Spinning from carded fibers that are not really aligned was not as bad as I had experienced before. Easy breezy combed roving is my true love. Obediently parallel fibers sliding through my fingers as I spin in a meditative state...awesome.
I digress.
Dog grooming brush and combs. Check.
Flicking with a brush is supposed to open up the fibers. However, these tips were still yellow and a bit sticky, so good luck to me.
While slightly damp and only leaving an end exposed, I brushed away any tangles or nepps. Turning the lock in reverse, the same was repeated. Finally, I combed it all through. Is this correct procedure? I'm not sure. It did get the job done with little fiber lost.
Flicking and combing was so much fun! There is something so pleasing about handling sheep fleece.
It's like combing a doll's hair that smells like baby products.
Now about those unpleasant yellow tips... In an experiment, I found that a little vinegar/water dip dissolved the stubborn lanolin that did not want to let go of my little lamb. I think it even lightened up the staining. Just a few teaspoons was all I used.
Whoop, there it is! Vinegar is totally going to be part of my routine for next time. Perhaps a quarter cup per gallon? Here is a side-by-side comparison of scoured locks with yet crispy tips and a vinegar dipped piece pulled from them.
One more recommendation, this time from the amazingly awesome spinners in Ravelry's Fiber Prep group. Flicking before scouring will help to not only open up sticky tips, but also shed any vegetable matter that may be hiding in there.
Armed with these new revelations and a couple of toddler dishwasher baskets from Amazon, I'm going to knock out the rest of the fleece in good fashion. Pray with me for a sunny weekend soon!
1 comment:
Once again I am in awe of all that you accomplished. I'm writing down all these helpful hints about getting rid of the lanolin.
Are you going to take us from fleece to fiber? I'd love to see how this fiber spins up and what you make out of it.
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