Australian Goats!

Yesterday, we had a wonderful encounter (complete with trunk show) with Brandyn of Cotlinton Angoras, a firm now situated mostly in the USA for purposes of manufacturing and distribution, but with solid roots in Australia, where the angora goats still live.  Brandyn and her husband had a farm for long years (still do, but it's being run day to day by someone else, I gather) with a large herd of very fine angoras (NOT angora rabbits, which yield very fine, hairy yarn!  Angora goats yield mohair).  The yarn is delicious -- smooth, silky, strong, natural in color, ready for knitting, crocheting, or dyeing.  There are some darling little boxes with yarn, beads, and patterns (both knit and crochet) called Tucker Boxes, which is Australian basically for lunch boxes (!!!) (see?  I speak Australian!).  You can also dye the yarn or the resulting shawls, scarves, and so on.  She also left us some bags of yarn all by itself in three weights, for people who want to make something else out of it.  This should help educate people as to the merits of pure, fine-grade mohair, which is NOT scratchy or nasty, but which instead is one of the most alluring luxury fibers the world has ever known, with only a slight halo unless it's deliberately brushed.     More later.   I need to rest!    svb