Correlation does not imply causation…or does it?

OK, so the binder comes first before the skeins but only at the introduction of the fiber, right?

This isn’t actually the first go at this binder if you haven’t already guessed.

Binder #1 had lovely thick watercolour paper meticulously cut to exacting business card size with the breed written on the right in my finest hand. A tuft of fiber glued to the middle. Sounds great but sadly, visually underwhelming.

My next idea was to flex my google-fu and find a picture of each sheep breed to accompany the fiber sample.  Seeing each sheep was a fabulous, eye-opening experience only enhanced by reading about them. I just assumed that all sheep were around the same size and fluffiness, just like my assumption that everyone  online is 5’10 with red hair! 

So on to Binder #2. I love projects, I always have. From sitting in my bedroom as a child until late at night burning the edges of tea stained, hand drawn map for a geography project to standing over Kinko’s colour copier to perfect the dimensions of a Memphis wall unit for a 3D Interior decorating assignment as an adult. Yes, I love projects. How better to utilize those invaluable skills learned in Kindy of cutting and pasting?

So I have settled on a Business Card style binder, 2 columns x 5 rows (after having returned the 3 column collector card one).  Having found my sheep pictures and saving them to their very own sheep breed picture file, I insert them in Microsoft Excel, along with the breed, micron count, staple and other pertinant datum.

This binder is destined to grace the shelves of the RWSG ‘coz heck, it’s entirely their fault I am doing this in the first place!

I should like to mention now, that for reference, I have used and cannot recommend highly enough as an essential book for any fiber artist’s library, The Fleece and Fiber Source Book by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius. From here I primarily reference staple and micron count, along with other interesting dags of information in conjunction with online sheep breed associations, friends of friend's contacts and my own google-fu powers.