Hatteras Inspired Wool

After dyeing my Hatteras Scarves, I had a pot of Coral Reef dye left on the stove.  I searched the stash and found some fiber to dye.  I have never tried to dye roving before, primarily because I worry about felting the wool.

 

The white is a blend 80/20 bfl and silk.  The darker wool is a mixed bfl.  I soaked these briefly in some warm water and vinegar.  I must get some citric acid to use instead of vinegar.  The smell of wet wool plus vinegar equals yuck!

 

In the pot, steaming but not boiling.  I tried to keep the temperature between 180 and 200 degrees.



The wool and silk laying out to dry.  Clockwise from upper left,  mixed bfl, silk, 80/20 bfl silk blend and corriedale with silk throwsters.

 

Trying out my drum carder for the first time.  Such fun, the mixed bfl was lovely to handle and not felted at all.

 

 

 

Can't wait to spin this!

 

My Beautiful Fleece

Last October I purchased my first fleece at SAFF.  I dropped it off at the Zeilinger's booth to be shipped off for processing. It arrived on Wednesday and is so beautiful and soft.  It is a deep black Corriedale with a silver halo.

My big bag of fluff.

 

This will give you some perspective.

 

 

The fleece was originally 6.5 pounds and after processing weighs 4.2 pounds.  it is incredibly soft and squishy.  I spun about an ounce last night to sample.  Tonight I did a 3 ply and wet finished it.  Tomorrow I will knit up the sample.  I have a couple of sweater ideas rumbling around in my head.