Wuzz' Up
I spent my sunday night Wuzzing. While those of you with a dirty mind might be thinking some fairly racy things right now, let me show you what Wuzzing is;
Okay maybe it looks like I am trying to do something racy, but I can promise you I'm not, and it's fun. It's especially fun at 10pm when you know the dogs barking and jumping up and down like crazy probably just woke up the neighbors, and it makes you feel like a rebel. Life is kinda sad when wuzzing at 10pm makes you feel like a rebel huh? However you can see my smile, so you can tell I am enjoying life. Oh yeah, wuzzing is something you do to get the majority of water out of the wool very easily so it dries fast and without any mildew. It just means you swing it around like a helicopter (aim at your husband for best results) until you get too tired to do it anymore.
So the husbeast and I went to Target and Lowes. I got 2 galvanized (no stainless steel in site) buckets, 2 nice little drying racks and those bags that you wash unmentionables in. I also got some dawn dish soap.
($5 buckets, $5 drying racks, $2 Mesh thingies, $2 Dawn Soap = $26 Spent)
Everything I bought and decided to do was purely based on "Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning" and what I read Sunday morning while in the bath.
1st Wash and Results
3rd Rinse (when my margarita'd self remembered to add soap! Brilliant!)
All Done (Post 4th Rinse)
It was so hard to get all the Georgia red clay out of the tips. I know I didn't get it all out. The water was so hot, and I didn't have any thick rubber gloves to help me along. I also practiced carding today after reading the carding section of the Amos book and I did a la lot better then previously.
Comments
Mouse says;
hee hee hee.. I like the "aim for your husband" part. The dogs must think you've lost your mind out there spinning that bag around. look at all of that gorgeous wool!!
Shannon says;
That wool looks yummy! :) It also looks like it fluffed up quite a bit, even when wet. Did it smell up the whole house when you washed it?
Janice in GA says;
It's a lot easier to put the fleece in a bag and spin out the water in your washing machine. Put it in an empty machine, turn the knob straight to spin, and let it go.
Sasha says;
Hoorah! Go you! How very timely, as I've just recently had a go at washing some raw fleece too - but to much less successful results than your own! I was a bit rough I think and partially felted it! Fantastic to see your set up too, I might emulate your system and have another shot at it this weekend! Good luck with further wuzzing darl!
xoxo
April says;
Looks like a grand ole time. At least your clay is a decent color, ours is SO boring gray. BOOOOOO BOOOOOO!
The wooly stuff is so purty though =) You wussed a wooly. (now that sounds very naughty)
April says;
I think I wrote wussed instead of wuzzed! oops
dangit
Faith says;
You washed your very first fleece! I haven't had the urge to go for that yet. You're very brave. =)
Monica says;
Woohoo, first fleece! Yeah, goes a lot faster with the Dawn, eh? Dyeing goes a lot faster with vinegar, too...
Anne says;
Red clay comes out best when you use bar soap (like ivory). You don't have to use hot water, but warm water is nice. Rub the bar soap on the spots and (gently) agitate. You'd be amazed how much comes out.