Always make sure you take your wool out to … Once your wool has been in the sink for 30-40 minutes, it's time to drain the water. However, some wool garments may have already been pre-shrunk, so you can machine dry them on medium heat without risking additional shrinkage. Do not let the water cool down because the Lanolin congeals back at around 110 F. If it does, the whole purpose of your wash will be lost. 1 2 SO_Choosing F.indd 50 2/25/10 10:07:01 AM 02252010100740 Wools are designated as fine, me-dium, or coarse as determined by the Bradford count system or by micron count (see page 7). If the garment is hand washable, then your wool wash temperature should always be in cold water with a mild detergent suited to wool. Take off the very dirty wool around the edge of the fleece and check the rest of the fleece and remove any dirt, hay and any other foreign material. These prices only apply for posting within the UK We will supply fleece in any weight you require. We sell some fleeces which have been washed. Drain this water. These terms re-fer to the diameter or thickness of the wool fibers. Photo by Joe Coca. The Romney sheep has the highest quality of fleece on any native British breed of sheep. We sell the raw fleeces whole, (occasionally we will split one). Soak about ½ hour, then gently squeeze again concentrating on badly soiled areas. A Washing Receptacle appropriate to the amount of wool you will be washing … Our shepherdess created, raw wool - fleece washing and scouring method has become world famous...thank you hand spinners, felters and fiber enthusiasts! We cater to the discriminating handspinner who expects shetland wool to be the finest of all the UK breeds. I've tried Orvus Paste and Dawn dishsoap. It is important that the wool is not left to soak. Once you're versed in how to clean your own wool, you can learn how to pick the very best for your projects. Somewhere along the way I was aware of a very salty taste in my mouth. To turn your wool into yarn, you can either use a spinning wheel or spin your wool by hand. Too much agitation causes the fleece to felt and tangle, while grease left behind from missed lanolin makes the wool prone to rips and tears. Whether you wash more thoroughly (scour) and take out more of the lanolin is a matter of preference. 12. The fabric or yarn to make dryer balls must be 100 percent wool or other animal hair (cashmere, alpaca) that will shrink or felt when exposed to hot water. You can also place your wool into a mesh bag and then run it through the dryer. If the weather is not right outside, just place the towel on the ground in the sun. The most important part to remember is to not swish the wool around. Once you're comfortable with the process, you can then wash more at once in a bathtub. Nov 7, 2014 - A concise, 6 step process to wash raw wool and prepare it for carding. We will show you how to clean the fleece, how to wash the fleece, then how to card the fleece into rovings and then finally how to spin your fleece into beautiful yarn. It becomes stuck together so you can't pull it apart. Like most other dyes, the process is simple. Try spot cleaning stains instead of washing the whole garment – ensure you do this as soon as you can after the stain has happened. The wool quality should not vary over the fleece. Washing wool too frequently can wear out the fabric, making it lose its shape and/or making it felt, thus shortening its life. DO NOT touch the wool or press it. Learn how to wash raw wool in preparation of carding and spinning in two minutes!We raise wool sheep on our homestead. The wool loses about 35% of its weight when washed and is available as traditionaly washed, washed and Carded wool. We are striving to raise shetland sheep that are healthy and produce very fine wool even as adults. hand hot water, add liquid soap or detergent (e.g. 4. Sometimes wool can be hard to wash, but our simple instructions make it a lot easier. Add it to the warm soapy water and let it sit for about 15 minutes. The natural hair has barbs that latch onto each other to create a more solid finish. Both methods of washing are effective, so it really comes down to your own personal preferences. SKIRT. Bliss. How to wash wool Cleaning wool carpet Caring for wool bedding Caring for wool furniture British Wool Suppliers; British Wool Shop; Home > Trade > Wool Sales > Price Indicator. I used it for the wool in this instructable. It's not worth the effort to try to save all of your wool, so throw out bits that are too dirty or short. Fill a pot up with water, mix in your dye (if you're using kool-aid add a little vinegar into the mix to help with dyeing), and heat the water up to near boiling. I couldn't find any really good information when I wanted to try cleaning my own wool, so I figured this hub would help those who don't like just jumping in and trying something new. The wool loses about 35% of its weight when washed and is available as traditionaly washed, washed and Carded wool. Submerge wool gently in hot, soapy water. (12ins.). To each basin add a gentle liquid washing detergent (Dawn works well) or Orvus paste, (for especially greasy fleece, nothing cleans better than Wisk) until the water feels slick when tested with a clean dry hand. Wash Your woollen underwear can be washed by hand or in the machine, as long as you follow these instructions: When hand washing: make sure the water is no warmer than 30 degrees and always use wool detergent. UNICORN is excellent at removing grease, grime, and soil - soap cannot dissolve vegetable matter (hay, grass, straw). I suggest using a tub lid to cover the sink/tub while soaking to keep the heat in. Harsh soaps are not recommended and many articles recommended soaps designed for pets and people. I usually start with a decent sized amount on the first washing and then decrease the amount in the next washing. I have to admit that I cheat. Raw fleece is priced per fleece – each fleece weighs approximately 2-2.5 kg raw depending on the breed. Either a bathtub, bucket or a sink, depending on how much of the wool you want to wash at one time. Each good fleece weighs about 10-15 pounds (a big bagful) and the cost of raw wool can vary widely. Hot, warm, never, never, never add hot wool to cold water. How to Hand Wash Wool. Directions for Small Batch Raw Wool Cleaning. When the tub is full, I submerge 1-pound (~500 g) bags of fleece, let soak (the water must not be allowed to cool) for 10-20 minutes, then spin the water out. Squeeze gently to get the dirt out. After the water has drained, move the wool to the side of the sink. Sally Gulbrandsen from Norfolk on September 06, 2013: noellenichols - very interesting, my sister has a pair of sheep 'mowing' her little hillside. If your item’s care label doesn’t feature the ‘dry clean only’ symbol or the ‘hand wash only’ symbol, then it’s okay to use the washing machine to do the job for you! 1. The wool is soft and supple to handle and retains its curl and lustre after washing and the luster remains after spinning giving the finished product a pearly sheen. Nov 7, 2014 - A concise, 6 step process to wash raw wool and prepare it for carding. British Wool works with a number of suppliers and manufacturers of British Wool raw materials such as yarn for garments and fabric for products. Contact us for an estimated time to expect your finished items. One of the great perks with wool is that wool garments stay fresh without washing longer than garments made of cotton or synthetics. With my basic laziness, and where you want to place a colander it... 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