The wool shed!

The major task undertaken this weekend was to make a start on the bags of wool in Anne's shed - to remove them from the plastic bags they came in, skirt them, removed daggy and soiled wool, pick through the wool for the worst dirt/vegetable matter, and discard any 'not worth spinning' wool (too short or second shear typically. There's no point in sorting and cleaning it only to find it is not going to spin well, although on that matter Anne is going to have a go at felting some wool sometime and see if that may be a good use for it).

We were able to spread the fleeces over an outside table in the back yard - not quite the ideal sorting table, but it served the purpose - a lamb sized fleece fits well - a ewe's fleece is way too large, but once trimmed is generally manageable.

We did three bags - about 10 fleeces all told - with the same sort of figures I had struck at home (with the total of 3 bags I sorted there) - a reduction by about a 1/3 to a 1/2 by weight.  All this in 90+ degrees - I sweated buckets!!

We did find the 'best' fleece to date - relatively clean and nice and long staple, which makes a nice musical ping when tugged - it will clean up and spin really well.  The goal will be to wash as much as I can in a couple of loads as often as possible and re-package into 'lots' of wool for spinning and dyeing to build up stocks in preparation for hiring a loom from the guild and turning it into cloth.

Some ways off...

sorting a lamb's fleece

sorted wool in storage bags

sorting a ewe's fleece

Scouring

After the first results proved that the wool could be cleaned (even in straight dish washing liquid), I went and bought some 'recommended' liquid - yellow 'Dawn' is apparently one of the best choices for scouring (washing) raw wool.

I tried some more washes - this time doing three mesh bags at once, and maintaining the 140 degree wash and first rinse - then a slightly cooler second rinse.  Seems to produce a reasonable product.

three bags, washed and ready to wring out

Once washed and rinsed the bags are put between towels and rolled up tight before removing and placing the locks onto a mesh (fly screen plastic) rack.

I flick carded some locks and then ran them through the drum carder to produce roving to spin some samples - it handles very well and produces anything from a thread thin single yarn to a nice airy three ply (all just hand plied samples at this stage).

thin singles

3 ply

Two bags full

Two bags of wool came to my place - the rest was stored either at Geoff's or Anne's (I definitely don't have the room, and the wool, complete with dags, vegetable matter, and dirt has a distinctive 'down at the farm' smell).  The two bags weigh in at: 6.5 kg and 8.1 kg.

straight from the farm

I began by sorting the smaller bag - it had  a lot of crappy wool to get rid of, so took out anything that looked like it was too soiled or two dirty or had too much matting. This job would normally be done in the shearing shed as the sheep was shorn - however Bruce doesn't have a shearing shed, and the shearing to him is a necessary spring task, to keep the flock in good 'meat raising shape' so fleeces are shorn in the hay filled shed, and rolled and thrown straight into plastic bags.

fleece that has been skirted and picked over (once)

Wool locks in mesh bag in 140 degree water

Locks drying

I then tried washing some clean and some dirty stained locks - water at 140 degrees with dish washing liquid most of the dirt came out and most locks look about the same, but still some dirt in it after two rinses, and a little bit of vegetable matter.  Set to dry on the fiber mesh I got (set up across two chair backs).  I teased out a lock - it looks fine and removes all of the vegetable matter, but still slight colouring (so will try one more wash).

Continued sorting - the two bags had roughly 5 fleeces, and total weight of 14.6kgs

Reduced to 9.7 kgs total and fits into 1 and a bit bags.

Meeting 'the girls'

Today there was a trip to Brindabella Farm, Flint Hill VA.  Bruce Vaughn owns a small farm there, raising Clun Forest sheep.  His farm is part of the Rappahannock Farms co-operative raising grain fed lambs for the meat market.

Stopped on the way out, at Wegman’s to pick up lunch things, then on to the farm to meet Bruce and son Aylfred (Fred).  His wife Patty  and other son are visiting her home, Australia.

We walked down to meet the girls in the bottom paddock, taking with us the lambing bits and pieces as there was a lamb born that morning. We found it, caught it and docked, trimmed and cleaned the umbilical cord, and put a number in it’s ear (#037).  He eventually returned to his mother  - all OK.

Bruce keeps a Llama there because of vultures and coyotes - they are unsure of large animals so tend to mostly stay away (and consequently don't pick off the lambs).  They see bears at the farm occasionally - one walked through the house as it was being built, and just missed falling down the [unfinished] stair well - it would have been a grumpy, trapped bear if it had of.

The guard llama

twin lambs, and freshly shorn ewe

more of the flock (of 30+)

#037 is the lamb to the far left

Bruce also has an extensive garden, where we had to chase a rabbit which had found a small hole in the side fencing.

We enjoyed a lunch of cheese, roast beef, bread, salad, olives, fresh local strawberries before heading back to DC with a van full of 9 very large plastic bags of wool to begin the process of converting raw fleece to finished cloth.

Clun Forest sheep

A friend at the Embassy has a friend who has a farm in Virginia where Clun Forest sheep are raised (for the meat). The breed is a little less common in the US, but popular nevertheless because of the quality of the meat - but they are also known to produce good wool for spinning.  Last year at the farm they were unable to find anyone to take the wool away after the spring shear, and ended up digging a hole and burying it.  When I heard that story, I suggested I could take some of it of the farmers hand to try my had at preparation of wool right through to production of yarn  - then logically weave it into some practical cloth.

Some research later and things looked quite good, so when I was told that the wool was 'ready' and I could have all 33 fleeces - I was caught a little unprepared.  Nevertheless it was worth an attempt as it effectively cost nothing - so if all failed it could be dumped without too much trouble.


This blog will document my efforts at converting wool straight off the sheeps back, into some form of usable yarn/cloth.  33 fleeces, it's going to take some time.

If you are interested in a little background on the breed go to: http://www.clunforestsheep.org/index.htm