Tag: spin

In my previous post, I shared my history with spinning and today I will start sharing the process of working with a raw fleece.

My typical first step is to look up the breed. The fleece I’m currently working with is a Romeldale. I bought it at the 2019 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which is one of my favorite annual events. I’ve since lost the info sheet that came with the fleece, but I’m pretty sure it came from California.

Romeldales are a cross between Merinos and Romneys. Merino wool is well known for being super soft and crimpy. It can have a high micron count and is appropriate for next-to-skin wear. Although it is one of the most popular breeds of sheep for yarn, I’m not a huge fan because it also doesn’t wear well. It pills! Romneys have a long staple, which makes the yarn hard-wearing, but not as soft as merino. Romeldale yarn is the best of both worlds. It is super soft and lofty (making it perfect for a woolen preparation), but also hardwearing.

Because of the loft and the fact that it’s not superfine, I decided to prepare this fleece for a woolen spin. This means that I won’t be trying super hard to keep the fibers aligned, giving it a more airy structure. My original hope was to make a sweater using this fleece… but there’s not enough of it. Whatever I end up making will be soft and cuddly.

All that being said… I made some interesting choices for my next step (washing the fleece). We’ll get into that in the next post!

Want to know how I learn about wools? Check out The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius. You can also Google to find lots of resources, like breed conservancy groups and even informational blog posts from experts!

I went through a lot of hobbies as a kid – and my parents were always supportive. When I expressed an interest in learning how to make my own yarn, my dad went to Barnes and Nobel, found a spinning magazine, and located a store that offered lessons nearby. I started taking lessons in a tiny yarn store with a giant spinning wheel in the window. I was not a great student, but I carry those lessons with me.

I’ve moved on since those days and am a much more curious spinner! I’ve learned the difference between worsted and woolen, a couple of different art techniques, and I’ve even moved on to processing full fleeces. I might even own more than one spinning wheel… My stash is full of handspun yarns that need projects.

I bought a house a few years ago and lost the spinning bug in the move. Before moving, I had a few fleeces that needed washing and I decided to take care of that first. No one wants to move around sticky, dirty fleece! Unfortunately, I didn’t do a great job and my greasy fleece was still full of lanolin (not in a good way). I did a test spin and then the spinning wheel ended up in the basement. That was two years ago.

My hands started feeling the itch a few weeks ago. I broke out my greasy fleece and worked on fixing it. I scoured it an additional two times, then re-carded it on my drum carder. I’ve started spinning it and it is so soft. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on it!

In future posts, I’ll go through the process of working with my raw fleece, from cleaning to prepping the fiber to spinning and finally, knitting.

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