Cyril's Famous Fleeces

As of February 1, 1999, Linda Somers at Magic Moon Farm
will be the United States and Canada representative for Cyril's Famous Fleeces!
See our new ad in SpinOff Magazine.
(Click here to see a news article on Cyril)
 Click here to see a photo of Cyril and his zebra striped Merino ram

Cyril Lieschke (pron. like Less-key) is a veteran sheep rancher from Henty, New South Wales, approx. 300 miles from Sydney, Australia. He is well-known around the world for his lectures, teaching and writings. He has made a lifelong contribution to the fiber industry, being always dedicated to producing top quality wool, and sharing his knowledge. His amazingly clean, lovely fleeces are considered to be the highest of quality by fiber artists, spinners and weavers in 23 countries. "It is something about the weather there" many guess, that allows the sheep of "Cora Lynn", his family farm since 1869... to produce such lush, soft, clean fiber! Cora Lynn is currently home to one of the world's largest colored sheep flocks, with 2500 sheep of which about 700 are white Merinos, Alpaca's and Angora goats.

Updated 12/99
By the end of 1999 Cyril will be selling over 1/2 of his sheep flock keeping just keeping about 1000 his "favorites". Due to his health problems this year, and his need to just simply take it easier he is lessening the numbers to lighten his work load. There will still be a huge supply of fleeces compared to what many of us in the US can imagine but he hopes to work a few less hours. He will maintain the same Alpaca's but eliminate the Angora's, so this current 2000 shearing is the last of the Cyril Mohair.

INVENTORY IS ON IT'S WAY (on that slooow boat) AS WE SPEAK!
We now have a good fleece inventory available in stock here in Oregon! We will try to keep several assortments of samples in stock. Inventory will consist of Merino, Bond, Corredale, Polworth, Border Liecester, Tukidale, and crosses of. Shipping will be from our location in Oregon, USA. We will take custom orders for the above-mentioned breeds, washed and combed Alpaca sliver white and colored Mohair and tanned skins

WHY WE DO THIS:
The primary reason for this arrangement between Linda and Cyril after over 50 years of him doing it all himself? To make ordering easier, faster and more practical for both Cyril and for us in the US and Canada. It gives the customer a more local contact and shipping source, and someone to deal with one on one, and on our own continent! It takes a huge burden off Cyril, who after 51 years at it has recently been increasingly burdened by new customs procedures, shipping costs, currency exchange issues, sample requests and small orders under 32 lbs. that he never fails to fill with a smile, but actually loses money on. We are honored to represent these fibers and to be working with Cyril and his clients. We look forward to the fiber friends I am sure we will make as a result. Fiber people are ALWAYS a pleasure, a great group to work with!

We are honored to represent these fibers and to be working with Cyril and his clients. We look forward to the fiber friends I am sure we will make as a result. Fiber people are ALWAYS a pleasure, a great group to work with!

Clients outside the US and Canada and those who prefer to continue to work directly with Cyril are welcome to do so. He only asks that if you do, please remember a few key things when ordering. Please... do NOT send money or checks for sample requests with the request. Instead, send it later when you place the order. He can not exchange our cash at all, and he ends up just giving it away to people he knows who are traveling over here! It costs him $7 to cash every check, so he respectfully requests payments by personal check for orders, one check per 30 lb. order. If you have a guild or group order PLEASE send one combined check for payment. Remember his bags hold lb., orders should be at least 26 lb. to justify the shipping costs.

I hope we can help make ordering these wonderful fleeces easier, faster and more practical for everyone, hopefully resulting in new business for Cyril from those who previously didn't want to deal with the details and delays of overseas ordering. We are at your service, please feel free to email, write or call me anytime if you have any questions, or to join in a monthly group order. EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE is still alive and well here at Magic Moon!

