Let's prep our wool for Tour de Fleece 2023: skirting, washing and combing zwartbles

[@MijnWolden]

What are you going to spin this tour de Fleece?

[@kristalburns3490]

I have 4 beautiful cvm fleeces. All from someone's pet sheep. Like your fleece , remarkably clean. I have just grabbed chunks from three of the fleeces to process and spin.

[@MijnWolden]

People sure be Loving their pet sheep to have such clean fleeces!

[@kristalburns3490]

@@MijnWolden I am thankful they do! My first full fleeces and I couldn't have gotten any luckier. ( I think she will have a return customer)

[@lookingup3678]

You are by far my favorite spinning podcast. You are so creative and entertaining. I am new to spinning, and this is my first tour de Fleece. I am spinning some curly cotswold to make a Mittens. Also, your artwork is so beautiful 🎨

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you 🥰 curly cotswold sounds amazing, but I do have a soft spot for anything and anyone curly 😁

[@TheHistoryHikers]

Your husband will love the his version of the his and her matching sweaters! ❤

[@alexvanderpol1]

And then the History hikers can turn up in matching outfits! 😁

[@MijnWolden]

He better 😎

[@MijnWolden]

Sometimes they already do!

[@jenniferfowler6713]

You make me Giggle! Thank you! the fleece and Yarn are beautiful. It's very sweet you want to make matching sweaters, that is so nice

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you 🥰

[@Suze2233]

Beautiful fleece.❤️

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you :)

[@resourcedragon]

This is the second video of yours where I've seen you with sunburn. Strange as it may sound coming from an Australia, you need to take care with that Flemish sun - your skin is clearly not used to it and no one needs sun damage to their skin.

[@bradleyelders7904]

Thank you for your dedication to adding descriptive captions, love the extra humor and accessibility :D

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you for noticing it 😁

[@leslieambailey]

Gorgeous fleece!!

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you!

[@TarotLadyLissa]

The Salt and Pepper reference was immaculate!

[@MijnWolden]

Thanks :D

[@eddavanleemputten9232]

Oh my goodness! That does indeed look like pure chocolate luxury. Zwartbles definitely has made it on my want-to-spin list!

[@MijnWolden]

The zwartbles hype is real 😎

[@eponabast5231]

Goedemorgen uit Cleveland, Ohio! Your channel is the first place I've heard of Tour de Fleece, and I love the idea! My partner is a big fan of the cycling tour, and I'm a fiber-geek. I learned how to use a drop spindle a few months ago, and like the idea of following along with Tour de Fleece. It'll be a great motivation to practice spinning daily!

[@MijnWolden]

It is! Last year my spinning consistency got a big boost from all the practice during tour de Fleece 😁

[@iriskemper7989]

I was surprised when you said in the begginning that the staplelength would be long, because just as yours, mine experience is that it is quite short wool. It was my first wool I ever spun with, and it´s fine. I really like the sheep as animals, but their wool is not my favourite, mainly because the color is just so dark. But it can be very soft if you prepare it well, and that´s just heavenly. (I didn´t prep anything when I started, and it was full of lumps and quite harsh to the skin.) Nice to see some representation of the zwartbles on youtube! I don´t hear about it often, although many people around me keep the breed. Groetjes uit Drenthe

[@MijnWolden]

There some bits in the fleece that do measure the full 4inches, but a lot of it is more 4 centimeters... I'm mostly also not a dark yarn girl, but I'm curious to see how the lighter brown spots will show up! Groetjes uit Belgisch Limburg!

[@afoxgloveshandiwork]

What a beautiful fleece!

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you 😁

[@runtsgal]

That fleece looks absolutely gorgeous. I haven’t spun Zwartbles before but I think I now have to get some.

[@MijnWolden]

You should ☺️

[@LadyValkyri]

It came out beautifully, as we all hoped...nay, expected it to! Enjoy making all of the beautiful nests and hanks. Hugs!

