I'm glad it helped you. Feel free to email if you have any questions.- Kimberly

I hope you have had enjoyment processing your BFL/Swaledale fleece! Happy to help in any way I can :) -Kimberly

What an interesting experience you have with Dorset sheep and wool! Thanks for your comment : )

If one is willing to put in the work, 'almost' any fleece can produce a useable item.

I'm glad you think so :) I aim to share the best info I can and hope that it helps someone. Thanks very much for posting a comment :) -Kimberly

I'm glad you are having success with your fleece washing! -Kimberly :)

That is one option for sure and I know people who do that. Thanks for posting your comment : ) -Kimberly

You are so welcome! I hope you enjoy the process. - Kimberly

I am very glad you found it helpful!! -Kimberly : )

Same

Kelly Vigeant Yay! I am so glad it was helpful to you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask :) 7 fleeces...wow, that's a lot! If you don't mind me asking, what kind are they? -Kim :)

TheNaturalSpinner It was a lot of work!! I just got them ready for cleaning. There are 2 churro, some montidale, hampshire and mixed breeds. I'm thinking blankets and socks. I'm all set for winter that's for sure! $45 bucks for all of it too!!!!! There is a lot of VM but that's ok for the price I can't complain!!!!

Kelly Vigeant That's alot...I've got at least 7 raw wool fleeces and I don't remember how many Alpaca and Paco-Vicuna fleeces that need to be washed...I don't think I will ever live long enough...haha Good luck with your washing and let me know if I can help :)

Thank you! How wonderful to be at the beginning of your wool journey :) Glad to enable, er, help ;) -Kimberly

I do wish you luck! Give it a good overnight soak, which will help loosen all that dirt. Then the detergent can work on the lanolin and more stuck on dirt. If you're not happy with the washed fleece, don't hesitate to contact me. I will help in any way I can : ) -Kimberly

Your Chooks will be plenty warm!

Even if the wool looks really dirty, it's not a bad idea to wash some of it and see just how clean it comes. A cool overnight soak or hot soak immediately before washing will help release some of the dirt before. Good luck with your fleeces!

A fleece washing video is in the works :) -Kimberly

Good suggestions! My DH is a fly fisherman and he does tie his own flies... : ) -Kimberly

That is something I've never heard anyone mention before. Thanks for that information. Glad you enjoyed it :)

@@thenaturalspinner it can still be used, I've been told by an old farmer neighbour, she said it's when they get shorn, and they get wet it doesn't always dry off properly next to the skin, then the new growth of wool comes along and the moisture is trapped and marks the wool. Of course I don't know how valid that is, but I hope she'd know what she was talking about.🙂🤔

What's worth working with is really subject to who is working with it. Pretty much any staple length fiber (I'm talking short) can be carded and then you just have to make sure to add the appropriate amount of twist when spinning so that it holds together and minimizes pilling. I like to do small experiments. Short fiber can also be drum carded into batts and felted. If you are willing to use the fiber in different ways, very little will go to waste! Also think dryer balls!

+Terri Shaver Hi Terri, I will address your search for fleece first. There are a few very good shepherds that I trust and have bought many beautiful fleeces from. Below is a list of their websites... www.fiberfirstfarm.com/Fiber_First_Farm/Fleeces/Fleeces.html pitchfork.org/wool-products/sheep-fleeces/ www.fiddleknollfarm.com/fleeceandroving.html www.peeperhollowfarm.com/ www.lilacridgefarm.com/fleece-for-sale.html Check out these different sites and see if there is anything you might like. They are all very nice to deal with and the fleeces are very lovely! (The list is by no means exhaustive, but it provides a good safe starting place for you to buy fleece with no worries). I do want to make a washing video. I need a good camera person willing to help me with that and I hope to have one done this spring. What you wash the fleece in isn't as important as the temp of the water and how much cleaning agent is used. Have you seen my blog post about washing fleece? That is a good place to start. The only thing I would not recommend washing fleece in, is a washing machine. Spinning the water out of clean fleece is ok, but you really don't want all of that lanolin(which is a wax) to go down the drain, any drain, in your house. I throw my wash water outside. I know many, many folks who do use their washer and they would probably disagree with me, but I don't like to take chances. Plumbing fixes can be very expensive! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! -Kimberly :)

Here's the link to the blog post... kimberlysheirloomcrafts.blogspot.com/2014/07/washing-fleece.html

Hi Alisen, I believe anyone who puts their mind to it can do it. If you can find help near where you live, that is best, but if not, the internet is your friend! You can learn tons on Ravelry and also here, on YT, of course. Ask any questions you have and I’ll be happy to help you. -Kimberly

+Julie Norman Thank you for posting a comment...and I am glad you found it helpful :)

+Penny Wheeler Do you mean the kind you would use on your hair? If yes, I would not recommend them just because they are likely not strong enough. If no, I would need a little more info. If you flick the locks individually, you could get the same effect and spin worsted. Are you new to fiber prep or just combing? Thank you for the question. Kim :)

Hi...I'm not Kimberly but I have worked with a LOT of fleece from the down breeds like Dorset, Suffolk, etc..... I can tell you that they are fun to work with, and the yarn makes the best sock yarn ever. Very lofty, very very elastic. Down breed fleece are my definite go-to for spinning sock yarn. :D. - Rowan

@@rowanspiritwalker6667 Ive read this in the Fleece and Fiber Source book and I'd wish that down breeds Fiber would be available here. Im so interested in spinning my own sock yarn without polyester in it. Kindest bjmonitas

I have not spun any but I should!

