allena
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Re:mushy wool - 2007/06/16 20:21
Sue,
Hmmm, well my experience has shown that this sort of problem is probably coming from the quality of the fleece before it was washed. You can get a fleece with a "break" and this is what it sounds like.
In the future, test your fleece by taking a small lock and snapping it between two hands, it should not break easily.
The washing will NOT cause this, even soaking overnight, period. I have never used soap flakes, I use blue dish washing liquid. There may have been some reaction between the soap and any mordants you used, or the indigo. I don't know much about natural dying, but we have some readers who do, so they will be able to fill you in there.
If the whole fleece is weak, I would toss it, because it will not hold together or ever be strong. Use it for needle or wet felting, which doesn't require as strong of a fiber. That is what I would do.
If only parts are bad, pick them out, it won't take that much longer.
On washing, it is best to NOT soak the fleece because if the water cools, the lanolin will re deposit on the fleece and it will get gummy and sticky. It shouldn't be weak and breaking from this however. The stickiness "could" be from lanolin, and you may be able to give it a soak in hot water and dish washing liquid to strip it off. This works best for getting the lanolin off, as far as I have discovered and I have washed fleece in every kind of cleaner I can think of. Sorry I can't tell you more, but I will find out what I can.
If you fall off, get back on and try again. |
