If July down, you can't keep spinning!

Today was a big day for fiber, ladies and gentlemen. On a delightfully grey Vancouver Sunday before returning to school, I decide to spend my time washing the raw wool I had squirreled away, as I had spent the previous day kettle dyeing a batch of worsted.

Above are the nine skeins of worsted weight wool I kettle-dyed. Once dry they'll be put up in the Drama Llama Etsy store, where each skein will come with a free pattern (of my own design) for Tuxedo Mitts. (I'll hopefully post a picture in the next few days.)

Below is one of the skeins of the hand-dyed yarn currently available. 440 yards of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em in the colorway "Martian Manhunter." (Inspired by my favorite DC comic hero) Its' 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon. There are several other colorways for sale as well, and more to come!

But let's get on to the order of the day, washing raw wool! I had four bags of raw fiber from the Natchwoolie Raw Fiber Club, each 2oz, as well as 500 grams of local Alpaca, from Duncan, BC on Vancouver Island. (Purchased from Victoria's annual Fiberfest!),

My method for washing/scouring raw fleece is mostly cobbled together from various blogs and books, but in case anyone is interested, I'll share it with you:

1. Fill your tub with Super-hot water, and a tablespoon of regular dishsoap. Add fiber, pulling apart clumps as you go, and make sure everything is submerged. Let soak for 30 min.
2. Remove fiber, and squeeze majority of water out.
3. Rinse and fill your tub again with Super-hot water, but don't add anything else. Add fiber as before. Soak for 30 min.
4. Remove fiber, and squeeze out majority of water.
5. Rinse and fill your tub again! Super-hot water, yadda yadda, and a sploosh of wool conditioner. (I like Soak! It smells great, and it's a leave-in.) Add fiber, submerge, soak for 30 min.
6. Remove fiber and squeeze out as much water as possible. Place fiber onto a dry towel, pulling locks apart for maximum surface area. Fold towel over onto the locks and press down, again getting as much water out as you can.
7. Lay fiber out on a towel to dry, turn over whenever you remember. Leave out overnight.

It's a good thing I love repetition. I know a lot of people use their washing machine spin cycle to get as much water out of the fiber as possible, but since I rent, I don't want to take any chances filling up the machine with bits of fiber, so I just do it the old fashioned way.

Here's some fiber laying to dry:

So what else is on the go at Drama Llama? A whole lot of handspun. After all, it is the Tour De Fleece...

Here's several skeins of handspun that will be listed in the next day or two. Both two-ply and three-ply, worsted weight. I spin on a Schacht Ladybug, which I love utterly. It was my graduation present after I recieved my B.A.

And here's what the rest of my month looks like: lots more wool to be spun and listed on Drama Llama!

Several hanks of roving purchased at the Victoria Fiberfest, including this one from Twist of Fate in Kamloops, BC. It's a merino/seacell mix, and is an absolute dream to spin.

Below is the first of three singles to be spun up into a three-play worsted weight yarn for Drama Llama.

So, July is a busy month, because there's still school to think of beyond this. As well as a new batch of sock yarn to dye! Happy spinning/dyeing/knitting, everyone!