In case you didn't know, the source of my
mohair fibres which I love to dye
and use in my fabric/textile books,
I thought you might like to see these beautiful pets we have.
Today it is Shearing Day and as we await the arrival of our Shearer
I'll show you a few images before they lose their beautiful locks.
We know the goats are up in the top paddock so Jeff
and Lilly (looking like a baby goat herself with her
own long curly locks - French poodle style!!!)
walk up to bring them back down
to their little house and yard where they get shorn!
I look over the fence and take a quick photo of the flowing creek
and one of the back garden which is slowly waking up
after a very long cold Winter!
Behind those very large gums and tea tree bushes
is a wetland full of croaking frogs
after a week of almost solid rain.
Here they all come running down the hill
starting to mill around to receive a treat
You can get them to do almost anything you want with
the rattle of a bucket full of goat nuts.
Thank goodness!!!
and now they are being led to their goat yard
where they will get more treats and then wait for Mal,
our Shearer, to arrive to remove this fleece!
It's so long and soft and silky. I just love
to work with this stuff!!!
It is so beautiful to spin, dye, knit, crochet and sew with
which is my want of late and it has been used in
my latest book too which I am teaching at Creative Workshops.
I'm sharing the link for you if you would like to read more
about this class. Enrolments are open now.
about this class. Enrolments are open now.
http://creativeworkshops.typepad.com/blog/2015/07/peaceful-pondering-fabric-lace-book-suzy-quaife.html
♥♥♥
♥♥♥
I have a free class as a GIVEAWAY in my previous post
if you would like to enter.
Thanks for all those who have entered. I will be drawing a winner
before long
and
PLEASE leave your contact details as you may miss out
if you get drawn and I cannot contact you.
Love and hugs,
Suzy xox
if you would like to enter.
Thanks for all those who have entered. I will be drawing a winner
before long
and
PLEASE leave your contact details as you may miss out
if you get drawn and I cannot contact you.
Love and hugs,
Suzy xox
Your goats look so very cute with their beautiful locks, dearest Suzy! It must be great to work with the wool from your own animals. Good thing that they can be convinced to follow with some treats. A friend brought me a sack of sheep wool several weeks ago but I haven't cleaned it yet. It's still to warm for such kind of activities.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend and have fun working with the lovely goat locks.
Big hugs and love,
Julia
Hello dear Suzy
ReplyDeleteYour goats are marvellous, so beautiful, we haven't goats like this in France!
Do you make the yarn yourself after cutting, or do you send it to someone else who makes the work?
Your winter is definitly not like our winter! In our country, there's no more leaves and green, everything is brown, grey and dark!!! You, it's very green!!! LOL
You seem to live in a very great and large place!
Hugs and kisses
Wow! They are gorgeous! TFS
ReplyDeleteHello dear Suzy
ReplyDeleteYour girls are beautiful and just look at that wonderful angora!
I'm imagining how soft and silky the fibre is - what a great asset your girls are.
Goat nuts are a 'must' I imagine when it comes to shearing time.
I love the Australian landscape - gum trees and all!
Isn't it amazing how the frogs make themselves known after a good downpour of rain!
I've signed up for your class Suzy YEA! There's no way I was going to miss out!
My mouth is watering at the thought of your inspiring ideas and learning your techniques at selecting and combining fabrics, laces and fibres to embellish an image and tell the story.
Like an artist paints a picture, you do the same with your exquisite collage work and we all drool over each new collage composition!
Looking forward to meeting up with you in class in two weeks Suzy!
((hugs)) and much love
Shane xox
Hello Suzy,
ReplyDeleteI'm still loving following your blog full of beautiful creations and seeing how life is going in a different neck of the woods. This excellent photo essay about the goats is such a marvellous story to follow. Thank you so much for taking the time to document it, then share with us. It makes me want to spin again.
I'm so pleased that spring has finally come for us 'down-under' folk. It's my favourite season and I know I can look forward to more of your lovely garden photos too as time goes by. Bless your wonderful generosity in bringing such joy to us all.
Many thanks
Lisa
Beautiful goats! I enjoy reading about all of your adventures.
ReplyDeleteThank you for these gorgeous photographs, goodness me, they are adorable creatures! Oh and those locks, they are divine and they look so amazing when you dye the and use them in your creations. Will they be upset after losing their lovely hair? I hope the naked babes won't get too cold, otherwise you'll have to put jumpers on them ;-).
ReplyDeleteAh... such a sense of serenity and peace. I love your goat family!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Your Angora Goats are indeed gorgeous. Seeing their pictures makes me want to walk amongst these beauties. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in your drawing. Your work is so amazing.
Pat Champagne
pachamp@gmail.com
You are so fortunate. Those little sweeties look like they each have their own unique personalities. Adorable.
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhhhh - and the end result is always just beautiful.
Be happy!
xo
SuZeQ
Lovely photos of your angora goats and the fleece. I look forward to seeing photos of the spinning process. Maybe a friend can take some pictures of you as you prepare for spinning. I didn't know that you did your own spinning even though I knew you had these goats and you knit, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm so looking forward to the class which will start soon! Would love some of the angora, died or not, if you ever have a giveaway of it. I can only hope.
Hugs and blessings,
Marrianna
YOU are blessed...So SWEET to see!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuzy dearest , what wonderful photoes of your beautiful goats, they looks so very sweet and their mohair curls are fantastic!!
ReplyDeleteYour using it in your art alway creates amazing ,and special pieces, both to see and to feel --.You can tell Jeff, I love the photoes o fhim ,with his great hat ,too. Also the surroundings are so very pretty and lovely green now, you have a most amazing and beautiful place there, my dear friend.
Warmest hugs and kisses from Dorthe.
oh what super, sweet goats!! Nothing like have your own angora to work with-and you do work magic with it. I wondered too-once they're shorn do you have to put some type of blankets on them? If I could have a few goats I would and would use them to make cheese. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWow! Such beautiful long curly locks on your adorable Angora Goats. Such a blessing to enJOY their hair and be able to use it in your amazing works of art. Creative Angora Bliss...
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this post. What in the world are goat nuts??
ReplyDeleteThey're lovely, and how special to have their pretty mohair to use in your creations!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful goats indeed Suzy! How wonderful to have your very own supply of mohair!
ReplyDeleteWish we could hear the sound of frogs here after rain like we used to some years ago, but they seem to have all but disappeared. ♥
Just love the angoras. They have such a sweet attitue at least from my limited experience. Too cute. xox
ReplyDeleteSuzy, You have such a lovely sense of 'Story'. Your pics and descriptions are gorgeous. I love the way you use your fibres in your work. It's lovely to see Spring budding up, isn't it? I am struggling to get all my roses pruned and they are already taking off!!
ReplyDeleteвы живёте чудесно!
ReplyDeleteКакая у вас природа ! Чудесные козлики !
Удачи вам !
I love your goats - I would love to be able to finger comb their beautiful fleece. It must be so soft to the touch.
ReplyDeleteDear Suzy, it's so nice to see your goats with their beautiful curly long hair. Loved to read your story! Wishing you lots of sunshine and beautiful spring days to come. Big hugs xxx
ReplyDelete