Thursday, November 4, 2010

Processing Fleece...The Next Step

Well, this summer I learned how to skirt and pick out vegetation and then wash dirty sheep fleece. I laid it out to dry and then bagged up the clean and dry fleece waiting to amass the equipment/supplies to do the next step, Carding.

Today I took a road trip over to Camilla Valley Farm (Camilla Valley Farm) and bought a set of hand carders.

Here they are:










Aren't they lovely?! I got the coarse ones to start with and I hope to create some roving so I can make some nice thrummed mittens and slippers. (Thrum as described by the Yarn Harlot: Thrum FAQ)

The BEST thing about these puppies was this:




Gotta love it when I see those three lovely words: Made In Canada!

@spinndiva sent me a link to an awesome little visual aid to learn the carding process.

Here's a link to the YouTube video: YouTube Carding Video

While at Camilla Valley Farms I saw things, things I shouldn't have seen. Things like big used floor looms and brand new small table looms. A rainbow of colours of yarn on cones ready to be woven into lovely fabrics. I will resist this area of fibre manipulation.....for now.

I really need to finish a couple of projects before I get my hands on the carders and get at the fleece because as soon as the fleece is carded into roving, thrummed items will start appearing!

Cheers and Happy Thursday to all!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

4 comments:

  1. Oooohhh Looms!!! Yes they "loom" in my future too! LOL
    Have fun carding! :)
    Hugs,
    B.

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  2. Thanks hun and a big huge thanks for all your help!

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  3. Nice! I, too, am resisting the siren call of weaving for the time being. I am there with you in the resistance! Isn't it fun processing fleece? More fun than it has any right to be!

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  4. You said it Julie! I found it incredibly relaxing to wash the lanolin out of the fleece and my hands have never been this soft. lol.

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