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Across the Fence:  what to do with dirty wool  |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4188 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4188 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 29 2007 : 04:44:32 AM
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I don't know what went so wrong, but I have sure ended up with a mess. Help!! I spent alot of hours picking 2 fleeces, and I washed the white yesterday. I could not believe how many little tiny pieces of hay and what ever is still in the wool. It came out super white and nice, but still so dirty. I never feed over the top of the sheep, and I am thinking of making blankets for them.
I have only 2. Is this normal for fleece, or did I do something majorly wrong? Since this is my first time working with the wool, I don't know if I am doing anything right or not. The other fleece is black, and actually I wasted alot more of that, cause it was so full of stuff, I got defeated!!! I also did not quite understand the skirting process, and probely saved too much of the white fleece. Hated to waste it, at the time. Live and learn I hope. Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I feel like I am stumbling round in the dark right now. Will carding the wool take out more of the little tiny pieces of chaff? One thing the white wool, is so nice and pretty after washing ( the color anyways ). Thanks
feeling defeated Michele |
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ktknits
True Blue Farmgirl
582 Posts
Kathy
Northwest Indiana
USA
582 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2007 : 05:33:02 AM
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Oh Michele, don't feel bad! Yes, carding will take some of it out, and you'll just have to be more careful and spin slower to take more of it out then. (and you'll probably be picking it out as you knit too!)
I've washed lots of fleece, and you do get better with time. I try to sort the fleece out before I actually wash it too. I also hate to throw anything away, so I skirt it and put the **REALLY CRAPPY** pieces in the *REALLY THROW THIS OUT* pile. Then I skirt the "not so crappy" pieces, and put them in a "maybe I can try to clean some of this & see how it comes out" pile. Then I go on to the non-crappy fleece that's left. First I pick out the big pieces of hay, leaves, burrs, second cuts, etc. Then I break it down into smaller batches by color or whatever, and I try to shake it out to get some of the grain & dust out before I actually put it in the water.
Then I wash it (lots of washing tutorials and info on the web--everyone is different!)
Then I have some window screens I put across chairs in the back yard that I lay the clean fleece out on to dry. I always (and I mean always!) see more hay & grain & bits in the fleece at this time, so don't worry.
Do you have a drum carder? If so, you'll find a little pile of dust & small bits under the drum carder when you're done carding. Even so, you'll still have some bits in the roving as you spin. Unless you're working with coated fleece, like you said, or are *super meticulous* as you're picking & skirting, I think you're always going to find bits in the fleece as you spin. Just pick it out as you go!
I know my first couple of fleeces were washing disasters, but I was still able to work with them--it just took more work and picking as I carded & spun.
Don't be defeated!! Enjoy working with the wool!!Look on the bright side--at least now it doesn't have pee, poo & sweat to get you all yucky as you pick through it!!
How's your weather? My husband was up in Tomahawk for a motorcycle rally a couple weekends ago, and he FROZE!! The next weekend it was in the 80's--go figure!
http://ktknits.blogspot.com |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2007 : 07:25:30 AM
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When I washed my first Angora fleece, it didn't look that bad at first but I was surprised by the amount of dirt and VM in it. I just kept washing and washing until it ran clean. Then I picked out what I could. The rest will come when you I card it.
My Homesteading Journal http://toomyvara.livejournal.com
My craft journal http://bluewrenn.livejournal.com
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JudyBlueEyes
True Blue Farmgirl
657 Posts
Judith
Spokane
Washington
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2007 : 11:06:57 AM
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If it's really bad and you really don't want to waste it, you could spin it bulky and make a rug out of it...that way, the extra "dirt" wouldn't matter so much...just a thought. And if it's any comfort, every hank of store-bought fleece I have ever spun has had "some" dirt/hay/etc. in it, so not worry - you just can't keep it all out! My friend who raises sheep keeps coats on them to help keep some of it out. Have fun with it!
We come from the earth, we go back to the earth, and in between, we garden! |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4188 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4188 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2007 : 5:05:09 PM
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thanks girls for the much needed pat on the shoulder! I had to bring the still damp fleece inside, cause of rain. I have a piece of my moveable chick pen that I have been using as a screen to clean on and now dry on. I hope tomorrow to get it back out and hopefully dry. I hope it will be workable. I read a bunch of web sites about cleaning, and washing fleece. Finally just did it with hot water, and dawn. I was worried I would wreck the fleece easily, but I did just fine. Like I said I have never done this before, and the wool just looked really messy yet with bits and pieces. I thought I had done a good job too. The wash water was a brown on the first wash. I was so surprised how white it came out.
Kathy, it has been cool here. In the 50's mostly for day time temps. If it does warm up too much, the darn asian beetles come out, and they are awful.
Thanks again
Michele |
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Across the Fence: what to do with dirty wool |
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what to do with dirty wool
