(Putting the fiber in) Fiber Friday, May 11 2012

[ptarmic wumpus]

This week I have been cleaning my haul of raw fleeces from MDSW:

Before:


border leicester (in progress)


leicester longwool (testing, plan to try flicking the ends for better results)


wensleydale (all finished!)


and the jacob that will be felted raw

[jexxican]

Oh my! I know how much work goes into prepping raw fleeces so good for you, Wumpus.
What do you mean you are going to felt the Jacob raw? Like, as a solid piece or... I'm not as knowledgeable as I wish I was. What will the end result be?

[Belladune]

Are you doing the rug that's in Handspun by Lexi Boger?  I sooooooo want to find a fleece just for that purpose this spring!
That Wensleydale looks scrumptious!  I can't belive it's friday and I've not even taken pictures of the yarn I spun this week.  brb.

[ptarmic wumpus]

Are you doing the rug that's in Handspun by Lexi Boger?  I sooooooo want to find a fleece just for that purpose this spring!

No spinning involved....you just add fiber to the cut side of the fleece and carefully felt it. It basically turns into something that looks just like a sheepskin, you can find some pictures by googling for felting raw fleece....Elis Vermeulen is particularly known for working with raw fleece like this.

[Belladune]

The method Lexi does uses no spinning.  It sounds very similar in process, though.  You end up with a sheepskin in the end too.

My yarn for this week!  116~yards of soft, misc wool, hand carded with silk noils.  It's on average 5 wpi.  It's THICK.  I'm planning on making myself moons socks, but might have to use a different yarn for the cuffs... I don't think I'll have enough for a full pair.

Super chunky misc wool with silk noils by SpinHeartSpin, on Flickr

All piled up pretty by SpinHeartSpin, on Flickr

[jexxican]

Ooh, Bella, nice! But what are these moon socks of which you speak? Intriguing.

[miss_cute_boots]

I keep meaning to start posting my yarn, so no time like the present!  272 yards, 95% wool 5% nylon, fingering weight, navajo plyed.


On the bobbin:


Close up:

[Belladune]

Very nice, Miss Cute Boots!

Jexxy, Moon Socks

Ptarmic,  The more I stare at that Border Leicester, the more I think the grey wool I thought was Shetland, and I shared a long while ago as yarn, is actually Border Leicester.... who knows.. it's nice no matter what it happens to be... 

[ptarmic wumpus]

Love those colors, miss_cute_boots!

Belladune, I have a white border leicester fleece that looks a lot more like the wensleydale with big curls....I've used shetland top and batts, but I don't think I've had any raw shetland...

[jexxican]

Miss Cute Boots, you should share more often. Your yarn is so nice and even. It's beautiful!

Wumpus, will you be posting the felted Jacob in the felting board? We could all learn something from that, and it sounds like it will be awesome.