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Post by Shepherdess on Jul 18, 2017 17:24:44 GMT
Any kind of agitation and you get felting. In a top loader you can do the soak and spin but have to make sure it doesn't agitate. Some people use the old washer spinners were you have a tub and then beside it you have the spinner. Other wise I just soak in a big tub. I put the wool in a net bag so it is easy to lift out and let drain. The dirty water is good for the garden if you need the water.
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Post by Pandagirl on Jul 18, 2017 20:22:34 GMT
Have fun Leonor!
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Post by Leonor (of Eleanor Shadow) on Jul 18, 2017 22:24:12 GMT
Thanks, Marilyn! Ann, I thought so too, but these ladies were adamant they got really good results. Who knows, it might really work with some breeds, I'm guessing not the finest ones. If the washing machine were mine, I wouldn't mind giving it a try, but as it is I'm afraid of damaging it and having to replace it. Not exactly a cheap mistake... I have spun lots of wool in the machine (mine doesn't add water to the spinning process) but the last time I had to remove A LOT of vegetable matter from the drum. This will teach me to not accept free fleece that's full of VM, even when it's lovely (probably not, I'm a sucker for curly locks!) Now that I have the space I might look for a spinner, that would be really handy. Does anyone have a good method to dry multiple fleeces at once? If there's a specific thread for that, please let me know
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Post by carole aka craftywoman on Jul 19, 2017 4:45:45 GMT
For drying fleeces, I bought a fab hanging herb dryer, I fixed mine in the greenhouse, but anywhere with a drip catcher will do, air gets all around the fleece and you can lay your fleece out in 8 different compartments and they are quite large, good luck Leonor.
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Post by halay on Jul 19, 2017 8:52:33 GMT
Our mentor from Ukraine taught me how to wash locks. If you have a larger amount, you can use plastic crate with not too big holes which will fit in your bath tub. I had to wash about 800 gr of romney fleece so I divided the amount into smaller piles and washed in three batches. I used a net sack with a zip (we use it for protecting bras during washing in the machine). I soaked fleece in very hot water with a detergent and let it cool down. I lifted the sack, drained the water and repeated again with hot water and detergent. Then I rinsed the locks in lukewarm water in the same manner.
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Post by Leonor (of Eleanor Shadow) on Jul 20, 2017 12:54:49 GMT
For drying fleeces, I bought a fab hanging herb dryer, I fixed mine in the greenhouse, but anywhere with a drip catcher will do, air gets all around the fleece and you can lay your fleece out in 8 different compartments and they are quite large, good luck Leonor. This sounds like a great idea, Carole! Especially the "use the greenhouse" part (I'm still getting used to having an outdoors space, never mind remembering I have a greenhouse!) I'm going to look for herb dryers right now
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Post by Leonor (of Eleanor Shadow) on Jul 20, 2017 12:59:28 GMT
Halay, your lock washing method sounds great. I'm currently processing a Wensleydale lamb shearling (first clip) fleece and I'm doing everything in small batches. Being able to process it quicker would be wonderful
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Post by Shepherdess on Jul 24, 2017 1:54:56 GMT
I wonder if the down breeds would work. I know if you spin Dorset and knit socks you can was and dry them in the machine and they do not felt of shrink.
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Post by koffipot on Jul 24, 2017 8:05:13 GMT
For drying fleece, I use this Ikea 6 basket set up. It's on castors, so can be pushed under cover if necessary and if it's windy, then I can put 3 baskets right way up and 3 upside down to contain the fleece. borderleicesterfleece by Judith Robinson, on Flickr
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Post by zed on Aug 8, 2017 10:05:57 GMT
Judith, what's the name of those baskets?
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