Sheep Heid - Jacob Style

Every July 4th I remember the Fourth that I spent parked in the truck just outside the barn watching fireworks out the front window and a small Jacob ewe out the driver's side window.  Jacobs are sneaky sneaky when they are going to lamb and I knew she was ready but also knew that if I was there watching it wouldn't happen. 

I'd made Heidi a lambing stall in the barn aisle where I could see her from the truck.  Stella and I had watched the neighboring town's fireworks from up on her hill for awhile and then I headed back to the barn.  I pulled up out front and watched Sunshine being born. I checked to make sure her nose was clear and then stepped back. 

Jacobs are usually up right away, but Sunshine didn't get up.  Heidi did all the right things, but the tiny lamb was unable to stand.  I tried to help her but she was just. couldn't. do. it.  Heidi let me hand milk her and I dribbled milk into her baby's mouth for about an hour and finally if I held her up she could nurse on her own.  That's when I realized there was something wrong.  Her spine looked like an accordion.

I stayed with them to the wee hours of the morning hoping eventually the little lamb would strengthen up.  I knew I'd intervened with something that nature probably would have dealt with differently.  Heidi loved her though and the little lamb didn't know any different so I got her latched on for one last drink and headed to bed. 

The next 36 hours continued in this way.   We didn't name her and figured we were just putting off the inevitable, but couldn't stop trying to help Heidi take care of her.  The third morning I walked into the barn and found her standing up, just as bright and perky as could be.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" 

And that's how she got her name :-).

Sunshine had a variety of medical issues including no bladder control.  We knew we were going to have to be able to catch her and wash her every day and since Jacobs are not known for being super chummy...we got her eating cookies.

And that's how the cookie eating got started :-).

Sunshine was a delightful lamb.  She didn't live quite a year, but she packed a lot of joy (her own and ours) into those months.  It's fun to scroll back and remember.  She was the princess of the farm.  Everyone loved Sunshine.

Kate Davies' Sheep Heid was designed as a Shetland pattern, featuring nine different colors of Shetland wool...from nine different sheep.  I instantly fell in love with the pattern and thought it would be fun to try to  make it from just one sheep.   

By blending different amounts of Sunshine's black and white wool I was able to come up with six of the nine colors.  Janbaby re-worked the original pattern to accommodate those colors and the pattern knit up like a charm. 

I used duplicate stitch to add some different markings and horns to the thirteen sheep around the bottom.  Sunshine had more black than white so while these aren't true to breed standard they are pretty close to Sunshine :-).

I changed the pattern to knit white stitches down the middle of the faces around the top to look more like Jacob sheep.

And I like how they all look a bit different too.  Sometimes the inconsistent thicker and thinner of handspun comes in handy ;-).

Loved the crown shaping.  Such a clever design.

Sunshine