# I have a serious problem!



## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

And my hubby just has to roll his eyes. Yesterday one of the local farmers who has a few merino sheep offered three raw fleeces FOR FREE! All you could see was my dust driving out to that farm to pick them up. I have soooooo much merino already, but I can't resist good fibre. Guess what I'll be doing this summer. Skirting and scouring merino fleece! May even get some time in there too spin some of it when Tour de Fleece starts on ravelry.


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## Anne in Dunedin (Dec 27, 2012)

You are so lucky to get them for free. They will be a joy to spin once you have prepared them


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## Rjkda (Aug 9, 2016)

How fun! That sounds very exciting to me, even though I’ve never had the opportunity to try it myself. Enjoy your new fleece!


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## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

Oh, to have that problem.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Have fun and remember to take breaks.


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## katrapp (Mar 21, 2013)

Don't try to get all the VM out on a very hot day out on the deck. You get all sticky with lanolin. Have fun!!!


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## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

katrapp said:


> Don't try to get all the VM out on a very hot day out on the deck. You get all sticky with lanolin. Have fun!!!


I have a very small balcony so I was thinking of just cleaning 2 or 3 hundred grams at a time. There's three huge big black garbage bags full so it will probably take me all summer to clean it and then some, then the next two years to spin it. I must be crazy! 🤪 I'm going to get some screen from Home Depot and make a small box so I can leave it outside when it's warm to dry without it being blown away.


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## rosewa (Oct 2, 2019)

cat_woman said:


> I have a very small balcony so I was thinking of just cleaning 2 or 3 hundred grams at a time. There's three huge big black garbage bags full so it will probably take me all summer to clean it and then some, then the next two years to spin it. I must be crazy! 🤪 I'm going to get some screen from Home Depot and make a small box so I can leave it outside when it's warm to dry without it being blown away.


Making things from screen is very trendy now. Great idea to use it for wool.


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## katrapp (Mar 21, 2013)

cat_woman said:


> I have a very small balcony so I was thinking of just cleaning 2 or 3 hundred grams at a time. There's three huge big black garbage bags full so it will probably take me all summer to clean it and then some, then the next two years to spin it. I must be crazy! 🤪 I'm going to get some screen from Home Depot and make a small box so I can leave it outside when it's warm to dry without it being blown away.


The fleece stays together rather well. I was working with small fleeces, shetland, about 3+ pounds a piece rather some of the larger fleeces. I did tear into chunks because sometimes it was easier to get those parts clean. It usually took me about 5 hours to get fairly clean to send to the mill. They were impressed with how clean I had gotten them. I left any thing smaller than 1/4" Lots of that.

Sounds like you have a plan, but don't dump the water down the sink. It will clog it up all the way to the sewer and further with the greasy lanolin. Dump on ground. 

I saw a small bird getting some of the fleece I had left in a planter all winter, it was pretty matted down, but the bird kept tugging at a it. I think I will try fluffing some of it for them next year.


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## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

katrapp said:


> The fleece stays together rather well. I was working with small fleeces, shetland, about 3+ pounds a piece rather some of the larger fleeces. I did tear into chunks because sometimes it was easier to get those parts clean. It usually took me about 5 hours to get fairly clean to send to the mill. They were impressed with how clean I had gotten them. I left any thing smaller than 1/4" Lots of that.
> 
> Sounds like you have a plan, but don't dump the water down the sink. It will clog it up all the way to the sewer and further with the greasy lanolin. Dump on ground.
> 
> I saw a small bird getting some of the fleece I had left in a planter all winter, it was pretty matted down, but the bird kept tugging at a it. I think I will try fluffing some of it for them next year.


Thanks for the tip about clogging the pipes. We live in a townhouse complex so that would not be good. The last person on the complex who clogged the pipes to the sewer clogged it for 6 units. They were hit with about a $20K bill to fix it (grossly negligent with what they were putting down the drain). No way I was going to allow my condo fees to go up because they were stupid.


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## Jacktana (Nov 20, 2011)

I live in Canada, too, and my dream would be to find out you live in the same city as I do. I have a couple small bags of raw fleece that I've had for a few years, but I'm hesitant about starting the cleaning process. I'd love to work with you to learn what to do. The woman who taught me to spin had llamas and one sheep, and one year she invited me to help with the whole shearing process. The first day we blew out as much vegetable matter as we could on the llamas, then shampooed them. The second day we blew them again, because they rolled around in the dirt to dry themselves the previous day. The man doing the shearing arrived on the second day, so I helped hold the llamas as he sheared. Interesting to watch that. The sheep had been a 4H sheep, but left to fend for himself in the previous owner's yard. He was a huge mess, so he was only sheared. I don't know if she was ever able to salvage his wool - it was that bad. He's terribly handsome now, though.


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## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

Jacktana said:


> I live in Canada, too, and my dream would be to find out you live in the same city as I do. I have a couple small bags of raw fleece that I've had for a few years, but I'm hesitant about starting the cleaning process. I'd love to work with you to learn what to do. The woman who taught me to spin had llamas and one sheep, and one year she invited me to help with the whole shearing process. The first day we blew out as much vegetable matter as we could on the llamas, then shampooed them. The second day we blew them again, because they rolled around in the dirt to dry themselves the previous day. The man doing the shearing arrived on the second day, so I helped hold the llamas as he sheared. Interesting to watch that. The sheep had been a 4H sheep, but left to fend for himself in the previous owner's yard. He was a huge mess, so he was only sheared. I don't know if she was ever able to salvage his wool - it was that bad. He's terribly handsome now, though.


Wow, that sounds like fun. I'm in Calgary, so if you're in the vicinity....


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## Jacktana (Nov 20, 2011)

cat_woman said:


> Wow, that sounds like fun. I'm in Calgary, so if you're in the vicinity....


Close, but not close enough - I'm in Kamloops. Do post pictures for us to see your progress!


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## StitchNStash (9 mo ago)

Can't wait to see the yarn knitted up!


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## Dede415 (Oct 29, 2019)

cat_woman said:


> I have a very small balcony so I was thinking of just cleaning 2 or 3 hundred grams at a time. There's three huge big black garbage bags full so it will probably take me all summer to clean it and then some, then the next two years to spin it. I must be crazy! 🤪 I'm going to get some screen from Home Depot and make a small box so I can leave it outside when it's warm to dry without it being blown away.


I'm with you. I can't say 'no' to a good fleece, no matter that I don't have room for another one in my house! I see three beautiful sweaters coming up over the next while.


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## cat_woman (Sep 21, 2014)

Dede415 said:


> ....I see three beautiful sweaters coming up over the next while.


It will probably be a good long while. I'm a slow spinner and on top of all the store bought yarn I'm trying to use up. Oye. I think I'm in over my head...


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## kaypriest (Jun 25, 2017)

cat_woman said:


> It will probably be a good long while. I'm a slow spinner and on top of all the store bought yarn I'm trying to use up. Oye. I think I'm in over my head...


Sorry I can't resist - aren't we all 😏


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## Dede415 (Oct 29, 2019)

Jacktana said:


> Close, but not close enough - I'm in Kamloops. Do post pictures for us to see your progress!


You're closer to me then. I'm in Sorrento!  And I agree, please post pictures!


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