How Do You Clean Raw Wool For Spinning?
Mention to someone that you can spin wool into yarn, and you might be gifted with a freshly shorn fleece from a local sheep rancher. Say thank you and take that greasy mass home for a good cleaning. With some hot water, soap and time, you can turn that mess into a light, fluffy cloud, ready for spinning. Spread the fleece out on the sheet or tarp. This is best done outdoors, but choose a calm day or you may loose a lot of wool to the wind. Examine the wool for stains, manure and vegetable matter. You may choose to wear rubber gloves for this. The belly and hind end are not usable, so cut those areas off. This is called skirting. Most wool fleeces sold at state fairs or wool markets will be skirted, but if you get a fleece directly from the sheep rancher, you will have to do this step. You can compost what you trim off the fleece or leave it for birds and squirrels to collect for their nests. Fill the dishpan with hot tap water. Add a good squirt of shampoo and swish it around. Add the
