# My quest to find the perfect fiber for my mom



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well the fibers I carded together just didn't do it for me. It wasn't what I was wanting for this shawl for my mom's 85th birthday. So the other day I went digging into my boxes of fibers. These boxes I have my fibers packed into stand up to my elbow at least (I'm 5'8") and they are about 3' across. I found a white Romney fleece. Normally I don't like white fleeces but sometimes they have their uses for me. I was looking for a silver Boarder Leister ram fleece I know I have somewhere. So today I washed the Romney fleece. I took pictures of most of the steps I went through. 

First I dumped the fleece on the floor. This is a raw fleece that is several years old. It looked a bit yellowed but not bad. It had been skirted but there were still bits to remove. I pulled off about a pound or less of stuff. This fleece has VM but it's the sort of VM I can live with, big sticks and sizable stuff. I washed this in two batches using Orvus. One main wash for each batch and a very light wash for the whole thing. The whole process too me 30-45 minutes, start to finish. While the fleece was soaking in the hot water I smooshed it around and felt around it for bits to pick out while it soaked. I'd say each soak was about 10 minutes. There was a lot of really dirty water and dirt in the bottom of the tub. Here are pictures of the step I took.


This is the fleece as I was submerging it. You can see how yellowed it was







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 002 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here it is after the first soak. Not all the dirty looking stuff is from the fleece.







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 004 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here are some of the goodies I picked out while it was soaking.







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 005 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here is the whole fleece ready to wrap in a towel to get moisture out







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 006 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here's my fiber burrito







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 008 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

And all rolled up







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 009 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

All hug up to dry







[/url] washing fleece - Romney 010 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

looking good so far marchie 
sitting in the front row for more


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

:goodjob:

Did you bring the popcorn, susanne??


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Looks great! I will pop some corn for the rest of the show....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

WIHH I'd have it outside but it's sort of rainy and cloudy these last few days. I'm also used to washing my fleeces and drying them inside. It's almost dry. Besides I probably won't get to any of it until after the weekend. I have my 35th HS reunion this weekend


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

It looks like you have been having some fun. Glad you get to clean that tub! Do you have a fan you can turn on over the fleece? I dried mine on towels ON THE KITCHEN TABLE - we had to eat in the living room that night. I turned the ceiling fan on and walla! Just a few hours and it was dry. I did change the towels once. I hope it turns out to be just what you wanted for your mom.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

Marchwind

I'm not exactly sure where you live but if you are in Gobles you're not too far from me.

We have very HARD water around here with lots of RUST in it   

Over by Bloomingdale the water smells bad too.

I hope none of it affects your fleece.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Kenworth I'm actually renting in Kalamazoo so I have city water here. It doesn't seem too bad. Hmmm, Gobles had bad water eh? When it comes time to buy I'll be picking your brain about that type of info. Thanks for the heads up.

Callie no fan, just sitting on a wood rack in the basement.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

What fun. Thanks for the pictures.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

I love work in progress pictures. Now we will have to see it after you spin it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I started carding the fleece last week. It is shorter than I had hoped, and it is unevenly sheared with quite a few second cuts  It carded beautifully as Romney always seems to. There is VM in there but it is big stuff that will be easy to pick out while I spin. I took some pictures of how I carded this fleece. Each batt has three passes through the carder. The batt I photographed has more VM than the others. I also too pictures of the second cuts for those of you who don't know what they are or don't understand just how aggravating they are.

The washed fleece waiting to be carded








[/url] Mom's shawl 001 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Fiber fluffed and ready to be fed into the carder








[/url] Mom's shawl 002 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Feeding the carder, thin layers until the drum is filled








[/url] Mom's shawl 003 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here are all the second cuts. To the left is the good fleece and to the right are all the second cuts just from this batt.








[/url] Mom's shawl 004 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The full drum, batt is ready to be removed








[/url] Mom's shawl 005 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Removing the batt after the first pass








[/url] Mom's shawl 006 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

This is the batt after the first pass back lit so you can see the path of all the stuff in the batt.








[/url] Mom's shawl 009 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Splitting the batt to send it back through the carder








[/url] Mom's shawl 010 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

I feed each half through the carder, layered on the drum to make the second pass.








[/url] Mom's shawl 011 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The batt after the third pass. There is lots of VM but I can pick this out at I spin. This batt has more VM than the others








[/url] Mom's shawl 014 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

The batt








[/url] Mom's shawl 015 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

The bag full of lots of batts








[/url] Mom's shawl 016 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh yeah, that looks spinable now. 
Very nice pictures.
I love WIP pics too.

How many ounces/yardage/yarn weight are you aiming for?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

GAM I have no clue. I'm not that techie, I'd have to actually sit down and figure that out, really? You really want to know the answer to that question? I suppose it would be a good thing to have a clue just what was needed for this project right? Yea, it would. Okay tomorrow I'll try to figure it out. I mean I have more than enough fibers, I can always just card and spin some more. Sheesh, some people want all the answers handed to then. LOL!!!!!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

LOL! Oops, I forgot who I was asking those questions to. 

I just thought you might have a project in mind? 

