Washing Fleece

Before we know it, it will be time again to shear. I still have fleeces from last year's shearing that need to be processed so I tackled on yesterday.

I had actually just gone out to the stable with the intention of cleaning out the stall the puppies spend each night in. As I worked, I kept thinking of the fleeces stored just two stalls over. I drug one out and began to sort it. I always do a cursory skirting (tearing off the nastiest parts) on shearing day but I really began to pick through this one and before long I had a bucket full of pretty gray-brown-silver fleece to wash. I filled the kettle up in the house, added a little soap

and gently shoved in the fleece. After a few more washes and a nice long rinse, it is now looking pretty good. I'll let it dry today and then decide what to do with it. Of course, that single bucketful barely made a dent in the whole fleece. I'll fetch in another bucketful when I gather eggs this morning.