Time For Some Wooly Spring Cleaning

Close up details of the unwashed wool blanket with plenty of lanolin and veggie matter to go around.

Warmer Spring weather has kicked up in fits and spurts over the past few weeks. So, it’s time for that giant box of fiber that’s been sitting on a shelf in the garage to finally get some time in the sun and the tub.

My dad sent me a 16” x 16” x 17” box last year. I poked at it a little bit, but wasn’t quite ready to jump into washing it just then. I wanted to do a little practice first and had a much smaller chunk of alpaca that would be a good start to learn how to wash raw fiber. I chronicled that learning attempt here, and it went really well. With a little experience and confidence under my belt, I was ready to get started…eventually.

One of the two bags from the box and absolutely stuffed full of a skirted wool fleece.

I opened this box and dug in before I could change my mind or the weather changed my plans for me. The box was packed with two bags that each contained a full skirted fleece! I only had the time and bags to work with one of the bags, so I left the second fleece in the box for later. Maybe this summer? Hopefully this summer.

A small sample of the wool from this fleece.

A close up of one of the wool locks.

Anyway, I don’t have any details about what kind of wool this, just that it’s wool. The fleece wasn’t dirty and dusty like alpaca, but a little bit greasy and yellow from the lanolin. There was a fair amount of veggie matter and some second cuts - both of which I pulled out much of what I could. While the locks don’t have much in the way of a tight crimp, it is strong with a 4-5” staple length. After pulling out the dirtiest sections (spoiler alert: I should have pulled out more), I divided the fleece into 7 bags for easier washing.

7 mesh bags full of wool fleece ready for a wash in a utility sink.

My original plan was to wash the fleece in a big tub in the back yard, but that was before I had a utility sink. Washing a big chunk of wool seemed like the perfect thing to really break that sink in. I grabbed the 4 of the 7 bags to get started because I only have so much drying room. Then I filled up the tub with the hottest water I could get, 120 F, and added my soap. I’m using Mrs Meyers Clean Day Dish Soap (<- affiliate link) which is sulfate free (and what I used to wash the alpaca fiber). This batch got two soaks in soapy water (so much dirt!) and two soaks without soap. Then I laid them flat to dry. It was so hard not to poke the bags every hour to see if they were dry yet.

A handful of washed fleece showing off the lock structure and a little bit of veggie matter.

When all the wool was finally dry, I was afraid that I’d felted it in the wash! I didn’t - whew! - but the wool was compacted. It takes a little effort, but I can still pull it apart and tease out the individual fibers. Now that the wool was clean I could finally get a good look at it. Most of the fiber is a bright white and only a few of the tips stayed yellow. It is also very soft and fine. I’d say that I lucked out with this fleece. Thank you, Dad!

Of course, I couldn’t resist seeing what would happen after the wool took a trip through the drum carder. This was a learning experience on all fronts. The wool (because it was compacted from the wash), took a chunk of work to get ready to feed into the drums. Then all the veggie matter I hoped would come out with drum carding, didn’t. So I spent way more time picking out grass and hay that I’d skipped over in the beginning. Bah. I also learned that this particular wool is very fine and two passes through the carder is the most it can take. Anything more will tangle the fiber into neps which would be a complete waste of some really beautiful wool.

I was also reminded of a few absolutely key points:

• Don’t wear all black when working with white fiber.

• An apron to wipe your hands and hold tools would be really helpful.

• Save outside drum carding for less windy days.

• Keep your hands moisturized so the fiber doesn’t just cling to your fingers for the fun of it.

• Find all the tools you’re going to need before you start working with the carder.

• Toddlers don’t care about drum carding. Toddlers care about being pushed on the swings. (This one is the most important.)

The first finished batt from the washed wool fleece ready to come off the drum carder.

The fluffy and flighty wool batt after pulling it up to come off the drum carder.

Close up view of the underside of the batt as it comes of the drum carder.

