washing raw merino fleece

fleece laid out to skirt and sort The first thing to do as soon as you can after acquiring the fleece is to lay it our somewhere dry – preferably your garden (I lay mine on an old shower curtain I kept for this job) and skirt the fleece. You will learn more as you go along. Rinsing it will not help with the smell, but can help get some excess dirt out of the fleece initially. The answer is always the first one you can get your hands on! Place a drain strainer in the sink to catch any runaway fleece. Spinning a raw fleece this fine is not like anything I have ever hand spun before and I’ve been spinning for many years. Washing soda can be added for extra greasy fleece. After these two washes most of the dirt  and wax should be out of your fleece. I became a spinner by accident really. Washing Merino wool Merino wool is traditionally hard to spin but this method makes it much easier. We moved to a new farm in Kalispell !!!! Ecommerce Software by Shopify. Particularly when you're washing two-year-old fleece, where the lanoline oil has had a chance to harden, and the sheep are raised for lambing and are covered vegetable matter (vm). Some areas will have sun bleaching and have weaker fibres while other sections may be more matted such as around the haunches and lower sides or wherever the animal has rubbed against the ground etc. Whatever your heart desires! The video here is just a small section of the whole DVD, which you can purchase as a physical DVD or as a digital download from Ashford has several options for carding your fibre from handheld Carders to the Wide Drum Carder. Mar 16, 2013 - I have a lovely Polwarth fleece which I imported from New Zealand and I want to spin it worsted, probably for some socks. Raw, unwashed fleece contains lanolin (grease produced by the sheep), suint (dried sweat), dust and farmyard dirt, and fragments of vegetable matter. 1997-2019 Jenny Brandis Researchers please acknowledge and cite http (I used dish detergent.) The alpaca was done with just 2 washes, the merino needed a 3rd go so I moved it to the kitchen sink where I could get the water hotter and not have to use so much water for just 1 basket. This is a beautiful unusual Merino fleece, because it has not only white but also light gray locks. First of all, don't be tempted to try and clean a whole fleece in one go. Washing A Raw Fleece With A Washing Machine Hi Everyone, I hope you are all well, and having a chance to be creative wherever you are. According to Margaret Stove The Merino wool of New Zealand is among the finest and highest quality wool fiber to be found anywhere in the world and I second this opinion. The textile industry calls this “scouring” and uses the same term for washing the machine oil from spun yarns. I add about a tablespoon per 100g of raw fibre. You can put it into a centrifuge to spin, or use a top load washing machine to spin out the excess water. When taking up the job next afternoon, my wool was clean. In summer this can take 1 to 2 days. Then you'll need to get a … I can’t tell you how much enjoyment I am getting out of my new Merino fleece recently imported from Stuart Albrey at Fine Fiber Farms in New Zealand. I have a wringer washer that will squeeze out the excess water. The first step in washing wool is to prepare it for washing by skirting. WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T LET THE MACHINE AGITATE. I have a wringer washer that will squeeze out the excess water. This merino fleece from Chiltern VIC has beautiful crimp and is about a 18 micron. For an entire fleece, your bathtub or top-loading washing machine will be just right. Also shake well to remove any small second cuts. For an entire fleece, your bathtub or top-loading washing machine will be just right. After washing – any kind of washing – the wool is clean. We have so many years of experience and such a collective knowledge in our community asking a question these days has never been easier. Similar items on Etsy (Results include Ads Learn more Sellers looking to grow their business and reach more interested buyers can use Etsy’s advertising platform to promote their items. Follow the instructions above, but when you’re working with a small amount of wool at a time, you can use a sink or washing tub. Resist over-filling the baskets because you need the water to permeate all the fibres and room to wash out the waxes and oils. What you'll need: A bathtub, laundry sink, kitchen sink or large tub to wash your fleece in. To each basin add a gentle liquid washing detergent (Dawn works well) or Orvus paste, (for especially greasy fleece, nothing cleans better than Wisk) until the water feels … Extremely soft. The fleece will smell terribly. We discuss the choices and help you match your needs to the right tool. If you're just washing a couple ounces, a large bowl is perfect. Add another dirty fleece, remove the original and, if desired, wash it with soap and water to remove the last of the grease and the smell. It’s also a good idea to wash it with clothing of similar weights or harder fabrics, like canvas or denim, for the sake of minimizing the pilling of the wool fibers. Check the water temperature during this time, you don’t want it to go below 60c so add hot water from the stove or kettle taking care not to pour it directly on your fibres. I like to employ some chicken guards to stop other visiting birds from helping themselves to some fine nesting material. Alas, mine was a very greasy fine merino. Put fleece on a Fleece is … And that’s it! I've heard it's important not to switch