For the want of a stopper

Today was a gorgeous day. I thought I would take advantage of it and finish preparing the two fleeces I had. One was from May and the other from August. The May one was washed but that was it. The August one needed to be washed.

 This fiber was from a Montadale/Corriedale cross so I had high hopes for it. I was not disappointed. The locks were well defined and there was little or no vegetable matter or other junk in it. The ends are slightly sunburned which will add some depth to the color of the yarn.

 I decided to wash them in these seed starting trays I bought for fleece washing. I wanted to keep the locks intact so I could comb or spin from the locks. Here they are, nicely lined up like soldiers on a tray. I have 8 trays, I think.

 I kept two trays empty to act as weights when soaking and draining the filled tray.  I thought I would put the trays in the foil trays I used to wash the last fleece. I would use the empty tray to push down the filled one into the water and then again to squeeze the water out of the locks.

 The trays stack up nicely. You can see the color variation in the locks in this picture. This set is more grey than some of the others.

I wasn't able to fit all the locks into trays. This is the amount that is left.

Unfortunately, the seed starting trays are too big for the foil pans. So I decided to use the laundry tub, but we don't have any stoppers for the drain. Or at least we do, but it is cracked and useless. I went out to the hardware store to get a replacement but they didn't have any that size. So that was the end of the fleece washing plan.

However, I had the washed fleece to work on. I began with this

and ended with this.

And this is where I spent the day. No complaints here. I feel a sense of accomplishment and I think I can wash the fleece tray by tray over the next week or so. Once I get a stopper of course!

A couple of weeks of catch-up

I took pictures last weekend but somehow forgot to post. So you are getting a double post today.

Last Sunday, I washed the Coopworth fleece that I got in May as part of the Fleece of the Quarter club. I was not very careful. I forgot to weigh it. I just put them in two mesh bags and soaked and washed them in two foil pans. I used an old spatula to move them around in the pans.

 

I spun them dry between washing and rinsing in my washer. Yes, it is a front loader but if you put it on a high spin cycle the fiber doesn't move. It just sticks to the outside of the drum. I wash my handknits in there too.

 There are the clean washed locks. I didn't photograph them before I washed them.

 There is still a lot of vegetal matter in the locks. I am going to pick and fluff them before I card the fiber.

 Here you can see some of the VM that I was able to pull out. A lot of hay and grass seeds.

 

 Some of the tips are still dirty. I have to pull them off as I pick.

 There is the clean fleece drying in my bathroom. I am afraid it is still there. I haven't touched it since. I have been busy spinning.

Here is the next and last batch. This is a Montadale/Corriedale cross and I am excited because it isn't white.

 I am working away trying to get this Briar Rose Polwarth spun before Knitting Camp on July 12th. You can see how much I have left. 4 sections left to spin. If I do 2 a week, I'll be done in time to ply and finish it before Camp. You can see the two plying balls that I have been winding as I spun. This one is all spindle spun.

 I have also been spinning on this Blue-Faced Leicester from Miss Bags. I got it at Rhinebeck last year. It is called Scarlet Ibis and I love the color!

 

Lastly, aren't these buttons cute? I just got them this week. I can't tell you why yet. But I love them.