WASHING AND DRYING RAW FIBER
Washing and drying raw fiber are the final steps to create a clean fiber before dyeing and spinning it into yarn.
Final steps of fiber preparation, washing and drying raw fiber
to wash or not to wash
After all of the Shearing, Skirting and Picking, do we really NEED, to wash the fiber?
There are some people who prefer to spin their fibers in the “grease”.
Spinning fiber without washing it is called “in the grease”.
I for one, ALWAYS wash the fiber because I want it ready to dye, it stores better and it smells so good!!!
In addition, I believe the fibers separate better and are easier to spin.
However, there may be certain fibers that are not greasy or very dirty.
Furthermore, it may be a time saver not to wash them before spinning but afterwards as a yarn.
It is up to individual preference whether you want to wash or not to wash.
washing raw fiber is a step by step process
Washing the fiber is one of the most important steps because this will eliminate the grease, dirt and other small debris.
Here is a great, short video of washing raw wool.
There are many different techniques to washing raw fiber in particular, wool.
There is a top loading washing machine, a sink or bucket however, the technique is the same.
First Step:
Fill the washer/sink or bucket with HOT water.
Then turn the washing machine off so it will NOT agitate.
Put your wool wash or Dawn detergent into the tub and distribute in the water.
The amount to use depends on the directions on the Wool Wash or if using Dawn Dishwashing Liquid, start with 1/2 Tablespoon per gallon of water in a sink or bucket.
For a Washing Machine start with 2 Tablespoons.
You can always add more and don’t want too much to have to rinse out later.
It is better to use too little soap and do more washes than to use too much soap and have a lot of rinses.
Depending on the fiber and it’s soap retention you may only have to add soap once, during the washing process.
After the water is calm, load the wool into lingerie bags, place them in the water and submerge them.
Let the wool sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
Just make sure the water doesn’t cool down or the grease will stick to the fiber.
Remove the bags of fiber and set aside.
Turn the washing machine to drain and let it finish with a rinse to clean the tub.
Start the process again and repeat as many times as necessary usually two or three.
Second Step:
When the water is coming clean then we do the rinse.
Fill the tub with cooler water.
Where you can leave your hand in it.
Use the same process as for the wash, of course without the soap.
Repeat until the water is clear and free of soap.
Third Step:
To Squeeze or Not to squeeze the fiber?
There is an ongoing dispute as to whether squeezing the fiber especially wool is a good idea or not.
Personally, I have done it both ways.
However, if the fiber is prone to felting, easily, then I would not squeeze it out, but hang it and let it drip out.
We are now finished with the washing and rinsing parts.
drying is the final step in washing and drying raw fiber
Drying the fiber is the final step in preparing raw fiber.
This is the simplest of all fiber preparation steps.
Once the hanging fiber is not dripping anymore, give it a light squeeze to get most of the water out of it.
Then remove it from the lingerie bags.
Just lay it out on an airy surface, with a towel underneath if you don’t have a slatted surface.
Turn it over daily and it dries within a day or two.
Now that you have a washed and dry fiber, you can continue on with your project whether it is dyeing, spinning or some other fiber art.
Happy Creating!!!