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Washing fleece - A request for advice
Greetings and Hi! I am new to posting in this newsgroup. I have been
knitting for about two years and I am now thinking of spinning my own yarn. A week ago, I visited a sheep farm and bought two dirty but nice fleeces. The sheep were sheared on the same day when I took the fleeces home. I have read quite a bit on how to wash, card, and spin the wool. While I have some knowledge about how to process the fleece with what I have read so far, I have absolutely no idea how much time it will take when one actually gets down to doing the practical part of it, I mean in terms of how many man-hours? On the day I bought the fleeces, I did not know that I would be traveling and away from my home for the next four months (to go overseas for some family matter during that period). So, I am now stuck with two raw fleeces that I have no time to work on. I would appreciate it very much if anyone in this newsgroup can kindly tell me how long can unwashed greasy (and a bit smelly!) fleece be kept in storage in its current state? I have not washed them since I took them home a week ago. As I am very busy in the midst of packing and preparing for my overseas trip, I am not sure if I would be able to find any time to wash the two fleeces before I leave in ten days time. Can I just pack them in two big boxes and leave them in the garage till I come back in four months time? My questions a 1. If the dirty greasy fleeces can be kept in storage for four months, what is the best form of storage to ensure minimal damage to the wool? in boxes in the garage? or in pillow cases? how to prevent them from moth attacks? Both of the fleeces are still in the original state as they were just after the shear. Each fleece is still a complete piece, one from each sheep. Do you think I should sort and cut them into smaller pieces before I store them, or should I just store each fleece as it is now in one complete uncut piece? 2. If they cannot be kept for that long in the unwashed state. I will try to find some time to wash and dry them before I go away. My question is how many man-hours do you think it will take for me (being a first-timer) to sort, wash and dry two fairly large fleeces? I do not want to begin the wash if I learn from you that the number of hours required is more than what I can commit, considering my tight schedule now. I am just afraid that I might leave them in a worse mess if I begin the washing process and find that I do not have the time to finish a good job in washing and drying them properly. I would like to keep the fleeces very much because I know I would enjoy learning and spinning my first yarn when I have the time after I return from my trip abroad in four months time. I know it will take a lot of work and I have so much more to learn. But I think it will be really nice to knit with yarn that one has prepared from start to finish, right? Please advise me what to do. I am at my wits end! Thank you very much :-) Lynn |
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#3
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In article , Slinky
wrote: On 17 May 2004 14:47:53 -0700, (knitlynn) wrote: Hello Slinky more or less said it all. I would like to add that you can't store a wet fleece. If you do not have the time to wash and dry your fleeces, you can store them unwashed in white plastic bags as well. White as in clear plastic that will let the light in. (moth do not like light) Your biggest problem may be critters...from moth to mice etc. Fleece stored in clear plastic bags that are well sealed, will be fine until you come back. I have stored fleeces for several years that way. Els PS I have just found great storage containers. They are made from very fine woven (nylon) material. They are sold flat and have a memory wire in them. When you undo the toggles, that hold the circular bin flat, you will end up with a pop up round bin of about 23" high with an eighteen inch diameter. The top closes hermetically (spelling) with a round lid that zips closed with two tabs. I bought one for $10 Canadian at the Super Store (Loblaws). I love these so much I bought 4 more for fleece storage. I spin my milled pin roving right out of this bin. Keeps everything neat and tidy and also keeps the moths out when the lid is zipped closed. EvD snip snip -- hate spam not welcome |
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Els? How much does a fleece cost and how much yarn would you generally get
from one? Thanks! laurie |
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In article Autqc.523271$oR5.130950@pd7tw3no, "Llaurie"
wrote: Els? How much does a fleece cost and how much yarn would you generally get from one? Thanks! laurie Laurie, I take that you are talking about having your fleece milled (sorry can't think of the proper wording here) I can look the price list up for you from Marie in Crofton. It all depends on how much your fleeces weighs in the first place, as well as how dirty it is. There can be great weight loss when a fleece is loaded with sand and soil. Is this fleece skirted already (did the farmer take all the tags and felted little bits of the outside (rim) of the fleece. How much vegetable matter is still in the fleece etc. Let me find the price list and I will E-mail you with the prices. You can have the fleece sorted washed and put into roving, but you do not have to have it washed if the fleeces is relatively clean. Els -- hate spam not welcome |
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Hi Els and Slinky,
Thank you very much for your advice. May I know how long does it take for the fleece to dry, considering average spring weather now? Thanks, Lynn |
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thanks again Els I did get your email privately but for some reason when
i answered it just bounced back? I dont have a fleece.. i should have been more specific. I'd like to have a fleece to spin. Or whatever the fleece is called when it is ready to spin? Lovely site of that supplier in Crofton! laurie |
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"Average spring weather" varies greatly. Where I live I might have
30% humidity and clear skies when I roll out of bed, thunderstorms and 95% humidity by noon, and clearing skies and falling humidity again by bedtime. Scour it well to remove all the grease, fluff it as it dries, and don't store it compacted while you're gone. It should be fine. On 18 May 2004 15:46:50 -0700, (knitlynn) wrote: Hi Els and Slinky, Thank you very much for your advice. May I know how long does it take for the fleece to dry, considering average spring weather now? Thanks, Lynn |
#9
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Hi Els. I don't think I'd store a fresh fleece in a sealed plastic
bag. The thing will sweat and mildew if it doesn't felt too. I bought a fleece that had been stored in a plastic bag, back when I was a new spinner and didn't know any better. Never again. On Mon, 17 May 2004 20:02:25 -0700, (Els van Dam) wrote: In article , Slinky wrote: On 17 May 2004 14:47:53 -0700, (knitlynn) wrote: Hello Slinky more or less said it all. I would like to add that you can't store a wet fleece. If you do not have the time to wash and dry your fleeces, you can store them unwashed in white plastic bags as well. |
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