CECILY - A SHETLAND FLEECE

 I ordered through a Facebook group a Shetland Fleece, I have always liked wearing Shetland lambswool jumpers  and thought it might be a good fleece to try.

I started to sort small sections to put in boxes then realised I'd not taken a photo of the fleece so the top photo isn't as the fleece was unpacked. I decided, to try and preserve the locks, to once again wash in small boxes which stack for washing so they hold the locks in place. This is time consuming but saves time when selecting locks for carding and spinning.

I soak overnight then put in bowls or buckets of very hot water 1 kettleful of boiling water added to one inch of hot tap water plus about 6 squirts of Fairy leave for about 20 mins not too long or the lanolin sets again when cool. Do that twice. Then wash again a couple of times in hot water and about 3 squirts of Fairy then rinse , rinse, rinse in cold water. No agitation throughout.

This is how I dry the washed fleece, squeeze each section out by hand then put between double thickness of towel and trample on them. Then put on this wrack. Maybe the trampol is a bit heavy handed but it seems to work ok. This wrack is in my bathroom which has a boiler and radiator that runs off the hot water so stays very warm for drying.

This is a close up of one section and the locks are not well defined but lovely soft and fine.

This was the back of that section with no obvious short cuts.

I chose to card by hand but it was very difficult with so many neps and knots appearing despite very careful picking and teasing first.

I have to say I rather hurried the washing process because I had appendicitis and realising I might need to go into hospital I rushed the second days wash. I need not have done because the process of being admitted took about 7 hours!!! I had a good idea at 9 in the morning when I rang 111 that it was my appendix and realised that only a scan was going to confirm or rule it out. I then had to ring GP wait for call back two hours later then a face to face appointment 3.30 only to be told to go to A & E although with a doctor letter which fast tracked me through. The care from the hospital was top notch my appendix was badly infected and removed the next day and I returned home to recuperate the following day.

Since my return I have only spun enough for two small skeins they are ok despite the nebs and washed up a bit better after spinning.

Update thanks to fellow spinners in UK Spin - a -holics group on Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1590818151231693 

I found that opening each end of the locks and removing the excess from but end caused by Shetland fleece natural shedding, I was then able to spin from the locks with no need to card.

this video explains the problems with Shetland - from longdrawjames

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVnXaOKTpLg