Thanks, Faye! And of course Liese and Bob!

Liese Sadler of Little Meadows Farm has sent me the fleece I reserved by "renting" through what's really a CSA she runs, courtesy of the growing efforts of Faye the Dorset sheep. I've already got half of it washed and drying and the other half is rinsing now. It's quite nice and well skirted. It doesn't seem to have as much bounce as I thought a Dorset would have but truthfully I've never handled raw down wool, so I guess it shows it's truest character after it's fully prepped for spinning.

Dorset and other down breeds are known for the springiness and bounce they add to yarns; nice soft ones like this fleece make great knitting yarns on their own (especially perfect for socks and other items which need a great deal of elasticity). It's a super addition to other breed's wools when you need to add more elasticity, too, which is part of why I wanted a whole fleece. It also will be great to dye.

This is how white it was even before it was washed!