Saturday, September 03, 2005

P29

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This is P29 Border Leicester that I purchased at the MS&W festival from Betty Levin.  This is probably the nicest fleece I have ever had the pleasure of working with.  I have been slowly working with this fleece over the summer, and it has been an enjoyable process.  It is taking time because of the way I am working with it.  When I purchased it from Betty, she told me that she personally picked it over on her dining room table...and that it took her 2 hours!  She explained to me how to separate each lock for spinning in the grease.  I tried this method and did not really enjoy spinning it in the grease.  I am not a squeamish person, I just did not like the feeling it left on my hands..so I decided to wash the locks in small batches, with as little disturbance as possible so as not to destroy the structure of them.  Betty had explained to me that I should spin the locks from the end where the lock is shorn from the skin.  So it is a little tedious lining all the locks up in a pile of about 2 or 3 ounces worth, and then gently putting them into the warm water to soak, and then gently lifting them out again on to a towel.  Once I blot most of the water out, I lay them on the screen to dry.  After they dry I can easily flick the ends to fluff out the curls and spin away. Not sure what I am making with this yarn yet, but simply enjoying spinning from the locks. 

2 comments:

Claire said...

Hi Cyndi, I'm loving reading your blog at the moment :-) All those tomatoes!!! We have a few months to go until we can safely plant out tomatoes here, although perhaps I could be getting some seedlings going.

I found it interesting that you don't enjoy spinning in the grease. It isn't a 'free flowing' as spinning a prepared fleece that's for sure. I love the smell and feel of lanolin though so I really enjoy the 'grease'. I don't like too much poo though ;-)

I don't know whether you remember my lament regarding my inability to grow brocolli... well I actually produced two wonderful heads last month, I should have taken a photo to show off!

Leslie Shelor said...

I don't always enjoy spinning in the grease. Depends on the fleece. I blend angora with almost everything, though, so I chose most often to wash!

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