Washing a Raw Wool Fleece - Quick Guide - 3 Minute Video

Learn quickly how to wash a raw fleece in order to clean and cut the locks for using in felting. This fleece is from a Valais Blacknose sheep and is stunning when cleaned up.
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[@esthro]

I've watched a lot of different videos on this topic and I appreciate how straight forward, simple and concise you make this seemingly daunting task!

[@sophievautour8573]

Hey thank you! I tried it and it was fun! I have felted before but was too scared of the washing. And hoped the soap would clean it. But scouring is actually easy and exiting! It will upgrade my projects. Thanks a lot

[@Savetheworldfirebidennow]

That sheep is ADORABLE

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks x

[@KrisOberhauserB]

Thank you for making this. More felters and spinners need to give support to local fiber artists but they are overwhelmed by the task. That was a nice clean fleece. Could you make a video showing the range of fleeces out there and the range of conditions? I don't use my sinks because people have told me that the lanolin can coat your pipes and create a clog. I could not find a reputable source for this idea, but I don't want my system backed up. I use 5-gallon buckets. I don't use detergent so I water the garden with rinse water. If you strip too much lanolin off the wool you can use hair conditioner on it and get that softness back. This can work with itchy sweaters too. Also, I have had fleece off my sheep that looked hopeless. One got tossed over a fence because I had an idea for using it in the garden. I didn't get to it for a few weeks and in that time the rain and sun had done part of the cleaning for me. I have been doing this as part of the process now for a while, and it can save a lot of time and save a fleece that looked unworthy of the time to clean.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thank you, sounds like a great video but unfortunately I am booked up for a while and I don't wash fleeces that often. There are lots of spinners that have great youtube channels and cover different fleeces. Thanks so much for watching xx

[@PifsGifts]

Thank you! A few days ago I was given an entire sheep’s fleece for free!! I’m so lucky!! So I’m very busy. Thanks for the video.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Fantastic and yes, that will definitely keep you busy, happy washing x

[@jaclyn4098]

excellent video. straight the point, clear instructions, just lovely! good job

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks, that's me x

[@eowenspa2]

I like simplicity,very good,well done

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks x

[@lindagoodall7871]

Great video with simple clear instruction Thank you xx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Tried to keep this one brief too, glad you liked it x

[@DonnaVarno]

Thank you for this video. There are not many fleece washing videos for needle felters. I absolutely love the sheep you made with it. . Is there a video where you demonstrate how to make that particular sheep?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thank you, glad it helps, there isn't a video on here, I am planning on doing it as an online course, just waiting for some sunshine so I can do lots of washing 😊 x

[@alinapin8970]

Hi Philippa, Thank you so much for this video! We have some house mice that have taken a liking to my wool 😢. I’ve read a few articles, but your video explains wool washing the best! It was a lot less daunting than others made it seem. Thank you for always being a great teacher! xx Alina

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Hi Alina, Yes, definitely just go for it, maybe sample a small section first and just don't agitate too much, thanks for watching xx

[@dexine4723]

Had my pet Welsh Badgerface sheared today, and I have her grubby fleece to clean up, so it's good to see how different people do it. I''m planning to use the wool just as stuffing, but the sad thing was that my shearer told me how most of the fleeces from the sheep he shears end up just being thrown away, because they have so little value. All this natural, environmentally friendly fibre, that has to be removed from the sheep for welfare purposes, just going to waste. Such a shame.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It costs the farmer more to shear than what she/he gets for the fleece but there are some new ideas being tested for other uses for the fleeces, it may change in the next few years xx

[@SnowflakeForestFelting]

O my goodness I haven’t done this in years!!!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Been washing some amazing fleece yesterday from a Valais, it's just so beautiful, love it when it's done x

[@mariusacatrinei3753]

Came across of this video and I'm delighted of the results! So pretty work!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you like it, thanks x

[@nomansvan827]

Such a cute, finished product. Thank you for the demonstration.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thank you x

[@mandipai]

Adorable black nose 🥰 Thank you for the video! I’ve been hoarding my husky floof for something someday and was thinking pillows this morn. So far we’ve just used it for gopher repellant (not sure if it works yet).

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Hope the washing goes well, I've two fleeces in my garage I must wash soon x

[@Sage-qd6tf]

Love how I’m literally about to wash valais blacknose wool!

[@Savetheworldfirebidennow]

Thank you now I will wash mine and stuff my pillows today YAY

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Perfect!

