Today the winds (45 miles per hour) has trapped me inside the house. What a great reason to get out the big pots and start washing Angora Lockets. Over the years I have created a processing system which will get the best results out of those lovely lockets but it is a large and smelly production. This is also not the time for weak stomachs. There is nothing like the smell of fiber as it is being boiled on the stove and dried thru out the house. Normally this is also the day that I just juice my meals. I have tried to cook a meal while the washing pots are going but everything ends up tasting like smelly fiber. Heck, it is my idea of a cleansing fast !
What you are seeing is a rack of "Dante's" Mohair lockets. He is a offspring of my "Ret" who is now the breeding male at another organic farm down in Pueblo Colorado. "Dante" has a tri color fleece - very soft grey, soft cinnamon and sable brown. I just love the way this looks. On one locket you get this color combination that when spun you could never in a million years recreate in dyepots... Mother Nature sure is one talented lady. When the lockets are dry they will be up for sale on my Etsy site. If you wish to get your hands on this marvel of nature let me know soon because I guarantee it will not last long. Last year a lady purchased the whole batch before it was even dry.
Off to the juicer because my tummy is growling....
4 comments:
Okay, Grace you know I want some! The locks are gorgeous!
Very nice lockets!! You boil them on the stove? I've always boiled the water first and immersed the locks for 45 minutes x 3 combined with Dawn dish det... but i always do it in the basement due to the odor. Though I've only washed raw sheep wool...
Lisa, If you bring the lockets and water up to the boil at the same time you do not run the risk of shocking the fiber and thus felting the fiber. That works with all types of fiber. I make my own soap with contains lavender to keep the fiber safe from bugs and smells nice too. During the warm months I work outside but the wind just was not working with me and I really had to get fiber done. Enjoy....Thanks for sharing with me - love hearing about others in their fiber adventures.
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