The finished batt is just shy of 2 ounces and only a small fraction of what I washed. The drum carder wasn’t cleaned after my last carding projects so there’s bits of green wool and cinnamon alpaca in there. Still, it looks really good even if it does have more veggie matter in there than I’d like. I’m looking forward to spinning up a few samples of 2 and 3 ply yarns. It’ll certainly help me decide what to make with the finished yarn when I have a better idea of how much fiber I actually have.

The drum carder after removing the batt. The drums are still covered wool stuck down at the base of the cloth.

Now I have to go pick all the stray fibers out of my drum carder before I can card the next batch.

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This post contains an affiliate link which means, if you decide to buy through that link, I’ll get a small commission. My opinions are my own, and formed after multiple uses. I wouldn’t recommend this soap if I didn't think it worked. Thanks!

Breed Review: Texel

As I learn about spinning and wool, I’ll share it all with you.

I have the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild to thank for this bump of wool. At every meeting, the guild holds a raffle with items donated by members. The proceeds go to the guild and I always bought a few tickets even if it meant scrounging up a couple of quarters from the bottom of my purse. Eventually, one of those tickets won and I took home 103g of Texel with the fitting colorway name of Tequila Sunrise. With a little research on Ravelry and Google, I found out that roving was part of Southern Cross Fibre’s January 2012 fiber club. Internet, you rock.

Since learning to spin, I’ve become familiar with Merino, Bluefaced Leicester, Falkland, and Targhee but Texel was a new breed for me. At first glance, it wasn’t lustrous but had wonderful color. At first feel, it wasn’t next to the skin soft but seemed sturdy and strong. I opened up The Field Guide To Fleece to get more information. Turns out that Texel sheep are raised mostly for meat but that their wool is of good quality. The fiber insulates well, takes color easily, has strong crimp, and can vary in staple length from 3” to 6”. I can’t speak for the insulating qualities but I can definitely attest to the color and crimp. The staple length in my roving was between 3” and 4”. The authors also write that Texel is “relatively easy to spin” which I found to be the case as well.

After pulling out the chain I was able to get a good look at all the colors. The fiber was dyed randomly with no two segments of color the same length. Fractal-spinning was right out but I didn’t want to spin a 2-ply either and potentially muddy the colors. I decided a fat single would best preserve the colors and went from there.

For easier drafting and to break up the longer color stretches, I split the fiber lengthwise down the middle. 

Split them again, but in half this time to create 4 nests of fiber. During spinning, I picked them randomly when I needed more fiber. Since I was aiming for a fat single, I used a short-forward draw and the 6.8:1 whorl ratio on my Sidekick.

I’m glad I split the fiber up because that meant I had several long gradients of color just like this. Can’t wait to see how this yarn knits up.

While I was drafting I came across these individual hairs occasionally. They were longer and courser than the rest of the fiber and didn’t take dye at all. If I noticed them before they were drafted into the single, I pulled them out, but didn’t worry with them otherwise. 

This is what happens when you forget to switch over to a jumbo bobbin before spinning 4 oz worth of singles. Thankfully, nothing got caught up in the whorls or twisted around the flyer shaft.

Off the bobbin! Normally, if I were finishing and setting the twist as usual, this is where’d put the info about what happened after it came out of the wash; however, I’m trying something new with this skein. When I was spinning the Texel, I came across a blog post from Hedgehog Fibres that focused on fulling, aka felting, handspun singles. Those yarns looks lovely and I want to try intentionally felting my handspun for once instead of doing it by accident. More on that adventure soon.

Stash Documentation

In February, I signed up for the Spun Right Round Fiber club as soon as it popped up in the Etsy shop. Doesn’t hurt to obsessively stalk a shop’s RSS feed, right? Please tell me I’m not the only one that does this. Joining the club was a consolation prize, albeit an awesome one, for not being able to make the trip to Stitches West. Eventually, the shipping notification arrived in my inbox and I waited none too patiently for March’s shipment to show up in my mailbox. The fiber is soft and the colors are definitely outside of my usual color spectrum. Riotous neon pink doesn’t often make it into my stash but this bump makes it look fun. Can’t wait to start spinning it up. 

