A wash a day keeps the fleeces in check..

Over the past two weeks I have tried to make sure that I wash two parcels of fleece every morning - and here are today's on the line drying in the sun. 

Today's fleece is part of the Border Leicester bought at the Masham Sheep Fair.  Yesterday's was some of the Cotswold and hopefully by Friday I shall have some Devon and Cornwall Longwool drying from this beauty.

This gorgeous sheep belongs to Lesley and Darren at  Brexworthy Farm and they have been kind enough to donate a sample for the SpinDyeWeavers display board.

Finally yesterday I finished combing the chocolate Bond, and as I haven't really enjoyed the combing of this one, and any excuse was enough to put it to one side.  The amount of waste from this has come out at a staggering 62% from my 550 grams share I have 207 grams of spinnable fibre!  But only 40 grams is the really fine..............

One excuse was some super black Corriedale given to me by littlemarchhare - it was described as having some hay!  Well perhaps a Corriedale X Hay would have been a closer description, as clearly the sheep had rolled in not only hay but brambles as well, but the fleece was well worth the effort.

I wasn't sure whether to separate the very soft lighter gray, but in the end I decided that it would look good spun as it is, and I am getting a lovely flecked yarn - singles here

and plying on Miss Bliss

Obviously all this washed fleece has to be combed or carded, and I try (very hard) to comb every afternoon, while watching Countdown.  Yes I know day time TV, but you do have to use your brain, plus at the end of the program I also have some spinning fibre - so good use of time I would suggest and a decreasing amount of fleece and a corresponding increasing store of fibre nests.............

I am hoping that having this sort of structure to my life will help during the dark winter months - for as Mr S so kindly pointed out the clocks go back this Sunday!  Which means dark days ahead.....