Sheep fleece - silly questions...

[Multiveg]

Today, we went on a family day out to a farm which also has other activities. We watched a sheep shearing demonstration. Anyway, without thinking, I bought a fleece for £1.

What do I do with it now?
Wikipedia mentioned scouring - could I wash the fleece in the bath, and would i need to use soap/detergent/washing soda/something...?
OH fancies using it as a rug in front of the fire (gas, not log!).

[Multiveg]

[OliveOil]

ooo how exciting - that is JUSt the sort of thing i would do LOL...

Always fancied spinning my own wool.

I think a massive google search is your answer.... i seem to remember combing the wool cleans it.

[thewoodle]

yes, put it in a bath with warm (not hot) water and wool detergent. Give it a good rub (it feels lovely and soft under the water). Then let all the water out, fold the fleece in half (wool on the inside) and press down until you've got as much water out as you can. Then lay it flat to dry or hang on the line (across the line, -it'll be too heavy to peg...) and afterwards you just need to brush it until it's lovely and soft again. I just use a normal hair brush. Used one in the base of the pram with both my children as both were born in the winter.

[Belinda]

Wow, a sheepskin fleece for only £1, absolute bargain.

I bought one some time ago for the OH to use as a car seat cover (draughty old sports car), it cost £18 and was on the bargains rail as it wasn't top quality. It gets washed occasionally, in the washing machine on a wool cycle  ::), although the backing skin is gradually deteriorating.

Where is this farm?, maybe I can get myself one! I don't see why I should be the one with a cold bum in the car  ;D

[Multiveg]

Wow, a sheepskin fleece for only £1, absolute bargain.

I bought one some time ago for the OH to use as a car seat cover (draughty old sports car), it cost £18 and was on the bargains rail as it wasn't top quality. It gets washed occasionally, in the washing machine on a wool cycle  ::), although the backing skin is gradually deteriorating.

Where is this farm?, maybe I can get myself one! I don't see why I should be the one with a cold bum in the car  ;D

There are at least 2 farms on Anglesey that are listed as tourist attractions - look out for some near you. Not only do they give the chance to get close to farm animals perhaps even bottlefeeding the lambs, they may put on displays of sheep shearing (like the one I went to). The farmer said that this year, they were getting about 15-25p a fleece.

[Mr Smith]

When I was a young man I worked on a sheep farm in Western Australia and got a really big bollocking when I killed my first sheep and held it to tight while I did the business with a good knife, on the inside of the fleece you could see my finger marks because I held it to tight and bruised the fleece, we would eat one wether a fortnight between five of us, very self sufficient  those days have held me in good esteem forty years laterbecause I do not have a problem with despatching animals if I can get rid of the guts and crap,

[bunjies]

i is confused!
do you mean you have a sheepskin, or a sheared fleece from the shearer?
if you have just the fleece it wont make a rug as it is i am afraid. you can spin it, or felt it or use it in the garden to protect vunerable things and it will rot away in time.
if you got a sheepskin for £1 i am so  envious you wouldnt believe!