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you 🥰

[@theloopyluddite]

Ahhh! Didn't even realize TDF's coming up! Thanks for the reminder and the inspiration! Good choice of fleece, I bet you'll have plenty for two sweaters. While watching it came to me, I have 2 small Gulf Coast Native fleeces, almost all washed up, one grey and one white. My goal (dream/fantasy) will be to spin them both up and make a two ply with one white ply and one grey. 😃

[@MijnWolden]

Don't let your dreams be just dreams! 😉

[@JillianEve]

I can't wait to see how you spin this up! ❤

[@MijnWolden]

Neither can I 😁

[@gemmaf_]

Wow the size of that fleece!! I really thought you had two, it was so big. I wonder if you can meet the beast who grew it. My plans are just to get back into spinning. My mojo wanders off for months at a time. I want to figure out what the heck I was doing with a spin from years ago and get that done, plus a combo spin I started last summer. Then maybe onto some stash diving adventures. Or more of my advent samples from 2019. So many options 😜

[@MijnWolden]

I still have the contact information of the owners, so I could meet the sheep indeed. Recently zwartbles sheep have also moved to the plot of land next to my dad's house, so I have by now personally spoken to some 😂

[@sonjanordahl3158]

I just found your channel. I really like your sunny fun-loving presentation. Good luck getting all of that beautiful fleece spun up.

[@MijnWolden]

Thank you 🥰

[@breec]

The song at 2:12 had me cracking up omg What a beautiful fleece!! I'm so excited to be here for this tour. The little brown tufts in all the black is just so pretty

[@MijnWolden]

Makes me feel better about my very mediocre singing skills 😁

[@breec]

@@MijnWolden Sing for joy, not perfection ☺ Otherwise I'd never sing 🤣🤣

[@Pinguinpullover]

when you plopped that fleece on the table, i thought: That´s a Bear, not a Sheep. So big! Gorgeous. I am sure you will have loads of fun with it, it looks so soft and fluffy

[@MijnWolden]

It was a lot bigger than I expected indeed!

[@MCollingsArt]

I have two pounds of combed top that I dyed a bunch of different colors. I'm going to use my blending board to make little mini batts to spin! I want to work on de-stashing this year. It's my first time participating and I'm trying to keep it chill.

[@MijnWolden]

I really need to start destashing as well, but People keep offering me more fleeces and I have a hard time saying no 😅

[@MCollingsArt]

@@MijnWolden As you should! especially with the fleeces that you get, which may end up on a burn pile if they are not adopted by you.

[@ingebauwens7209]

Heel mooi die zwartblessen, ik waste er 6, heb er a, eentje volledig gekaard, en heb er nu ook gedeeltelijk paars bij doorgemengd.was tvan vorig jaar...30 witte swifter. Maar ben ook in Love op de zwartbles. Zo zacht....

[@MijnWolden]

Ja echt fijn! Heb nu bijna twee spoelen vol 😁

[@josieposie1]

I've got a massive Romney x Shetland cross I am planning on spinning. I've washed half of it and combed about 100g. Its a massive fleece too. Going to spin to DK and will solar dye some of it with logwood and maddar.

[@MijnWolden]

Logwood and Madder sound absolutely beautiful! 🥰

[@jenniferbrighty5120]

Hi Jente, I hope you're OK xx ❣️❣️❣️ Your Fleece must be the largest I've ever seen. Love the dark colours of it and it looks so soft. The sample you spun looks amazing, I hope you do have enough meters to make your matching Sweaters with. I have some Batts from a Fibre Club that I saved for the tour de fleece,🚲🚲 and also Batts that I've made on my Blending Board these I'm hoping to spin an Art Yarn and the Fibre Club one I want to spin a Sock Yarn. I have 2 eSpinners ( the Nano 1.1 and the eWheel 6) and a large selection of Drop Spindles. So I may run out of fibre ( which I doubt) before I run out of anything to Spin with. 🎡🎡🎡 Hope you have a Wonderful Tour de Fleece 🚲🎡🐑🥰 Happy Spinning Sweet Fibre Friend 🎡🐑🥰 Take care and stay safe Lots of love and Big Hugs Jen xxxx ❤️❤️❤️❤️🫂🫂🫂🫂🐕 Hope Everyone has a Wonderful Tour de Fleece 🚲🐑 Happy Spinning Fibre Friends🎡🐑🥰

[@MijnWolden]

I highly doubt you'll run out of fiber, and otherwise you can just blend more in your blending board, right? 😉

[@AndreaAlexander]

Oooh, that is gorgeous. I can't wait to see what you make! 🥰 I can't participate in Tour de Fleece this year, but I'll be cheering on all the spinners from the sidelines 😁

[@MijnWolden]

The cheerleaders have an as important job to do! 😁

[@alexvanderpol1]

I was planning to spin a raw fleece, but I just don't have the time to prep. I did order some wool for my birthday, so I guess I will be spinning that, together with some other wool I still have lying around!