[@AmberPerez92]

I have loads off raw wool and now i know how to wash it, cause yes it is a lot cheaper to buy te wool raw.. But i think i overdid it with the wool amount. I need a bath for it and then some :)

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It's hard work too x

[@lidiacristinacobos1472]

Muchas gracias ! Muy útil para mí , me regalaron lana de llama sin lavar y no sabia como lavarla. Saludos 😊🎉

[@teacat55]

Thank you…. Beautifully clear

[@feltsbyphilippa]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Lilyflowers659]

Thank you phillipa😊

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you liked it xx

[@1956HBS]

As a novice at this I bought a bag of fleece unwashed! Yikes, it’s filthy, you can see blue dye where the sheep was sprayed and an awful lot of poo, I honestly don’t think I can bring myself to use it so I might put it down to experience and buy some pre washed.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Washing a fleece is definitely hard work, it should have been skirted, which is where they pull the worst off but they do leave the dye. Maybe wash a small amount and see how it comes up, if it's OK you could use it as core wool xx

[@Lilyflowers659]

Maybe don’t use that seller again as that’s bad luck, it is satisfying when it cleans like phillipas has 😊

[@nomadine85]

When you said it takes quite a while to dry, did you mean more like a few hours or more like a week or...?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

If outside on a sunny day then it's a few hours but inside it takes about a day and a half with regular turning x

[@dianalimbach4584]

Adorable! And thanks for the information

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks! X

[@ColorsofHopeCraftsASMR]

Thanks for this tutorial! We want to use plastic buckets

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Buckets are a good way to go x

[@charlyannekirby]

😊 Other videos say don't use your home sink because of Lanolin. Is this true?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes, I think if you wash a lot then definitely rethink how you dispose of the water, I only do very small amounts and use my utility so it's been fine xx

[@sophievautour8573]

how do you know it will not shrink from the hot water? thanks a lot for the video

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I haven't had any wool shrink yet but I did have some curls fall out a bit so sample test first, the water has to be hot enough through to clean the dirt off x

[@r3tr0gam3r89]

I've just got my first fleece, but it obviously still has clumps of dirt, grass etc in it. I managed to get the majority out using your method, but there's still some in there. I've been advised to use dog brushes to comb it out. Did you experience this problem at all?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

You can hand card it and most of it will come out but it will take a while, I use most fleeces by keeping the locks intact so just end up pulling the bits out by hand, it's always a lot of hard work washing and prepping your own fleece.

[@kb9847]

fascinating! Out of all the wool you got from Hercules how much did you use on that sheep you showed at the end? or another way of asking, lol, how many sheep can you cover with the one fleece? thanks. I have no idea where I could even buy my own not washed, but a great idea for those who can.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I think it's fair to say I can definitely get 4 sheep out of this fleece as I do like my felted Valais to look really fluffy. I would join a Valais Blacknose society group on facebook in your country and then ask if anyone sells fleeces and at what price. Ask for good pictures to see how clean it is, I would prefer a smaller sample first really so you can see the quality before you pay a larger amount for a full fleece. Etsy might have some unwashed fleeces, most of it is washed and more expensive. Thank you for watching x

[@Lilyflowers659]

Happy new year phillipa, what do you do with the rest of the wool after you’ve cut the locks off? Thanks I’m advance.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

You can card it to make it easier to felt and use as core wool, time consuming but a good way to use it xx

[@Lilyflowers659]

@@feltsbyphilippa thank you. Last week I ordered some carders and I shall enjoy using them n my lovely washed wool.

[@bethmegansmith4642]

were do you buy your whole fleece from ? when we get a house I am going to have a utility room ...I say when hahahahhaaa another wonderful video xxxxx happy felting

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks, I think it was Etsy or Facebook, rare breed sheep. I'm going to do a video on locks in more detail soon and yes, my utility is really useful as the fleeces do smell Sheepy (but not too bad) x

[@ahappystitcher4928]

Thanks for such an informative video! How hot should the be water please? My hot tap water is 55C, is that hot enough? Also do you have a carding video and do I card before or after washing? I have collected raw wool from my walks from fences and from the ground. Many thanks! 😊

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Hi, definitely card after washing and drying and have the water at just too hot for you to handle, I wear gloves and then it's ok and doesn't hurt. I have a simple carding video in my getting technical playlist that should help. Great way to get free wool collecting from the field xx

[@ahappystitcher4928]

@@feltsbyphilippa Thank you so much!

[@katherinesmith8591]

Where can I find the drawstring cloth bags you have your raw wool in?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

They belong to the lady who owns the sheep and I give them back each year, sorry I can't help x

[@imogen.w.9758]

Hey Philippa just getting my locks ready now I have a quick question. The excess fluff from the locks is it good to use on other creations much love xx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes absolutely or use it as core wool if it's not that decorative. If it's really short pieces (like less than an inch) I might not keep it, good luck with your felt x

[@imogen.w.9758]

@@feltsbyphilippa brilliant thanks!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

👍

[@thebe1azi500]

I've kept the very short bits to use as stuffing for various sewing projects, the way people use fabric scraps.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I've been using them as core now, it's tricky if they are really short but lovely to use a fleece all up, sewing projects would be much better, thanks for sharing and watching x

