[Jacob-list] cleaning dirty fleece

[Neal and Louise Grose]

Well...next year you might try fleece covers on the ones that you KNOW that you will use. It is somewhat expensive to do so, but once you get the hang of it, they will not be able to chase you down and get you to hand pick fleeces. When we have used covers, I generally could spin the fleece in the grease with NO preparation, even carding. We can sell covered fleeces for twice what uncovered fleeces bring.

It is important to know that on Jacobs, you will need at least two sizes. Small, fluffy fleeced sheep start out with a small to keep them from getting tangled in the cover. You will need to check them regularly to make sure you don't start getting tip felting. On the up side, covers that are switched and maintained will last for several years. The best that we found were rather heavy polypropylene canvas.

Neal Grose 
North Carolina

"Faith is what you know even if you don't believe it" Fannery O'Connor
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lia Belanger 
  To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 12:47 PM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] cleaning dirty fleece


  I need some advice from the experienced spinners out there.  Due to a combination of management issues, most of which cannot be easily remedied, our fleeces are always positively filthy and packed with vegetation.  I'm trying to get some cleaned up to use but it has been slow going.  What I thought I would do is wash it once to get out the major grunge, then card it to get out as much vegetation as possible, then wash again.  Is this a good idea or a terrible idea?  Any other suggestions? 

  Thanks in advance!
  Liam


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
  Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
  http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/jacob-list/attachments/20060306/ded4f5dc/attachment-0001.htm