# Spinning-will be getting raw wool



## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I am so excited to be getting raw wool in the spring. Someone I know through the grandkid's school has a farm and it didn't dawn on me until two days ago that she might have sheep. I emailed her about the fleece after shearing and she said I am welcome to raw fleece so I will be a very happy spinner this spring. She sent me this note......'We have a mixture of sheep...jacob, shetland, katahdins (no wool), and a lot of black sheep. They are all lambing now...so cute.' 

So my question is what do I lay it on after I wash it? I see on videos that they put it on wire racks but I won't have that. Can I just lay it on a table and keep turning it to dry? In the summer sun, I expect it dries quickly.


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## llamama1 (Jun 22, 2012)

Sweater drying racks work well, or a widow screen held horizontally between two chairs. Have fun!


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

llamama1 said:


> Sweater drying racks work well, or a widow screen held horizontally between two chairs. Have fun!


Thanks. That I can manage.


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Unless you have screen top and bottom, a breeze can scatter your wool all over. I use laundry mesh bags and hang those to dry, fluffing and mixing up throughout the day.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

If its too cold for outside drying, lay out on a sheet with a fan blowing across the wool.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I have a metal gratey type picnic table worked well then brought it in put in on a sweater rack in the tub for the night dry by next morning.


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## JuneB (Oct 10, 2014)

Oven racks


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## Woodstockgranny (Feb 6, 2013)

I have a large piece of chicken wire I keep rolled up. When I want to dry or skirt I open it up (curling down to hug the stands) and lay it across two saw horses spaced accordingly. Wool drys pretty quickly this way.


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## Jennydan (Apr 6, 2016)

I dry my washed fleece on old bath towels on the concrete path Doesn't take long in the sun. Play with it by turning and rearranging as some bits dry faster than others.


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## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

My question is "which breed of wool are you getting"?


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

shepherd said:


> My question is "which breed of wool are you getting"?


I am getting Shetland and Jacob fleece. This farmer has about 60 sheep. She also has the breed that doesn't give wool....katahdins.


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## JoeA (Jun 24, 2016)

You can use a wooden pallet to dry your wool, without worry. Because it is elevated the wood gets air all around, and dries quickly! Then you can store the pallet in a shed and not worry about it!


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## ilmacheryl (Feb 3, 2013)

I dried my fleece on old window screens with an old sheet under the fleece (screens were very dusty) and over (didn't want bird poop on my freshly washed fleece). I then got mesh bags & finished it up, and stored it in the bags until I was able to get it carded. I still don't know what I will do with it. I don't think it is quality wool but it was free. I think it was a good learning exercise - two days outside in the summer heat & a wasp sting. Probably won't do it again.


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## Cookie61868 (Sep 19, 2011)

Cdambro said:


> I am so excited to be getting raw wool in the spring. Someone I know through the grandkid's school has a farm and it didn't dawn on me until two days ago that she might have sheep. I emailed her about the fleece after shearing and she said I am welcome to raw fleece so I will be a very happy spinner this spring. She sent me this note......'We have a mixture of sheep...jacob, shetland, katahdins (no wool), and a lot of black sheep. They are all lambing now...so cute.'
> 
> So my question is what do I lay it on after I wash it? I see on videos that they put it on wire racks but I won't have that. Can I just lay it on a table and keep turning it to dry? In the summer sun, I expect it dries quickly.


I use old window and door screens, my husband had a metal tall table the the top wasn't any good so he took the top off and I lay the screens across the base of the table to dry, I think it used to be a metal work bench seeing it is very heavy duty. You can use anything that lets the air flow through. The fiber dries within a few hours and I can send it through the carder by the afternoon most times.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Thank you all for your suggestions. I am so excited to do this.


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## lindamarcella (Dec 14, 2016)

I always SPIN the excess water out then I lay it out on the floor or over a folding rack or spread out on sweater racks suspended over the bath tub. Turn the fibre over every so often. It should be dried overnight. When well dried I put it in an old pillow case. One of my favorite pair of socks was some Jacob that an instructor gave me in a class. I died it purple and then spun it on a drop spindle then 2-plied it and knit it immediately into a pair of socks. I thought it was the cat's meow!????


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## Spinningmary (Feb 18, 2014)

I use the old trampoline in good calm weather, net curtain hammocks hung from the washing line in wind weather.
Indoors I use three tier cake cooling racks for small amounts or a combination of net laundry bags and old towels on any available radiator and airing cupboard space.
I'm planning to put today's Bactrian camel into the greenhouse on a sheet as there are no plants in there at the moment.


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## lindamarcella (Dec 14, 2016)

Camel? I'm jealous!


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

I just bought some camel already prepped and ready to spin. I had ordered some about a year ago but it was out of stock for a lot of time so I used my credit towards something else. Have been holding off for some time finally found some at a great price on face book. It is waiting for me to spin oh so not patiently either it makes a noise every once in a while and I think it says me next. lol


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

mama879 said:


> I just bought some camel already prepped and ready to spin. I had ordered some about a year ago but it was out of stock for a lot of time so I used my credit towards something else. Have been holding off for some time finally found some at a great price on face book. It is waiting for me to spin oh so not patiently either it makes a noise every once in a while and I think it says me next. lol


That sounds wonderful! Cannot wait to see your spin.


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