Linda's new sweater...
This handspun, handknitted masterpiece was born from one of Cyril's lovely Border Liecester fleeces. Designed, handspun and knitted by my friend... the wonderful fiber artist Ann Murrell ! I can't even tell you how proud I am to own this wonderful sweater! AND it is my very 1'st handspun and knitted sweater ever (: It is tunic style, and a a perfect combination of VERY soft and totally durable, it will wear forever. And it feels like a big warm hug for whoever is wearing it. The 3 patterns in the stripes are... trees for the environment, hearts for our friendship, and a Native American touch for the spirit. If anyone wants to contact Ann for contract knitting, email me. She is truly a wizard of the needles!

MONTHLY GROUP ORDERS
CUSTOM ORDERING
IN-STOCK INVENTORY
BALES O FLEECE with FREE shipping!
PRICES * SHIPPING * CONTACT INFO
Updated 9/27/00

  We now accept payments with a credit card...
 
thanks to PayPal - It's always FREE!

MONTHLY GROUP ORDERING:  Each month I send off the monthly order on the 10th of the FOLLOWING month. This gives any late month participants a chance to mail orders and payments and join in. The orders including custom orders that miss that deadline go on the next months order to ensure that everything, keeps flowing smoothly. Inventory, when it arrives is listed on the "Current Inventory List" seen below. Merino, Bond, Corredale, Polworth, Border Liecester ,Tukidale and crosses of. Also available is Cyril's wonderful Alpaca and Alpaca/Merino blends. Alpaca is washed, combed and ready to spin sliver. Mohair is available in limited quantity, also spun yarn and tanned skins.

WEIGHTS & PRICES: Merinos weigh an average of 4 to 7 pounds each, Bond, Border Liecester, Corredale 7 to 8 pounds.
Most fleeces are $9 per pound. Merino and Bond are $10 per pound, rare colors and some special fleeces are priced individually. Inventory fleeces are priced a "per fleece price" using the same formula.
Mohair is $11 per pound for yearling and young adult.
Kid mohair, white $12 and colored kid is $13 per pound.
Alpaca is $22 per 8 ounces for washed and combed sliver.
The new Alpaca/Merino wool blends are $22 per 1/2 pound & $40 per pound and qty's are limited.
Large tanned skins are $80-90, they measure approximately 4' long x 2-3' wide.

SPLITTING FLEECES:  We do plan to offer 1/2 fleeces at some point after the inventory arrives. But for now if you want to split a fleece and have no one to take the other 1/2 we suggest you post a note on the spin list or contact me to discuss the possibility of someone else who has asked to do a split.

SHIPPING, DUE DATES AND PAYMENT INFO:  We can figure your order total once we know the total order weight. We need your ZIP code to get an accurate total including shipping and proper insurance. I don't charge extra handling charges, just cost rounded to even dollars. Orders and payments for all monthly group orders are due here by the last day of every month. Any order that arrive after the 10th of the following month will be added to the NEXT order. If you order from in-stock inventory & pay with a check, plan time for it to clear before the order ships. This is not a lack of trust issue, I have found fiber folks to be VERY trustworthy. It is because I've had problems with out-of-state checks taking longer to clear and I find I can't cover large check amounts with my MINI bank account (: Group orders normally take about 60-75 days to arrive. The "via slow boat" shipping is done to make the cost of the international shipping affordable. Air-mailing bags from Australia is NOT very affordable, but is available on request. Orders will ship from Oregon immediately upon arrival.

BALES O'FLEECE - WITH FREE SHIPPING
There is 1 thing we all agree on... That we appreciate saving money! FREE shipping definitely qualifies as SAVING money!! Yes, really... FREE! The average shipping cost for UPS OR USPS on just 1 fleece is about $9-$14 minimum these days, often more! With what you save on a BALE you could pay for another fleece!! It's like buying 4 or 5 fleeces and getting 1 free! So.... here is the scoop.

For individuals or small groups who want to purchase a "Bale O Fleece" we offer FREE shipping. The entire bag must go to 1 location, you are responsible for dividing up fleeces among your own group(s) if you split the bag with others.