All fleece are likely to be slightly different every year. Stress and other factors play a part in fleece quality. Wethers often have wonderful fleece because they are out of the breeding cycle so all their energy can go into growing a nice fleece. That of course doesn't mean great fleeces don't come from ewes and rams. Just making a point. Depending on where the break is and whether or not it's across the whole fleece, it may still be useable with some added effort. If the break is a short distance from either end, it can just be pulled off. Time consuming yes, but if it's a fantastic fleece otherwise, it may be worth it. I'm actually working away at pulling the tips off of a gorgeous fleece. Sometimes I find there may be a break in just a small area or two of a fleece. In the end, it'll be a judgement call on your part. How expensive was it? Have you notified the seller about the break in the fleece? A reputable shepherd will work with you if the fleece isn't good. If you can't get satisfaction from where you bought it, then just decide how much work you want to put into it. If the break is in the middle of the lock, you could pull it apart and card the fleece. Yes, it would be shorter, but useable for carded prep and woolen spinning. These are just some ideas. Let me know if you have any more questions. Thank you for posting your question! -Kimberly

Fleece pricing and value is so full of variables...it always 'depends'...but it doesn't sound like a terrible price to me. Is it fairly clean, meaning not full of burrs or vegetable matter, mud, etc...? Does it have second cuts(short bits of cut fibers)? Are the locks strong, meaning, do they break easily if you pull a small section out and pull at both ends? These are very basic questions to ask yourself when looking to buy a fleece. Dorset is primarily a meat sheep breed, but the fleece can be useable. It's got spring to it and should wash up fairly easily if not overly dirty... Good luck with your fleece :) -Kimberly

TheNaturalSpinner I made a mistake on the price of the Dorset, I paid $48. for 6.06 lbs and $19 was for shipping. anyway, i have another Q: you mention "Coated Fleece" what is this? thanks

A coated fleece means the sheep wore a blanket or coat during all of most of the year since it's last shearing. It is to protect the fleece, reducing dirt and sun damage. It can be a bit of labor for the shepherds as the coats have to be changed a few times during the year as the fleece grows out, to protect it from felting at the tips. Coated fleeces usually cost more, but from my personal experience, they can be worth every penny :) Thanks for your question! -Kimberly :)

Short bits, not second cuts, and coarser sections not good enough for spinning can be washed and used for felting. It really depends on the project you have in mind. It can also be drum carded and the batts used for batting in quilts, etc... Thanks for posting, Kimberly :)

I imagine you could. That would be worth trying! I haven't experimented with that. I'm not much into felting.

You have a nice blog Kimberly and I definitely will read it! I already read the fleece washing article, very informative and I love your fleece drying rack! I'm looking forward to your new videos! Thank you!

Marianna Halassy Thanks for your kind comments! I hope to get another video up soon :)

I always recommend the Valkyrie brand combs. The extra fine are the most versatile.

It's a matter of choice. You can certainly wear gloves. I always wash my hands when I'm finished working with raw wool. I really love the feeling of a raw fleece, especially a just shorn one, still warm...nothing quite like it!

The non poo parts could be used as stuffing. Just make sure it doesn't have large pieces of hay or the like that could stick out through the material you are stuffing. I don't know that it should be felted before stuffing, at least I can't think of a reason to do that, but I'm not that inventive ;) I was thinking if it was washed, felted, then used as stuffing, it would be a little lumpy. I do not know your application, so maybe there would be a reason. Thanks for your question. -Kimberly :)

TheNaturalSpinner thank you for your reply. i do a lot of weaving rugs tote bags etc mainly but from time to time i do pillows and stuffing can be costly.

Wool makes a great stuffing, it's resiliant, hypoallergenic and will last a very long time. And it's natural, unlike polyester stuff. If you were to take the waste and after washing, felt it into sheets, it could be used to cushion a bag, say for a tablet or such. Just an idea :) -Kimberly

TheNaturalSpinner could you do a vid on how to do it at some point? yea i like being as organic as i can and hate waste if that waste in some part can be used in something other than to be spun. i appreciate your replies.

Are you asking about the felting into sheets part being shown in a video?

Thanks!

It can be. If I wanted to though, I could wash most of the waste (minus the worst bits) and possibly felt it or even card it for some rough 'rustic' yarn.