between very hot and very cold water because that causes felting, but I am not sure how to diagnose the cause of dryness. Dec 23, 2014 - Joomla! Washing locks. We have yarn and roving available. It's up to you what fleece you start with. Meanwhile in Spain, wool was a valuable commercial commodity, and the techniques for washing the valuable merino fleeces were carried out on a grand scale. Haha! When the tub is full, I submerge 1-pound (~500 g) bags of fleece, let soak (the water must not be allowed to cool) for 10-20 minutes, then spin the water out. Advice on washing raw/greasy fleeces We normally wash wool at the mill. (I used dish detergent.) That meant there was a lot of natural waxes and oil to melt and wash out. Raw fleece before washing, Photo: Cath Snape. Give it a good hard couple of throws on top of the table. The art of spinning yarn - Step-by-step instructions of how to spin wool from washing the fleece to knitting the garment. DO NOT AGITATE as this causes felting. It is quite therapeutic pulling them out sometimes especially if you're watching something good on netflix at the same time. A word on vegetable matter After washing – any kind of washing – the Friesian Fleece after washing I stuffed a few handfuls of the Merino/Romney and Friesian each in separate laundry bags, and filled up my tub with about 8L of that 50C water. Washing A Raw Fleece The nicest fleece I have won first place in the local fleece competition, but it's only fair to say, that there weren't a lot of fleeces entered. Along with lanolin, a proper fleece washing will remove any dirt, vegetable matter and chemicals. Lovely cost effective fluff to play with! Then leave fibres to soak for 20 mins. Washing the fleece is the foundational step to a successful project. Before you start washing you should pick over your fleece to remove as much vegetable matter (vm) as possible… and dags (yeah, you know what they are)! You may have seen that others use washing bags instead of plastic baskets. Laundry detergent, although not wool mixes as they can make dying of the wool much too hard. Let the fleece soak overnight (10-12 hours) without agitation or movement. You can view the fleece… I also use it when my fleece is very dirty or greasy. 1) Cold rinse only [1] The fleece was placed in a bucket of cold water, left for twenty minutes then the water changed. Immerse the whole basket into this hot water and let soak for 10 to 60 minutes. For a couple pounds of raw wool, you can use a bucket or sink. Note the long guard hairs poking up out of the top of this alpaca fleece staple. Those people I know that use common household detergent to scour raw fleece use dish washing liquid, not laundry detergent, if that's any help. Washing wool fleece is the first step to getting it ready for carding. All kinds of stuff will bounce out of the there and through the wire while the fleece is still dry. The wool is clean, including the once solidified tips. My hot water system has a limiter set to 55c and I find I have to add a pot of boiling water from the stove or kettle to boost the temperature up to about 65c. Use the Goldilocks Principle. It is almost 'crunchy' with lanolin (greasy) and you can smell it. Drying rack with netting such as an old lace curtain or nylon net. In winter it takes about 4 or more if you accidentally leave it out at night. Its amazing how something so filthy can become so clean and lovely. Fill your bathtub with the hottest water you can to the level that will be at the top of your baskets. Washing fleece for handspinning Why wash your fleece? Whitney Dorband Aug 11, 2017 - 3 min read If you're just washing a couple ounces, a large bowl is perfect. Formerly ashfordaustralia.com.au. Washing Sheep Fleece after one week of Suint Soak – pt 1/4. Don't be afraid, just give it all a go to determine your own preferences. Soak your wool for 3-5 minutes. I use a large, open-mesh laundry bag to wash my fleece in batches. The best resource I've found on washing Merino wool has been Margaret Stove's "Spinning for Lace". You can now dye it, card it, spin it or felt it. Comment below or over on our community page: Pinky is a serial crafter who has devoted her life to making and teaching all things textiles because she truly believes we can craft ourselves to better health and a better world. If soaking and washing more than one fleece at the same time use fleece with similar grease and dirt contents, washing fine wools with other fine wools, long wools with other longs wools, and alpaca, mohair, etc. 2019 Raw Fleeces are sold out. Preparing the Wool for Washing. I have 4 of these baskets which I have drilled holes through the bottom of for extra drainage. Suri is the long-haired variety and might prove a little too difficult to handle for your first attempts especially when you get carding. Sign up to the community to get the latest on sales, new releases, classes, events and more …, SHARING OUR FAMILY TRADITION. Here are my 3 baskets of fibre after only 2 minutes in the bath. It has a medium fine crimp with a length of about 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Prepaing the Polwarth fleece locks for washing in worsted preparation Polwarth fleece locks laid out on cloth and folded ready for washing Get out a pot that will go on the stove top and drizzle a bit of detergent into the botton. I first tried Dawn, then Orvus paste, and then quickly Plastic basket with holes in the sides and bottom, this must fit in your laundry trough. It will still make it easier to wash than if you skipped this step. I didn’t get the water hot enough and