Hog Island Fleece

Now that I'm equipped with my Pollywog, I've been spinning up a storm, getting to know the wide world of fibers. My spinners' guild is also doing a rare breed study, so I have a bunch of fiber samples stockpiled and begging to be spun.

To start with, I dug into some Hog Island roving that I picked up at last year's Lambtown. I mostly nabbed it because it was sized and priced right, but I was thrilled to get home and discover it is a feral breed.

According to the Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook, there are so few Hog Island sheep left that characterizing their wool is difficult. Hog Island is off the coast of Virginia and the flocks went feral after storms drove away the human population. They were then removed in the 1970s and are sustained at historic sites or by private farms. Hog Island sheep developed the ability to shed their wool (so cool!) although they are sheared these days. There are so few left, Hog Island sheep are a critical conservation breed.

Romney on left, Hog Island on right

The fiber is high in lanolin and too coarse to be directly on the skin, but otherwise keeps air well for sturdy garments. The Sourcebook says the greatest challenge with this fleece is fiber length, which I agree with; it was tough to avoid breaks. My sample had some naps and inconsistencies, too. It's recommended to keep singles spun fine, so I plied it with Romney to beef up the yarn.

All in all, it was fun to try a new and rare breed, but I won't be reaching for Hog Island fleece often. Now to figure out what to do with this yarn...