[@MijnWolden]

Fleece prep does take a up big chunk of time! In all honesty, I'm not finished with mine either

[@countbaldwiniv]

A zwartbles sheep looks like it fell asleep on a football pitch and got the lines painted over its face 😮

[@MijnWolden]

It does! Or like a member from Kiss 🤔

[@elynapege6467]

You've got me excited for Tour de Fleece!!! It will be my first year participating. We are working on a common goal... Wool yarn for sweaters! Honestly my goal is to get through half of what I'll need. The bar is very low. Fingers crossed we wil cross the finish line with yards to spare! 🧶

[@MijnWolden]

Low bars are less dissapointments of course. Wool for 2 sweaters (and my husband is literally a giant) might be a little bit crazy...

[@resourcedragon]

So long as you didn't get a yarn barf in the peloton!

[@MijnWolden]

@resourcedragon hahahaha comment of the day by far!

[@alexvanderpol1]

I love the idea of the matching sweaters! I really hope you get enough yarn out of the fleece!

[@MijnWolden]

Fingers crossed!

[@sabimidz]

My main plan is just to get to know my wheel (Jente🥰) really really well. And try to prepare the wool in new ways to find out what I like the most. Until now I have only tried to spin from hand carded rolags. I have about 1kg of different wool types to experiment with - some i natural colors and some hand dyed 😊 can't wait to follow you again this year. Your fleece would also make an exquisite dress 😍

[@MijnWolden]

Trickle down economics of names. Jillian to Jente 😁 and experimenting sounds so much Fun!

[@linr8260]

That is indeed a Big Boy 👀 For tour de fleece my plan is to Finally get to spin again after a lot of irl hell. It's been months, so I'll probably be rusty, but I'll probably start with a bit of just aimless spinning and see how I feel before I get to work on plying the poor bobbins I've left alone for months lol.

[@MijnWolden]

Just spinning to spin is sometimes the most enjoyable, so I wish you a lot of Fun and un-rusting 😁

[@jansrusticlife]

I absolutely love Zwartbles. I've just managed to get my hands on another fleece from a shepherd, here in Italy! Did you clean your fleece in cold water? I've always used hot. If you did, was there much lanolin left? I'm enjoying watching your progress with yours.

[@MijnWolden]

I clean in cold water, yes, I like there to be a little bit of lanolin left. Unless of course I'll be dyeing the wool

[@jansrusticlife]

@@MijnWolden Thank you. I will try in just cold water! Do you use a little soap too? I like to spin in the grease but not always but I do like a little lanolin left in my fibre. Of course with the stunning colour of the Zwatrbles, there is no need to dye it (for me anyway!). It's just beautiful! I look forward to seeing more from your Tour de Fleece!

[@MijnWolden]

Nope just rainwater 😁

[@jansrusticlife]

@@MijnWolden Thank you. I can't use rainwater as it hasn't rained here for a while but I'm going to try just water in the morning. Mine is spring water off the mountain! Many thanks for your advice! 😃

[@nicola.p]

In my head I pronounce it as Zwart-balls. I know I am wrong 😂

[@MijnWolden]

That's very ballsy of you 😂

[@iceberg232323]

The way I've always said it rhymes with marbles lolol

[@MijnWolden]

From now on it's also pronounced mar-bless 😂

[@jirup]

Zwartbles is hard for English speakers because it looks like it should be pronounced 'zwart-bulls', like marbles. Another Dutch word that has native English speakers tripping over our tongues is the yarn brand Scheepjes. For Tour de Fleece, I have a kg bag of mill waste because reduce, reuse, recard, no fibre should be left behind! I'm drum carding which does create a lot of neps from the short merino fibres, but it weaves up into a uniquely textured cloth. Ik hoop genoeg stof te maken voor een nieuw jasje.