That is one thing I love about spinning, you can generally just make more yarn if you need it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

But, but I DO have a project in mind. I'm going to weave a shawl for my mom on my tri-loom. I know somewhere in the book it tells you how many yards of yarn you need to complete a shawl with and without fringes. Like I said, tomorrow I will have an answer for you.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Sheesh, _some _people take all the fun out of it! :grin:

:kiss:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Okay GAM here are the specs for the project. I had to find the paper work. It says that you need approx. 550 yards for a 7' shawl. I began spinning tonight. I began with the punky wool, the batt in the photos. It seems to be spinning up nicely so far.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Marchie - thanks for all those pictures! It's great to see it done step-by-step, and I'm sure it helps so many people who are just starting. 

Those are HUGE second cuts! Mine have been little things that are hard to pick out. But this year we used a shearer, and had NONE - he did an awesome job. Too bad the sheep were full of VM. Oh well, can't have it all I guess!

Looks beautiful - can't wait to see it finished.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Ooh, I can hardly wait to see it. 

I have been spinning the last couple days also.
WIHH gave me this 8 oz ball of rusty red wool/ brown alpaca blended roving.
I am working through it on the Loaner Kiwi. 
Today I plyed the first 435 yards. It is coming out very soft, better than I thought. 

I think it wants to be a shawl or a scarf type thingie.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo I know they are huge and there are a lot of them. For the most part I am able to feel and find them easily. Because they are so big they seem to clump together even through the washings. There are a few smaller ones that I didn't get before they made it to the carder, oh well. I'm spinning this on my Sonata and I haven't spun on her enough to find a good way to pick the things out as I'm spinning. My other wheels I have no problem. I think it is a speed thing. I'm also not really happy lounging while I'm spinning. At least not when it is something I'm trying to be intentional and serious about. I need to find another way or switch to a different wheel.

GAM make sure you take pictures. How are you liking that little wheel?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

So far I am liking that Kiwi just fine. It is much faster than Annie ever was. Double treadle so I feel like it is exercise. 
Like a bike or something. (great for the Tour De Fleece. LOL)

I dont quite understand why the bobbin has a groove in the end near the orifice.
The flyer is shaped so the bobbin will only fit with the fat end to the back. 
That is just one aspect I dont 'get' yet.
Also, the scotch tension peg will jump out sometimes, but that is not a big deal to fix.

One of the bobbins is homemade and I really dislike that one. 
I suppose that is to be expected when you borrow a wheel from someone who makes them. Handcrafted parts are not 'standard'.

I am spinning just fine on it. Better than ever really. I cannot wait to dip into the all the beautiful fibers I have acquired in October. 
OMG, it is all so amazing and different. Makes my fingers itch just to think about it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hmmm, maybe the groove is for attaching a leader? Or for holding the yarn on the bobbin when you are finished with it? Just some thoughts.

The scotch tension peg on Ashfords tens to do that. The seem to not quite fit right. You can sand them down to make them fit better. Or do as I do and just really jam it in that little hole.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Here is the beginnings of the shawl for my mom. Obviously I haven't finished it but it's about halfway finished. The yarn is probably too thin but once it is off the loom it shrinks down some, there is a lot of tension. I will add a bit of fringe too.







[/url] 12-22-11 006 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]

Here is a close up of the yarn and weaving







[/url] 12-22-11 005 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I finally finished this. I'm not happy with it but it will do. This is natural white Romney wool. It didn't finish the way I had hoped it would. The first shawl I wove was out if Shetland and I was much happier with how that finished.








[/url] natural Romney shawl by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It didn't full the way I wanted or expected it to. I thought it would fluff, halo a bit more and the weave would close up a bit more. It's alright just not what I expected.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

It's beautiful, Marchie! Why aren't you happy with it? Did you expect more bloom of the yarn?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I also think it is very beautiful! The simplicity is striking. 
Also, you didnt go overboard on the fringe. 
You wanted it to be more fuzzy and less open? 
I bet your mom loves it, even so.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I like the lacy open feel of it. Your Mom is going to love it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cyndi, yes, I had wanted more bloom to the yarn. I may try fulling it again. I did it in my bathroom sink which isn't very big. I'll try it in something bigger, the wash tub or kitchen sink.

GAM the simplicity of it is what I was aiming for, the white and the simple plain weave. I just wish it had fulled more, I'll try again tomorrow.

I'm not so sure she will like it but, oh well! It's the thought that counts anyway, right? LOL!


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

LOVE LOVE LOVE This thread!!!! It is great to see an almost sheep to shawl work in pictures!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thanks Mrs. H, that was sort of the idea. I'm glad it worked out that way.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

I love it, too. Just says "sweet, simple, homey" I wonder if you dampened it again, and tossed it into a dryer with just air, would you get the bloom you are looking for? 
Funny, when grabbing a shawl to wear- the solid ones are the one's I reach for. They go with things better- I'll bet your mom will love this gift.


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Marchwind said:


> It didn't full the way I wanted or expected it to. I thought it would fluff, halo a bit more and the weave would close up a bit more. It's alright just not what I expected.


I had this same experience. I even took it to the lady who's loom I borrowed. She fulled it for me as well and it just did not do as tightly as I wanted. I still love it though.


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