I am still cranking on all the wool. It was was in the mid 60's today and I set up on the deck and did some more sorting on the white wool. It is a bit easier as it seems to have less hay in it.
I have hit a bump in the process. It is really time consuming to hand card the wool. Carding is like combing the fleece, except you use two dog brushes. I will take a photo and you will see what I mean. It helps remove the extra vegetation that wasn't removed when I sorted and washed it. All the fibers are aligned and untangled. It isn't hard, but it is slow going and makes your arms sore after awhile. I had Mom helping me out with it on Sunday, she can attest to it. Spinning Barb helped with it on Monday at knitting group also. She said it relaxed her.
That is something that bears reiterating. It is relaxing. Everything about this process is relaxing. It isn't hard, but it is time consuming. Spinning is still my favorite. It can turn me from bitch to tranquility in less than 5 minutes. And I have witnesses. :)
Salvation arrived on my doorstep Tuesday! Thanks Barb!
"What is that thing", you say? This "thing" is a drumcarder. It does what a hand carder does but handles more fleece and more faster! I didn't know much about them either. But I jumped online and learned quite a bit. I cleaned and oiled it. I found out she needs a belt.
I searched for what seemed like hours for a replacement belt without success. Today, I reached out to Ravelry for help. I found a fiber prep group and posted this photo, I hope to hear something soon.
Because it was so nice out, I spent a lot of time outdoors and it cut into my computer and knitting time. But I did get a lot done. I vacuumed the car out, blew the dirt and leaves out of the carport, and cleaned some more wool. Then I went over to the neighbor's to see their new bamboo floor. Very nice! Makes me want one too.
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