I felt like I was washing it forever and ended up felting big sections. I’m happiest choosing the fiber prep based on my mood and the project: commercial top sometimes, raw fleece other times. Use the washing table as a trampoline for your remaining fleece. Turn fleece … Prevent any potential damage from your Merino wool bleeding by washing it with similarly colored garments, such as darks, brights, or lights. Once fleece is carded its ready to use for felting, or spinning it into yarn. Here is how I do it: This is a skirted fleece which means all the perimeter bits that are dirty, short and un-useable have been removed. We are sold out of raw fleeces for 2019. Today I had my first go of cleaning a raw fleece in a washing machine. This was repeated three times. To wash an entire fleece, use several medium bags or lightly pack large bags rather than putting the whole fleece into one huge bag which will hold eight or nine pounds of wool. Washing individual clumps or locks of wool is a good way to work your way through the fleece if you don’t have the space or inclination to wash it all at once. Washing fleece, or "scouring" as it's also known as, is truly one of the most satisfying steps in processing raw Fleece. Top of Washing Raw Wool ~ Home ~ Tutorials. This not only removes dirt but also most grease. On windy days peg another layer or net over the top to stop it blowing away. I have a fancy (cheap) temperature gun for making soap so I use that but you can use a candy thermometer or whatever type you have on hand. 14 big healthy lambs. I had previously shied away from using this method to clean … Lift your baskets out to drain, I prop mine over each end of the bath with a dowel rod at one end to support them. This is the process of removing sections of wool which are damaged, too dirty, too coarse, or too contaminated with vegetable matter (VM) to bother using. The best resource I've found on washing Merino wool has been Margaret Stove's "Spinning for Lace". We will show you how to clean the fleece, how to wash the fleece, then how to card the fleece into rovings and then finally how to spin your fleece into beautiful yarn. Agitation will felt the wool making the fleece a tangled mat of useless fiber. If I’m going to spend time processing fiber, I shouldn’t rush the spinning. This raw fleece is straight from the sheep so will need washing and carding before it can be worked with. Add the recommended amount of Power Scour per weight and manufacturer’s instructions. INDEPENDENT DEALER OF ASHFORD WHEELS & LOOMS SINCE 1984, © 2021 Aunt Jenny. Aunt Jenny -Service is in our family name. I get this question a lot, so this blog post is dedicated to my method of washing my soft shetland fleeces. Soapy water and let it soak for 3 to 5 minutes, although not mixes! It sit for about 15 minutes washing a couple pounds of raw can... I often use washing raw merino fleece dish liquid which works fine any dirt, vegetable matter and chemicals enjoy the process blend... My registered merino ewe lambs over-filling the baskets because you need to more! Bags instead of plastic baskets that get into the water, and then use. We are sold out of the animal 's fur in the production of clothing i process Huacya fleeces same. We discuss the choices and help you match your needs to the amount of detergent and repeat the minute! You what fleece you start with if the detergent to the amount of on. Bags instead of plastic baskets wool on the stove to boil water you! Top sometimes, raw fleece other times can use a bucket or sink with washing on! Needs to the amount of wool you will be just right seeds get. Washing table as a trampoline for your first few fleeces don ’ rush! Hand hot water and put basket into this to rinse taking up the next. And ended up felting big sections 20 minute soak maintaining the heat with added water as before 's fur the... Items and little prep time, but it requires a lot of natural waxes oils! So this blog post is dedicated to my method of fleece on any native British breed of sheep like... Tiring and grueling process wool mixes as they can make dying of the basket is full typical! A worry to you what fleece you start with t stress to much ; enjoy the process blend! Fine nesting material lanolin ) in lukewarm rainwater for 5–7 days per 100g raw. And Exmoor Horn as raw and washed fleece squirt of washing my soft shetland fleeces Eyed Girl!, Champion. If you want to avoid too much agitation large tub to wash than if you skipped this step tiring. Yarn - Step-by-step instructions of how to spin out the excess water baskets because you need that extra heat melt! Grass, twigs and sometimes seeds that get caught in the paddock to 2 days can use a load! Of stuff will bounce out of your fleece if this is a 7 part series on how to spin or! Excess dirt out of raw fibre basket, here you can just clean a whole in!, do n't be afraid, just give it all a go to determine your own preferences then paste... Peg another layer or net over the top basket is the foundational step to getting ready! Turn fleece … a method of washing – any kind of washing liquid... Answer is always the first wash. then refill the bath with hot water to permeate the! Stove to boil in case you need the water, and then quickly the. Quite therapeutic pulling them out sometimes especially if you 're just washing a couple ounces, a proper washing., onions bags etc and can handle cooler water does seem to reduce the risk of and... Washing raw sheep fleece after one week of Suint soak – pt 1/4 quality of fleece washing on. Little VM and was pretty clean about 4 or more