Scratching the Itch

fleece scourYou all knew I’d fall. Now I’m trying not to fall too hard too fast. I decided to process the portion of Bond fleece I have. I think it’s about two pounds.

I made a plan, which includes not buying any more fleeces until I finish with this one. Did you see the plural in there? Fleece-s. I think I’m in trouble.

My plan is an easy one. I am a very lazy spinner. I will wash this fleece following Beth’s fabulous and timely blog post, drum card it and spin it into something woolly and dk-ish. Done. If I over think I will be paralyzed by it all, if  I don’t think enough my house will be filled with fleeces before I finish this one.

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I washed the fleece between computer work and spinning work this morning. It was easy, I used tongs in the hot water. I have a weird love of tongs, they are handy and fun. Also they can be used as percussion while singing in the kitchen. My new kitchen sink and sink set up is fantastic for fleece washing – the sink is super deep (no tidal waves of water on the floor) and the sprayer reaches to containers on the counter.

 

IMG_1077My fleece is drying outside on a big screen held up by two chairs. It’s been there for about 4 hours and it’s almost dry. I’m leaving it out until just before sunset. It’s a humid day and I want that sucker to be bone dry before I bring it in the house.

It was really easy to wash this fleece and only just damp, not a huge watery mess. The Bond is so very soft and is still crimpy after it’s bath. I can’t wait to spin it and knit it. First I have to fire up my drum carder and make some batts that I’ll pull into roving.

I think it was a good idea for me to start with just part of a fleece, a little bit to get my feet wet. Then I can do a whole fleece next.

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Like maybe in the next couple of weeks, becasue this beauty showed up on my doorstep yesterday – a Coopworth fleece.

I also have the phone number of the CVM shepherd  that has the fleeces that make me drool.

Hello rabbit hole……..

 

 

1 reply
  1. sharecropper
    sharecropper says:

    I went to visit my nearest alpaca farm, where I took pictures during April shearing, and I came home with six grocery bags of fleece. Each bag has a name and a weight. I’ve promised to spin some rustic yarn from each of these bags and to make an item from one such spinning. I keep opening the bags to fondle the soft chocolate, latte, cinnamon and pearl goodness. Today I finally carded and spun 50+ grams of ginger down, but I’m already dreaming of a full fleece and woolly locks.

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