Product Description
Crafters and fiber enthusiasts will love this Working With Wool class that gives a full day of hands-on experience with needle felting and weaving, set at a real working ranch and led by a seasoned sheep and horse rancher.
This memorable experience in Burleson is also ideal for animal lovers ages 12+, women’s days out, or any adults who want to learn more about the locks of these amazing creatures and their wool. You’ll end the day with one-of-a-kind mementos to take home with you, and skills to continue your crafting.
Previous Working with Wool classes have filled IMMEDIATELY and class size is limited … so don’t wait to book.
Your Experience at the Ranch
This class takes place at a real working ranch just south of Fort Worth. You’ll start the day promptly at 10 am with a brief overview of this ranch, its inhabitants and place in local history, and what makes these locks of wool special.
Learn directly from rancher Linda Brown, who is a legend in the local ranching world and herself a unique repository of knowledge about this art and various other colorful history. Linda has traveled extensively and taught sailing in the British Virgin Islands.
These days, Linda spends her time running the busy ranch and improving the lives of Veterans and others through the ranch’s therapy program. (And your tickets help support the ranch animals and the therapy program.)
Straight From the Source: Meet the Sheep
Next, you’ll spend some time getting to know the wool from the source, learning about the ranch’s incredible exotic breeds of sheep. Meet the Valais Blacknose Sheep, officially named “World’s Cutest Sheep” (yes, seriously!), who are originally from Switzerland and then brought through the UK and New Zealand.
These sheep are extremely rare – so rare, in fact, that the US Department of Agriculture doesn’t allow importing of any sheep. A Wizard’s Spell Ranch participates in a “breed up” program, and you’ll also learn a bit more about how this works during your time at the ranch.
The ranch also is home to some Wensleydale sheep, a British breed coming from the north of England. Wensleydales are also a rare breed, categorized as “at risk” by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and this ranch is part of an international effort to maintain the breed both for its high-quality wool and its genetic diversity.
Hands-On Needle Felting
After getting to know the animals a bit, you’ll head back into the wool studio to learn about different types of wool fiber. This course will include fiber from various sheep, as well as camel’s and the ranch’s Tibetan yaks.
Rancher Linda will introduce you to various ways you can use these fibers. Needle felting is a technique that involves sculpting shapes and figures using wool and special felting needles. You’ll use a long thin needle with a series of notches at the tip, and as you poke the needle in and out of the wool, the fibers tangle and become firmer and more dense.
As you work, enjoy interesting stories about the ranch history and inhabitants, pleasant conversation with your classmates, and the therapeutic power of unleashing your creativity into working with your hands. At the end of the day, you’ll have one-of-a-kind creations to take home as special mementos of your time at the ranch, or share with friends and family as unique gifts full of stories.
Other Ranch Animals You’ll Meet
A Wizard’s Spell ranch also has imported and raised Gypsy Horses, both full size and the latest exotic Mini Gypsies, for more than 20 years. These incredible horses are imported from the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, and their babies are born here in Texas each Spring.
This ranch has worked directly with Romani Traveller people of the UK and Ireland to import Gypsy Horses, and the breed carries a fascinating history that you will learn during your day on the ranch. Gypsy Horses are known for their calm temperament, long manes, and full feathered feet. The ranch’s horses have been featured in the Fort Worth Stock Show, the State Fair of Texas, and the Fort Worth Stockyards Parades, as well as other prestigious livestock venues. Additionally, these same horses have been used in the ranch’s therapy program for 12 years, providing no-cost help to those in need.
And, to top off your experience, there will be three Tibetan Yaks wandering around and likely showing off their antics.
Why Book This Experience
Your time at this real working ranch will make for a day you won’t forget. Small groups mean lots of hands-on time. Bring your lunch and drinks, and enjoy a picnic at the table under the trees watching the animals being silly.
Your participation in this event helps support this ranch’s Veterans and Others Therapy Program, which has been running for 12 years. We thank you for your support.
How to Book and Other Logistics
To book, select the number of tickets in the booking widget, and “Make a Reservation”. You will be prompted to pay immediately to confirm your spot. Please chat with us on this website or contact support@delveexperiences.com if you need any assistance. Events at this unique ranch sell out quickly.
This experience is largely held indoors and will take place rain or shine.
Note: Cell phones and cameras must be stowed during your time on the ranch, however you will be provided with free pictures of your time with the wool and the animals.
