So this is the Merino fleece I've been working on, from a sheep named Thor (sadly, I don't have a pic of Thor, even though I met him). Last night I decided to try a new (to me) method of washing Merino fleece -- Margaret Stove's method. I learned about it recently. 
Now, check this method out: you pull out individual locks from the fleece. You dip the lock into very, very hot water. You rub it on a bar of soap. You dip it again until the water runs clean, and you press the water out and lay it on a towel to dry.
Even to other handspinners -- who, by nature, do time-intensive things -- this method sounds insane when I describe what I'm doing. "That has to take FOREVER!" They cry. But I tried it last night, and now I will NEVER WASH MERINO ANOTHER WAY AGAIN. This is GLORIOUS.
I spent an hour washing some locks. I got a whole bunch done. It was peaceful and meditative. Very "wax on, wax off."
I wasn't entirely sure how they locks were going to turn out, but I trusted the process since Stove was pretty experienced (she published a bit on this in the 90s). The next day my locks were dry. And SO soft and gorgeous!
They hardly needed any flick carding at all, and they spun LIKE BUTTAH. And even though I've spun quite a bit the past two days, I haven't run out of the locks I've washed yet. And while waiting for my kid to wake up for school, I took 15 minutes and washed more today.
I think what I want to pass on with this awesome feeling I have of accomplishment is this: what can appear to be super time-intensive can not only turn out not to be (more on that in a sec), but can give you benefits that may not have occurred to you.
If I'd washed some of the fleece my usual way, I would have spent about 3 hours doing several ounces: stuff in a lingerie back, submerge in hot, soapy water for 30 minutes, take out, repeat until clean. Not as labor intensive as this method, BUT...
...I either spent just as much time in the end doing it lock by lock because I got quite a bit done in just one hour, but I SAVED time by treating the locks delicately, meaning less work in the processing before spinning.
Others have said, "but I don't have the PATIENCE for that." And that's okay, I get where that comes from. But I implore you: give a process like this a try sometime -- in any endeavor this can translate to, not just spinning. Take the care and the time. Try it.
I ASSURE you that taking that care and time can not only feel good in the moment of doing it, and NOT make you feel impatient, but you'll realize that you can save yourself more frustration and time later most of the time.
This has been "Spinning As Life Lessons With Caryn"
This has been "Spinning As Life Lessons With Caryn"
