How do I clean a load of raw wool straight off the sheep?

whatatwit

Gazing_On_Sunsets wrote: »

Let's have a go at some pics...

Raw fleece from the bag (a black-faced Leicester Longwool)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=234980&id=588175774&saved#!/photo.php?pid=6358634&id=588175774
Washed and drying on the floor:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=234980&id=588175774&saved#!/photo.php?pid=6358635&id=588175774&fbid=443669805774
And so on, through the album, to the finished hat...!

That is amazing, the wool looks stunning when it has been spun and plied and wound into a ball.....you are very talented.

otterspasm

Does anyone know an online shop I could buy some carding brushes from? I've googled but can't seem to find anything...there are 2 sets on ebay but in america and I'd rather buy from UK if poss.

Thanks
Tess

whatatwit

Try googling spinning wool suppliers...there's quite a lot of hits, might find something there x

whatatwit

THIS site looks useful think it's abroad though

Can you tell I'm getting fleece envy now.

ETA....just found this site

otterspasm

Hi whatatwit,
Fleece envy lol lol...I know what you mean :-)
Thanks for that...its really helpful. Love the smallholder supplies site.

Wee_Bargain_Hunter

There seems to be a lot of interest in this in Ireland - saw a programme on rte yesterday about a lady in Mayo doing what you are doing but it didn't show the initial cleaning process. It was really interesting though. It showed her making up dyes from onion skins & flowers etc & washing the wool in that. She sells her scarves & jumpers at Westport farmers market. Had a look but couldn't find any programme details so probably a repeat.
Anyway in a very roundabout way I trying to say that maybe you could find information about Irish suppliers etc using Google.ie
Found this site: http://www.weavers.ie/ that may be useful.
There's also a crafting thread on the Northern Ireland board - maybe someone there could help? Found this site too http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/washing-fleece.shtml. Good luck, I'm not in the slightest bit crafy myself but love seeing traditional stuff & would love to know how you get on!

Gazing_On_Sunsets

Hello again - went off to build a compost bin and I think I've missed something, what was the stuff that was reported and removed? Someone questioning my info? I am always willing to be corrected...

Anyhoo... thanks for the complements on my fleece, Otterspasm. It looks different to yours because it's a different type of fleece.

Basically, as was mentioned above, most sheep are raised for meat. The fleece is a wasteful by-product that will get used for carpets, or burned. It used to be the case that anyone with more than 4 fleeces could only sell to the Wool Marketing Board but I do not know if this is still the case.

Generally the fleece you get from meat-sheep is not very good for hand spinning. It tends to be short and not very "kinky". There is, however, a vast range of fleeces especially from hobby and rare breed sheep.

My first fleece was a "rescue" sheep, a friend who worked near a farm fostered a sheep and when it was sheared, she gave the wool to me.

The second came from a rare breed farm on a prison estate.

I am awaiting a Shetland Black from a hobby farmer in Rossendale - I was walking and found all the fleeces from last year just dumped. I asked around, and she's giving me a fleece.

I use dog combs from PetsRUs rather than the carders, which are very expensive - you can see the dog combs in one of the photos.

I couldn't spin at all when I got my first fleece. I was shown how to use a drop spindle, and once I'd mastered that, I got a wheel from eBay.

Best of luck!

adouglasmhor

Gazing_On_Sunsets wrote: »

Hello again - went off to build a compost bin and I think I've missed something, what was the stuff that was reported and removed? Someone questioning my info? I am always willing to be corrected... !

Basicaly it was hides from Africa and not Fleeces from the UK that gave the artist anthrax, plus it was the Borders not the Highlands, you can see the rest of what I said in the quote further up and yes I did go too far - sorry.

I do think you were being more than a bit scare mongering. I can't think of one case of anthrax from domestic fleeces in the UK in living memory as no cases have ever been found in British livestock http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6967068.ece. I would be careful if my fleece came from a Gruinard sheep though or had a heroin habit.

Gazing_On_Sunsets

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Basicaly it was hides from Africa and not Fleeces from the UK that gave the artist anthrax, plus it was the Borders not the Highlands, you can see the rest of what I said in the quote further up and yes I did go too far - sorry.

I do think you were being more than a bit scare mongering. I can't think of one case of anthrax from domestic fleeces in the UK in living memory as no cases have ever been found in British livestock http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6967068.ece. I would be careful if my fleece came from a Gruinard sheep though or had a heroin habit.

I see what you mean - I had no intention of scaremongering!!! Eek, no, it's just that 3 different people who spin themselves told me this. I suppose it might come out of the fact that they were all spinning for public display, and I did some displays once I got good at it for Brownies and stuff, so safety and whatnot is uppermost. I'd rather mention a tiny tiny risk than have it on my conscience... anyway I did say not to panic! Alas the internet did not convey my raised eyebrow.

Anyhooooo I'll stop trying to defend myself and retire with good grace LOL...!:)