Monday, May 26, 2014

Crusty Wool

What to do with a fleece that is buttery soft and lovely on the inside, and crusty from sunburn and weather on the outside?  Not all of us can coat out sheep.  It requires the purchase or making of coats and the people power to catch and hold them while fitting the coats as the fleece grows.  I found this fleece in the bottom of last year's pile of fleeces.  Deliciously wonderful but very crusty tips.  I sometimes dye a fleece like this because the sunburned tips take on the dye differently than the shaft of the wool making a pretty variegated effect.  You risk noils (fuzzy bumps)  in your roving, however, and may not be happy with it.  I am cutting the tips off this fleece and am loving the result.  It's very time consuming but worth it if you want to save this beautiful Bluefaced Leicester wool.  Sitting outside in this glorious weather with barnyard friends helps the time go quickly.



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