[@fayesherriff]

Hey Philippa, why do you cut the locks out instead of pulling them out?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I was unable to pull these ones out, some fleeces pull out quite easily but I would have destroyed the locks, much easier if you can pull them x

[@fayesherriff]

Oh I see! I'll keep that in mind... Thank you for making your videos, they are fantastic x

[@feltsbyphilippa]

🙂

[@kathrynbowden4104]

Is it ok to spin the wet wool?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Hi, Sorry I don't spin wool as I just use the pure locks. Maybe try a Facebook group for wool spinners x

[@kathrynbowden4104]

Sorry Philippa I didn’t explain my question very well. I am felting not spinning, and wondered if you could spin the wet wool in the washing machine to help speed up the drying process. (Maybe spin it in a pillow case ) I love your videos I was wanting to felt cows and sheep and found your videos very helpful, thank you.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

@@kathrynbowden4104 ah I see, very good idea, I've not tried that but with this kind of wool I don't see why not, especially in a pillow case. I really squeeze the wool out so I can't see the spin cycle being any worse. I have two more fleeces in my garage to wash, so I will give this a go when I prep them. Thanks so much for watching, I'm about to start a long horned cow next, happy felting x

[@katherinesmith8591]

I do spin it in the washing machine after I drain the rinse out. Make sure your washing machine does not add any water during the spinning out..

[@lizadocherty8905]

Thank you for the tutorial, what powder detergent are you using?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

A non bio from sainsburys probably x

[@shepherdessofskymeadow]

Do you ever have issues with the lanolin clogging up the drain? I have 5 babydoll southdowns who were just shorn and I'm excited to learn how to work with the fleece but worried to ruin my septic system 😂

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I'm afraid I'm small scale so haven't had any problems so far. There are some more expert channels with a larger scale washing system, they would probably give you a better idea and how beautiful are babydoll southdowns xx

[@shepherdessofskymeadow]

​@@feltsbyphilippa Thank you so much! I would be doing this at small scale too so that's very helpful advice. Will keep checking around but I'm thinking I can just try a small batch at a time and make sure to drain it while the water is still nice and hot. I do love the babydolls! They are old girls with adorably creaky joints but just look so sweet out in the pasture.

[@mandipai]

Could you save the water and use the lanolin to preserve woods, or nipples after evaporation? Just a thought if you have any out buildings or fences to preserve.

[@shepherdessofskymeadow]

@@mandipai That's a wonderful idea, thank you! We do in fact have many fences and outbuildings and it couldn't hurt to at least try it :)

[@puar1987]

Doesn’t the lanolin clog up the sink???

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It could do if you wash lots but I only do a few every year xx

[@bobbyc.1111]

Where did you get your stuffed animal in the background?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I felted them x

[@jillnelsonmalmt6085]

Hello, great video! What is the name of the washing detergent you use? Many thanks!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It was just a normal one for clothes, fairy non bio I think x

[@jillnelsonmalmt6085]

@@feltsbyphilippa many thanks

[@olgakougija2901]

Здравствуйте сделайте урок кк сделать такую игрушку спасибо Ольга Таллинн Санкт-Петербург

[@GEORGE.M.M]

Hey, great video. Curious to know what product would you say is best clean like the wool/sheep skin lining of vintage shearling jacket?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Hi, sorry but I'm not sure, haven't done that, maybe try a sheepskin rug type video and ask the creator, hope you find the answer x

[@artsy._.anonymous7133]

Why does it have to be hot water

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It helps to degrease the lanolin off the wool x

[@jjohnsengraciesmom]

What kind of washing powder?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I used a non biological one, worked fine x

[@susanann4171]

Thanku for yr video, what detergent did u use?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks, just a regular non bio washing powder for clothes x

[@starlily5557]

Hi! I love watching your videos! Just wondering, I recently bought some merino wool and when I opened it, it smelled like rotten eggs. I often felt a lot of prices for my friends so this was quite concerning. How exactly would I go about washing it? And is it too late to get rid of the smell?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

That is a very unusual smell! If it's tops and you wash it, it may knot together but if it's carded then you can definitely wash it. Here's a video on washing fleece I did but you will have to be very gentle with it. Some people recommend putting charcoal in a bag with it to absorb the smell, not tried it myself, I'd probably wash it very gently x kzbin.info/www/bejne/rojOfGiqgZWepZo

[@starlily5557]

Okay! Thank you so much for the advice!

[@merrymaker1031]

Why are you cutting it with scissors?..... so much wasted fibre. Gently pull the locks away....

[@feltsbyphilippa]

That will break the locks up, I need them in perfect lock condition, you can use all the cut wool as core, not wasted at all x

[@merrymaker1031]

@@feltsbyphilippa only the bottoms of any locks I use pull away slightly....