat. 

 

my mini combs with the picked guardhair on top and the softer undercoat below

 

Waste not want not, so I spun the guardhair as well.

 

the skein below is from the undercoat only with the above skein only from the guardhair. This is about 10 - 15% guardhair to undercoat.

  

 

the undercoat skein

 Even with the very soft undercoat we're still not talking Merino ;o)

and in comparison the guardhair

All yarns from (almost) dual coated landraces are rather hairy and nothing for acrylic or super soft Merino spoiled skin. I like them because they are durable, have character and they are unpretentious. 

Fibre preparation with the mini combs takes time. But I'm not running around naked so I have the time to prepare and spin the fibre. When there is enough yarn finished, I will decide what to do with it. Hopefully, it will be enough for a vest or waistcoat. 

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