Remember some time back when we sent the wool from our sheep off for processing into combed top? It came back in a long, long rope, and the tag didn't say how much wool was in the finished product.
I was curious as to how many pounds were in the sack, so I decided to weigh it out into approximately 4 ounce balls and then see what the total was. I used my digital scale and then marked each with the weight. Most are between 3.7 and 4.2 ounces. Added together, there are 5.4 pounds. That doesn't seem like much weight, considering that before processing, the wool weighed 19 pounds! The raw wool contains lots of dirt and lanolin, and many of the shorter fibers are removed in the combing process.
I'm probably going to keep part of it back for a sweater, and maybe some hats, and then probably put some in the shop just as dyed top and some as handspun yarn. The shop has been kind of neglected lately, so hopefully all this softness will inspire me!
I was curious as to how many pounds were in the sack, so I decided to weigh it out into approximately 4 ounce balls and then see what the total was. I used my digital scale and then marked each with the weight. Most are between 3.7 and 4.2 ounces. Added together, there are 5.4 pounds. That doesn't seem like much weight, considering that before processing, the wool weighed 19 pounds! The raw wool contains lots of dirt and lanolin, and many of the shorter fibers are removed in the combing process. 
I'm probably going to keep part of it back for a sweater, and maybe some hats, and then probably put some in the shop just as dyed top and some as handspun yarn. The shop has been kind of neglected lately, so hopefully all this softness will inspire me!
2 comments:
Mmmmm, your fibre looks very very yummy indeed. I'm real interested to see what you make it all into. Is Levi in there? well, you know, his fibre, lol!
Levi's fiber isn't in this batch. He's not quite a year old yet and hasn't been sheared. Next time the shearer comes, though, it'll be his turn! :)
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