Sudsy Sunday

Washing fleece today. Did some yesterday too. I feel a little bit guilty about the water use. I'm hoping to make up for some of it by turning the landscape irrigation down. And maybe I'll skip a shower. The humidity is up and the temps are down a bit so I'm hopeful things can finally go to a Fall irrigation schedule. The drought. So many areas of my landscape that, over the various drought years, have been allowed to die off. This winter I'm thinking about revamping much of the remaining irrigation to save more water. However, I'm worried that it will be money down the drain, so to speak, if the drought continues and harsher restrictions are implemented. Likewise replacing dead/disappeared plants with more drought tolerant ones. They all need water to get established.

Well, that went off on a tangent.

Okay. Washing. Wool. Yesterday I washed the CVM fleece I picked up at OFFF last month. I like the quality of the fleece, and would definitely buy from Cedar Glen Sheep Farm again, if I was fleece shopping. I wasn't really fleece shopping at OFFF, but gosh, I didn't have any CVM in my stash. Heh. This fleece is very well skirted, very clean and every bit looks usable. Spinner's dream. Here is a pre-wash photo.

The sheep's name is Butterfly. At lower left is a bag containing a washed sample. Very thoughtful. The fleece looks tan or oatmeal in this photo, but washes up to a soft grey.

Today I'm washing Navajo-Churro. White from Dovey and brown from Kayla, both ewes at Morgan River Ranch. Navajo-Churro sheep maybe aren't the best fit for Oregon weather, and some of both fleeces cotted near the skin. But there is still plenty of usable fiber. Dovey's fleece is very long and strong and should make some good rug yarn. Kayla's fleece has a softer hand, and might make a nice throw or blanket. Her lamb fleece is almost next-to-skin soft.

Dovey

Kayla

I have so much wonderful fiber to spin. I am very lucky.