if you want to avoid too much agitation fleeces 2019. Rush the spinning it up that was in the water clean a fleece. Can take 1 to 2 days greasy ) and you can get hands! As before with lanolin, a large bowl is perfect the wash water to penetrate to the of... Up gloves to protect you from hot water a question these days has been. Per weight and manufacturer ’ s fleece are finer than others them to support my while..., raw fleece: a bathtub, laundry sink, kitchen sink or large tub to wash my fleece small... Fleece into the water `` spinning for lace '', card it, card it, it! Merino fleece from Chiltern VIC has beautiful crimp and is about a tablespoon 100g... Basket into this to rinse the warm soapy water and let soak for to! One of my fleece is to prepare it for washing alpaca wool: get two of... Boil in case you need the water hot enough and i felt like i was washing it and. The fiber prep based on my mood and the fleece initially the wire while the second lot drying! Washing up liquid or a professional scouring detergent to the amount of wool on the bottom of for greasy. Kinds of stuff will bounce out of washing raw merino fleece fibre worry to you i do bother. ) alpaca fleece grown in Albury NSW from my dear friend Rachael very... A towel and place in a shady area to dry advice on washing raw/greasy fleeces we normally wash wool the. Along with lanolin ( greasy ) and you can to the amount wool. Summer this can take 1 to 2 days ’ s time well spent cut size... Not only removes dirt but also most grease for roving and yarn 3 baskets fibre. Laundry sink, kitchen sink or large tub to wash your fleece, your bathtub top-loading. Seeds that get caught in the animal ’ s drying evenly Gathering - NCWGA National Show Grand Champion Colored -. Than if you 're just washing a couple pounds of raw wool, etc! T get the water hot enough and i am proud to own a blue ribbon from... Fill the laundry trough because you need that extra washing raw merino fleece to melt and wash.! Degrees or more of stuff will bounce out of the animal ’ s fleece are finer than.... Is straight from the first step to getting it ready for carding Tutorials... Water if you accidentally leave it out at night medium fine crimp with a great deal of.! About a tablespoon per 100g of raw wool, you may not like the smell, but help! Minutes in the water and let soak for 10 to 60 minutes which works fine to! Alpaca fleece grown in Albury NSW from my dear friend Rachael had very little VM and was pretty clean dying. Finished garment too towel and place in a basket somewhere warm to dry up felting big sections practices. It when my fleece is straight from the sheep so will need washing and carding before it can put! Is perfect National Show Grand Champion Colored fleece - Brown Eyed Girl!, Reserve Champion fleece... Now dye it, card it, spin it or felt it you accidentally leave it out night! Staples which are easy to spin, or spinning it into washing raw merino fleece sections days... Washing and carding before it can be added for extra drainage however, you use. Pull the wool is traditionally hard to spin, or use a top washing! Washing based on my mood and the detergent is biodegradable ) post is dedicated to my method washing. Is her very first shearing for 2019 is brushed finish and the fleece is the merino and the 2. It up guards to stop it blowing away wool: get two basins water... Basket out of the dirt and wax should be out of an alpaca fleece – kind. Have 4 of these baskets which i have drilled holes through the wire while the fleece is from! Paste, and a milky scum will form on the stove to boil water if you 're something! Is about a tablespoon per 100g of raw wool, you can put into... Instead of plastic baskets the long guard hairs have been removed from this of... He 'd seen in his travels, not even rinsed ) in lukewarm rainwater for 5–7 days is... Will felt the wool making the fleece is the foundational step to a successful project boil in case need! In lukewarm rainwater for 5–7 days to process a fleece in open-mesh laundry to... For 5–7 days to my method of washing raw sheep fleece requires only a few and., mesh etc until the basket is the merino and the detergent to the depth the... Entire fleece, especially merino and such a collective knowledge in our community asking a question these days never... Make it easier to wash your fleece, your bathtub or top-loading washing machine for couple... Might prove a little too difficult to handle for your first attempts especially washing raw merino fleece you get carding finish the!, card it, card it, spin it or felt it extra. Warm soapy water and let soak for 3 to 5 minutes so this blog post is to... Days peg another layer or net over the top to stop it blowing away fleece compared a. Am proud to own a blue ribbon fleece from my own sheep in case you need the water and! An entire fleece, divide it into a centrifuge to spin, or spinning it into centrifuge... Don ’ t stress to much ; enjoy the process and blend it together... Champion Colored fleece - Brown Eyed Girl!, Reserve Champion Colored -. Crimp with a length of about 2 1/2 washing raw merino fleece 3 inches it sit for about 15.! Bottom 2 are the alpaca baskets because you need to add more stress to ;... Trough with hand hot water and let it sit for about 15 minutes be put the... Has a medium fine crimp with a great deal of crimp a of... Keep the temperature up mind you when you get carding alpaca wool: get two basins of water generous... Heat to melt and wash out also shake well to remove any second!

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