When I went to add the fiber, appropriately named Color Bot, to my Ravelry stash, it looked it was the only fiber I’ve bought in months. Definitely not true. I was also pretty sure that I’ve made more than 21 skeins of handspun. Oh, Ravelry, I have not forsaken you! I’ve just been a little distracted by spinning and writing and websites and knitting and video games and…you get the point. Over the past few days I’ve been adding to, photographing for, and updating the stash catalog. The whole process can be slow going but it’s worth it and I recommend it. A happy, up to date Ravelry stash let’s you see all your fiber at the click of a finger. Makes it easier to decide what to spin next. No need to drag it all unless you want to. Plus, it’s a great reference when you’re trying to decide how to further enhance the stash. 

I almost forgot I had some this stuff. Shame on me. 

Malabrigo Nube - Glitter Colorway. This Merino is ridiculously soft and the colors are everything you’d expect from Malabrigo. 

CosyMakes Falkland - Flight of Fancy

More CosyMakes Falkland in Honey Bear. Before and After.

Gale’s Art Corriedale Top - Limited Edition Color

6 oz of un-dyed Corriedale Cross. Sometimes you just need a few neutrals to balance out all the color. Thinking about about pairing it with the purples, greens, and blues of the Corriedale from Gale’s Art. Maybe I’ll try spinning my first skein of sock yarn. 

Review: The Field Guide to Fleece

When I bought The Field Guide to Fleece last week, I thought it would be helpful when I eventually went to a random fiber festival. Or when I was looking up wool and fleeces from indie dyers and farms. I definitely didn’t expect to use it 2 days later at the spinning guild meeting.

At every meeting, the guild holds a raffle for fiber or books or yarn. I spent $3 and split my 6 tickets between some roving and a washed fleece. Didn’t win the fleece but I did get the roving. There was no label, only a few notes on the bag. It was just enough info to find out the roving was the January 2012 shipment of the Australia-based Southern Cross Fiber Club. The colorway, Tequila Sunrise, is beautiful and on a completely new to me wool, Texel.

On a lark, I looked at The Field Guide first instead of searching though a few pages of search results. On page 204, was an entry for the Texel which is originally from the Netherlands and bred mainly for meat. It has a staple length of 3-6” and, while lacking in luster, spins up to make a lofty, air-filled yarn. The fiber is nowhere near soft but good for hardy blankets, pillows, and mats.

The Field Guide to Fleece by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius is a steal at $14.95. It alphabetically details 100 different sheep breeds with photos and clear, detailed information. Everything from breed history and characteristics - staple length, micron count, and fleece weight - as well as how the wool takes dye, its best uses, and how readily the fiber felts. Every entry has a photo of the sheep and a close-up of an individual lock next to a ruler. The book is a wonderful pocket-sized resource that’s worth buying both for new and experienced spinners who need a good, quick resource. 

Wander the Web 13

Spinzilla is already half over and I’m still spinning along. I’m over halfway through 6 oz of Perendale which smells delightfully wooly. Hope it’s all spun up by Sunday! During the moments I haven’t been producing yardage, I found some interesting links. Got to give my wrists a break some time. Good luck, fellow Spinzillians! 

Observing Earth: Satellite Photos from European Space Agency

Handknit Socks in Space!

Interview with knitting extraordinaire Leethal AKA Lee Meredith 

Learn a little about Foula Sheep

An emergency home built in 5 hours to last 15 years 

The Yarndale Bunting - Over 6,200 crochet triangles from 31 different countries decorated the Yarndale Wool Festival. The before and after photos are wonderful. (via KnittyBlog)