A few things I learned this past year

I've started scouring the fleece I bought last year to scour at Journey to Bethlehem. Yes, I know it's March, already. I need more time to let things settle in my mind and get into routines. I've also been sick.

Here are a few things I've come up with that I need to do for next year.
Warp Weighted Loom:
#1. Break down and use 12 ounces per warp bundle for the yarn I've got. I'm going to need 36 soda cans, I guess. Figure something else out for J2B, but just put a can in a plastic grocery bag each, out back.

#2. Find a way to do the heddles quickly. It doesn't have to be period, because very few will know and they won't be able to see it, anyway. I'm thinking texsolve cloth and stringing it to the rods.

J2B:
#3. Know my limitations. I can't do the wool washing. Someone else will have to do that.

This is some of the wool I'm scouring

Scouring wool

The fleece I bought to scour at J2B (and ended up not scouring) is REALLY dirty. Bits of poo and vm. It's the sheep dudu that bugs me. I can't get all the ick out just by washing it.

I have not found any documented way to comb it out that is period correct. The answer back then was probably to throw slaves you don't like or misbehaving children at it. The poo and vm needs to be picked out by hand in order to not mess up the lock structure.

I don't have slaves (darn!). My children would not be able/willing to pick out the ickies without tearing the wool up. If we are going to scour wool at J2B (probably not) then a fleece that has been blanketed should be obtained. If I have to pay money for a fleece to scour, then I want to be able to USE the wool.

For the fleece I have, I'm going to want to find a drum carder. Maybe Judi has one. Or I could borrow her wool combs.

In rinse bath #3

It would be easier to dye the wool at J2B. Only one tub of water, with the dye in it, just let it sit on a disguised hot plate until the dye is exhausted, hang up the wool/yarn to dry.

Clean, dry, and flicked!

So for now, I'm scouring the wool. I think I will dye some (using Kool Aid...yes, soooo not period...) but I want to experiment (cheaply!) with color changing mordants, like iron, alum and maybe some copper (pennies).