the connecticut blanket

The 2020 blanket has been a very long process so far. Our first hurdle was the Covid restrictions that resulted in an inability to use the facilities at UConn for wool collection, storage and pickup for trucking to the scouring facility in South Carolina. Twist of Fate Spinnery in Portland stepped up and offered their facility which we greatly appreciated and wool was collected a month late but it was accomplished.....only to be de-railed by Isaias who left Portland in shambles and resulted in the wool leaving for South Carolina two weeks later where it had another couple week delay due to Isaias having been a stronger storm when it visited them. Next stop in the process was the spinning mill which is normally very busy making baseballs for the season but since the season was canceled due to Covid we would be getting right in. Yup, the League decided to have a short season so they needed baseballs ASAP. The wool finally gets spun and is ready to go to the weavers but the building they rented was sold and they have to move all of the looms and associated equipment to a new facility and get them all wired up and re-dressed before weaving can begin. Our blankets use the largest of the looms and they were the last to be installed and supposed to be ready by 4/16/21. There is finally some good news in that the weaving is supposed to start by the 23rd so there is light at the end of this very long tunnel. Thank you to all who have been waiting patiently.

2021 BLANKET

2021 you say? Ha ha...yes, we are going to collect for a blanket in 2021, no UConn is not open to visitors yet and we are classified as visitors. Twist of Fate has again offered their facility so we are tentatively planning for there unless the powers that be decide we can somehow do it at UConn (don't hold your breath). That being said, as you know the Wool Quality Workshop has been a requirement in order to participate in the CT Blanket and we have not been able to hold any since Covid began. We have made a short video Wool Quality Workshop and it is currently posted as part of the virtual version of the 2021 CT Sheep, Wool & Fiber Festival being held on April 24, 2021 from 9-4 on the Official 2021 Virtual CT Sheep Wool Fiber Festival page on Facebook. There will be a Q&A Facebook live as part of the Virtual event on Saturday, April 24th at 11:30 am so please watch the video and join me then! Plans are to move the video here to the Blanket page after the festival and also to re-make it as to align it more with what you would normally see if you were to attend the Wool Quality Workshop in person.