20190620_133339Babydoll fleece is considered short-stapled. At shearing this year (back in March) I measured the wool of each sheep just before it came off. Each fleece had a range of lengths, and I recorded the longer parts, usually the side of the neck/shoulder area. My numbers ranged from 1 3/8 in. to 4 in, with an average of 2.4 in. The yearlings averaged 2.5 in. Brutus’ fleece was the largest, and weighed 6 lb, 3 oz.

I did the shearing myself – a first, beyond dabbling with hand shears here and there. I found the electric clippers to be less intimidating than I expected, though most of the sheep suffered a nick or two. My amateur back muscles protested for the first few days, (ok, I was REALLY sore) but I didn’t do more than 5 sheep per day, and overall I enjoyed the process. I didn’t use the same positions or stroke patterns as the professionals, but found methods which worked for me. For more pictures, see the “Photos” page. 20190620_131947