The "Bale O Fleece" consists of a minimum 23 pounds, maximum 30 pounds of ANY combination of YOUR CHOICE of "Cyril's Famous Fleeces" This is normally 4-6 whole fleeces, depending on the size of each. The Aussie Post rules say the bag should weigh no less than 23 and no more than 30 pounds (although I've seen a few push close to 32 pounds... (-: shhhhh don't tell). The bags can hold any variety of colored fleeces you like, any breed or color (white is limited) you choose from the samples on our web page or even special requests. Or the bale can contain Cyril's washed & combed alpaca sliver, alpaca/wool blend sliver, mohair, tanned skins, or even his wonderful yarn (while the limited yarn supply lasts). With a freshly sheared batch of over 2000 NEW fleeces in the wool shed the selection is at it's annual best right now!

Remember... The bales just have to comply with the weight rule of 23-30 pounds total, and ship to 1 address. There is a maximum of 2 bags to any address (customs rules). You buy the fleeces at the stated price per pound and the shipping is free, that simple. The bag comes directly to you from Cyril's wool shed at his CORA LYNN farm in Henty, New South Wales Australia. It arrives at your door in about 7-9 weeks via USPS surface mail (the original "slow boat" we have all heard so much about) (-:

The various spin lists are a great place to form local mini groups to share & split up the fleeces. As is your local spinners guild or spin group. Some may want to purchase a "Bale O Fleece", keep some of it and post to sell or trade some of it on the "spin sales list". 1 lady got really adventurous and sold her excess on eBay to buy some combs she wanted! And the savings helps support our wonderful fiber habits instead of the shipping companies! -evil grin

 CURRENT INVENTORY LIST:  Updated 2/17/01

CYRIL'S FAMOUS FLEECES     


Cyril's Alpaca sliver, NEW yarns, and Local Northwest grown fleeces are listed below

Bond & Bond crosses
#617 Bond x Polwarth, oatmeal color, 6#, reserve champion $60

Border Liecester & BL crosses
#2016 B/L Silver/medium gray, 2 colors, 5.5# $44
#8321 B/L x Tukidale, off white/taupe, 2# $14

Corriedale & Corrie crosses
#694 Corriedale x B/L, multi color, red ribbon winner 10.5# $92

Polwarth & Polwarth crosses
#720 Polwarth, very pale moorit, 7#, $63
#1216 Polwarth x Bond, multi colors 7# $63

Cyril's Mohair
#74 White, kid locks, 2# $22

CYRIL'S ALPACA TOP... is all washed, & hand combed, sliver
Pure Alpaca top & Alpaca Blends w/40% (white) Merino
(see web page samples for examples)

Pure Alpaca Sliver
#211 Lincoln 16 oz. sliver black
#207 Duke 16 oz. moorit
#205 Effie 8 oz. white

Alpaca Blends
#212 Beth 8 oz. brown/white blend

A new bale is due in any day now, check back soon!

Look for MAGIC MOON FARM'S own fresh fluffy Jacob fleeces coming soon!

Click below to view samples
available for order:

Mohair #1
Mohair #2
A variety of white & light fleeces
Alpaca
Alpaca-Merino wool blends
Bond #1
Bond #2
Border Liecester & BLxBond
Merino #1
Merino #2
Merino #3
Moorits
Polwarth, Bond, BondxMerino
Polwarth, Corriedale, & Crosses
Yarn

NOTE: WHEN ORDERING, PLEASE SEND A CLEAR WRITTEN ORDER WITH YOUR PAYMENT.  I have so much email it's hard to make sense of it all, and what people end up wanting is not always what we have discussed. So be very specific, get a total from me with the shipping amount BEFORE you send the payment, as I have no way to effectively track and bill for payment shortages.

We are at your service, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Linda Somers
Magic Moon Farm
91488 Indian Creek Road
Swisshome, Oregon 97480-9706 USA
541-268-2738
email to: magicmoon@harborside.com
ICQ #30441454