Washing Orchid

Orchid is a ewe. She's mostly Corriedale. She belongs to Martha Owens. She has lovely golden and gray fleece. I love Orchid's fleece.

We got to spin some of it in the grease over last weekend and I think most of us in the class thought it worked well. We prepared it using the Viking combs. Orchid's fleece was for our class, and we didn't use most of it there, so each class participant came home with her share.

I cruised around the internet and began to realize it would be a good thing not to keep unwashed fleece too long. So I washed it, and now I love it even more.

I prepared little net baggies to enclose the locks.

I submerged the baggie enclosed locks in hot water with Dawn detergent.

I hung them to dry in the vicinity of, but not too close to, the wall heater in the basement bathroom.

I stored the clean, soft wool in a muslin bag, to await further processing. Not sure what that will be.

I love Orchid's fleece. Wool is miraculous stuff!