This one came from Windswept Acres. Romney sheep. They are coated and this fleece is amazingly beautiful! I cannot wait to get it all washed and spun. It's just beautiful. I would love to get a Romney ram now to breed my Finn sheep next year. Wouldn't that make some awesome fiber?
I can't remember, but I think this is Border Leicester wool. I ordered 2 or 3 pounds of it. It's really pretty too. And clean. Came from John and Madeleine Messersmith.
This came today from Sycamore Farms in N.C. It's Shetland. It's really greasy but not too awfully dirty. I just bought some Orvus Paste from Tractor Supply, which is a horse shampoo. Sodium Laurel I think. It's supposed to really get fleeces clean and white. I hope this one gets clean and white after using it. It's really soft.
This is from Elk Sheep farm. Raw Lincoln fleece. Very crimpy and soft. I hope it gets white when cleaned. Don't really know what to do with this.
This came from one of my blog friends, Sandra Morris, of Mitten State sheep. It's BL too. SO beautiful and clean and soft. Can't wait to get it all washed up and spun too. Thank you Sandra! I love it!
Sandra also sent some BL roving too. Really soft and pretty. Thanks again. I love this!
Now this. I ordered 2 fleeces, which I can't remember what they are, probably Romney too, from an Emily on the Raw Wool for sale forum. When I got the box and opened it, it stunk so bad! And it felt wet. I had to leave the box outside. Then the other day, I opened the bags and put them on the racks. They are totally nasty. Full of VM and really quite gross. And still felt wet. I paid the most for these fleeces than any of the others. I'll have to wait to even do anything with these til later, when I might not have much to do. I am not happy with these at all. And I hope I'm able to salvage enough to do anything with at all.
This is a Romney fleece that I washed last week, in Dawn and a whole box of Borax. It's still a bit yellow and the tips are a mess. But near the bottom of the bag, toward the end of skirting it, I found some really nice parts. I am using this for needle felting and dryer balls. I might try to wash this again in the Orvus and see if I can get it looking whiter.
This is that same fleece, in some batts. It's just a little yellower than I'd like it to be.
So, I will be busy, washing all these fleeces. They will become cute little sheep or owls or pin cushions or dryer balls. But most will become beautiful hand spun yarns.
It's been a learning experience for sure, ordering on-line. Not really knowing what I'll be getting. Some did not look like the pictures at all. And some I was very surprised and happy with. And I will be ordering more from them for sure.
Happy Monday to you all! Gotta get back over to the studio and create more pretties. What are y'all up to today?
3 comments:
OK, I've got to know what this Raw Wool forum is???
I can't see the VM in the pictures, but we bought a TON of alpaca fiber (locally) really cheap earlier this year. It had many fox tails, and those curly things that screw themselves into the ground when the sun shines on them. I picked the stickers out, but it has tons of chaff stuff. I was surprised at how a lot falls out when carding then some more when spinning. Then when I crochet the last little bit fell out. But it might not do the same with wool.
Have you ever put some hair conditioner in the water after washing the fiber? I used to do that with the mohair when I would wash it. It would make it so sparkly and easier to card. So I have been doing it with the alpaca also.
Kimberly
Look up Raw Wool for sale and Raw Fleeces for sale on FB. This is where I got all of these.
I have been washing the wool in Dawn. Then tried it with some Borax. I saw some people were talking about using different detergents for washing and someone mentioned Orvus Paste from Tractor Supple, for horses. Now they are saying it's not so good on wool, because it doesn't get the lanolin out. But is great for alpaca fiber. So I'll use it for my 2 boy's fleece when I wash it.
And I will try the conditioner. Some of the courser wool sure could use softening up.
That must be where all the people went from the fleece for sale yahoo group.
I've seen some really nice and cheap fiber on etsy, but never bought any, and I just found this place http://rhlindsaywool.com/ in a Spin Off magazine. They have REALLY good prices.
Kimberly
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