#TourDeFleece Stage 16 Gave the Tibetan Mastiff/merino blends a wash in doggy shampoo. Forgot to give them a thwack! I usually don't with fur, but wonder if it might be good to do with the blends. Tonight's heritage blend: 50g of Manx Loaghtan top, a breed from the Isle of Man that almost went extinct. According to Fleece & Fiber, originally, brown was a rare color, but was selected for during its recovery and is the predominant color now. It's mostly a meat breed, but has a soft fleece (which I can confirm! It was light and soft!), "a relatively soft fiber with an exceptional amount of bounce, a quality that can be maximized through woolen-style preparation and spinning." I enjoyed spinning it woolen long-draw style. My camera doesn't quite capture the sandy/mousy brown correctly. I can see why F&F concludes, "Unusual color and softness. Should be better known than it is, because of its resilience and all-around appealing character." #TourDeFleece2026 #HandSpinning #FiberArts