Skirting 2 fleeces during the Tour de Fleece.

/ LDSVenus

I signed up last spring to have two fleeces that I have had for about 4 years turned into roving to spin, and I needed to ship them to the mill around Aug 1st. I tried to skirt them in April but rain and wind made it not fun to try to do outside, so I put it off. Now it’s too hot so I decided to do these on a sheet in my living room. They made a nice sheepy smell in my living room lol. I did the white fleece today, and the grey yesterday. These were very dirty fleeces and I lost about about 1/3 of them to parts that were so dirty they were past cleaning up. These were not coated sheep because are meat sheep, however they were polypay ewes and their fleece is next to skin soft. They were given to me so I’m not out any money and I will have some nice fiber to spin when they come back from the mill.

The first picture is what was left of the white fleece after skirting. The 2nd picture is the unskirted grey fleece, and the 3rd picture is a little bit I pulled off the grey and washed so I could see what color it really was and the last picture is that sample after it was dry and I put it through my drum carder. It’s fluffy and soft and a medium grey as I suspected. I will be excited to get it back! One more thing off my list of things I need to get done!

I have been spinning but not as much as I wanted to. I should have the 2nd bobbin finished tomorrow and hopefully plied, but it will be Saturday before I get a picture of the yarn because I will need to wash it and let it dry. 🙂

Next week starting on Tuesday our temps are suppose to be in the 90’s. Sigh. I just keep telling myself, better than -50.

4 thoughts on “Skirting 2 fleeces during the Tour de Fleece.”

  1. That is going to be beautiful! It looks like a LOT of effort and dedication goes into this project, not wonder you kicked it down the road! I can’t wait to see what comes back from the mill. It’s really so exciting to take something you can’t imagine will be worth much turn into something stunning.
    So I would not go as far as -50, but since it’s been 95+ here for WEEKS, I’d take a little chill!!!

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    • I did kick it down the road, so making the appt in the spring for fall processing made me get things on track to get it done, hahaha. I wouldn’t mind skirting a coated fleece, much less mess! But in the end, I will have some lovely fiber to spin, I’m not sad I had to do this, just wish I hadn’t put it off so long :P.

      I agree with the cooler part and we have been having some cooler days than normal this year as we get colder air coming in from Canada while you are getting warmer air coming up from the south, the weather pattern El Niño is less attractive in the summer! Spring is my favorite time of year as it warms up and green things start growing again, I miss color during the winter. Winter starts out white and as it goes on it turns grey or brown closer to the road and stays that way until the next snow which then turns brown or grey, and then Spring comes and it’s beautiful again.

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