Wool: A work in progress

[Dean]

I know that sheep, how did you manage to get her to give you her coat! What is the final plan for these fleeces?

 

[Harvestman]

I know that sheep

Is that something you should admit to on an open forum?

Plan? You want a plan? Err,,, make wool. Then make something from it. Given that I can neither knit nor weave this could be a long work in progress thread

Probably the plan will evolve into make wool, then give to wife with instructions to make something from it. I honestly have no idea what quantity of wool can be obtained from a single fleece.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Ha! That's trapped Elen into having to do the rest now!

Tee hee!

B-g--r !!! did I say I leave for South America in the mroning ??? Taking up lamas instead !!!

 

[Elen Sentier]

One question: does washing the fleece in the way shown wash out the lanolin?

Absolutely! That's the point. Did you want some left "in the grease" for you? We (The Team) can do this with part of the next one. Would you prefer Hebridean or Welsh Mountain?

 

[Elen Sentier]

Excellent! This will be really useful to us so thanks for posting. Our plans to get some fleeces at the rare breeds park came to nought last week as I ended up in the John Radcliffe for 4 days instead being cut open and pumped full of antibiotics. So much for the plans of mice and wool hungry woman...
ATB
Tom

I sort of hesitate to ask ... but how are the sheep ??? or was it the shearers ???

 

[Elen Sentier]

Dean - let's not go there, OK ??? :yelrotflm

Given that I can neither knit nor weave this could be a long work in progress thread

Harvestman - you will be amazed at what you can do by the time we've (notice the plural ???) got some dry fleece. I'll have you on the carding machine before you can say Butter! Spinnable fleece flowing from your hands and through the wheel in just a trice !!! In fact I'll have you knitting and weaving like noooobody's business !!!

[Nobody drops me in the proverbial like this without some payback !!! ... grrrrrrrrrr !!!]

 

[Harvestman]

Did I say I was leaving for South America tomorrow? They've got some awfully good spiders there, you know.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Did I say I was leaving for South America tomorrow? They've got some awfully good spiders there, you know.

which flight are you on ??? It cannot possibly be the same one as me !!!

 

[Harvestman]

I'm going by boat.

 

[santaman2000]

which flight are you on ??? It cannot possibly be the same one as me !!!

The one with all the spiders crawling round loose.

 

[treadlightly]

Absolutely! That's the point. Did you want some left "in the grease" for you? We (The Team) can do this with part of the next one. Would you prefer Hebridean or Welsh Mountain?

Yes please. Has to be Welsh mountain. What's the difference between it and Hebridean?

 

[Harvestman]

Yes please. Has to be Welsh mountain. What's the difference between it and Hebridean?

The sheep and the first two fleeces shown are Hebridean. Brown or black wool. The other fleece is the Welsh Mountain, which has a creamy white wool. The fibres are different too. Elen is the expert on that, but if I remember rightly Hebridean gives a coarser, more heavy-duty wool.

 

[Wayland]

I had a Herdwick wool jumper that I practically lived in for years before the elbows dropped out of it.

Hardly anybody seems to make anything out of hard wearing wools these days.

 

[santaman2000]

I had a Herdwick wool jumper that I practically lived in for years before the elbows dropped out of it.

Hardly anybody seems to make anything out of hard wearing wools these days.

When I was stationed over there I bought a fantastic Shetland wool sweater. It was great! It was also stolen by the movers when I PCS-ed back here. because of the Florida climate, it took me almost a year before I messed it!

 

[mayobushcraft]

I want to learn more. I also lived in Florida and never wore wool and when I moved here I fell in love with it.

 

[TurboGirl]

Hahaha well done guys! I've got a portland and half a manx to do but I cheat and do the washing in batches I think Eric was talking about weaving at the moot, Elen... I've never done that so am really interested in you guys show n tell

 

[Elen Sentier]

Yes please. Has to be Welsh mountain. What's the difference between it and Hebridean?

length of staple, thickness of hair, colour ... Hebridean is tougher in some ways than Welsh M. I would use Heb more for outdoor gear than soft wooly jumpers! Will save you some WM, what do you want it for? ... so i know how much to save.

 

[Elen Sentier]

I'll get some washed and then get HM carding, Sal, get him spinning and then we'll see how he weaves ... I don't loom-weave (too boring to me, don't enjoy setting the loom up which is what all my weaving friends love and can bore for england about! ). I weave on a tapestry frame, picture-style. I think HM might enjoy that . Long boat trips are good for things like that

 

[Harvestman]

I've been fully consulted about this first, naturally.

I'm sure I was. Wasn't I? Maybe I wasn't listening.

Ok, so long as it doesn't involve hard work.

 

[Elen Sentier]

I've been fully consulted about this first, naturally.

I'm sure I was. Wasn't I? Maybe I wasn't listening.

Ok, so long as it doesn't involve hard work.