[@MijnWolden]

Funny how our languages are both so similar and different 😁 and yes, I see how Scheepjes kan be difficult 😂

[@jirup]

@@MijnWolden Yes, it's very funny. Sometimes they mirror each other almost perfectly and other times... it's just wtf? I love tracing the twists and turns of language. One branch of my family settled in Ireland after the Norman Invasion and spoke a distinct dialect of English called Yola. It was blend of Middle English, Flemish, French and Irish. One of my grandmothers used to sing to us in Yola. Imagine a mixture of Flemish and Frisian with a very Irish accent.

[@MijnWolden]

That's interesting, I had never heard of Yola!

[@seekingtoremain]

Wow! That’s an amazing amount of combing. How do you like your combs? (I mean, you must like them if you’re going to comb that much! 😂) where are they from? For TDF I’m planning to go for timing rather than project. 15 min of spindle spinning and 15 min of wheel spinning. I can’t wait to see how this fleece turns out for you!

[@MijnWolden]

I mostly like that they didn't break the bank when purchasing them 😂 I'm quite sure the wooden Combs lie nicer in your hands, but these do the trick and only cost around 30€. Timing is also a great way to do this tour! We might be surprised how much you can do in 15 minutes!

[@tattercandy]

looking good , i am spinning shetland on a spindle will ply on a wheel

[@MijnWolden]

Shetland is a must try fiber I've yet to get my hands on!

[@biblioknitting9695]

What a beautiful fleece! It's so large, I'm interested in seeing how much yardage you'll get out of it. Sorry if you said and I wasn't paying attention, but are you doing a two or a three ply? For TdF this year, I'm spinning an ouessant batt. I actually need to sit down and pull it into strips and pick out some of the VM before the tour starts.

[@MijnWolden]

Jillian only has three bobbins, so it's going to be a two ply. I've spun quite a bit of ouessant before, underrated wool in my opinion!

[@biblioknitting9695]

@@MijnWolden I'm in the US, so it was a little bit harder to get a hold of, but the samples I spun up were delightful!

[@raevynwoods9403]

Where did you find the technical information about the sheep breed, such as the micron count? Or did you just google and pick the average of what the different webshops list? That Zwartbles is soo dreamy..... Maybe I should get into spinning the 200 grams of it I have laying around. After I finish my current project. And other current project... So many spins, so few bobbins!

[@MijnWolden]

I Found it on the Dutch heritage sheep breed association's website 😁

[@raevynwoods9403]

@@MijnWolden oohh good to know, Ill have a look for that then! Edit: which website exactly did you use? I did some googling and I found the szh website, but they list basically no details about the wool

[@serenafardin7441]

You've described it so well that it looks like I can feel how soft it is!!! And the colour is simply gorgeous!!😍. But (of course it may happen) when you say poop....is it poop....isn't it? You just take it from the whole wool (😅) and throw it away. What if the wool you just washed with water was a bit dirtier? Do you use a detergent? So many questions I know

[@MijnWolden]

Yes it was poop. You could do a suint method wash, where you let it all ferment, but I don't have the Patience for that. I also have more than 40kg of fleeces in my Stash at this Point, so I need to be a bit picky to just get through it in my lifetime 😅

[@serenafardin7441]

@@MijnWolden yes of course.....it's a loot of wool ,it would take forever 🙈

[@MissMuttonmeat]

2:04 I assumed Zwartbles is pronounced similar to the word svart, the Norwegian word for black. However this is just me because I'm learning Norwegian as a second language. So I was pronouncing it as "svart-tahs". Isn't language fun?

[@MijnWolden]

Language ís Fun! Our w is pronounced a bit softer than our northern friends do and our z a bit harsher, but otherwise svart and zwart are pretty similar indeed 😁

[@YarnNTea]

What type of wool combs are you using for your videos. They look very easy to use.

[@MijnWolden]

They're 3D printed combs Instrumentum Textilae on Etsy, they work just fine but are sometimes a bit uncomfortable in hand with the hard plastic

[@serenafardin7441]

Two more questions, as I know I've missed a lot of your videos, do you comb also to align the fibers? Is there a video where I can see how the wheel works? I mean, if I've understood well the wool is spun around a wire? Where the wire passes into the wheel? Because the only thing I know (thought I have a very old wheel in my parent's house )is that it spins 🙈

[@MijnWolden]

@JillianEve has some great videos on the mechanics and basic techniques for spinning on a wheel 😁

[@serenafardin7441]

@@MijnWolden thank you so much! 😊