05/08/2026
Something different today. I've been washing raw fleece in preparation for future peg loom projects. This particular fleece is a Valais Blacknose cross. So I thought I'd put on some pics to talk you through the process which I use. It's taken me a while to master this - it's so easy to felt the fleece when you're hand washing, if you're not careful. The trick is to work in small batches of fleece, and not to agitate the wool in any way when it's in the water!
1. I start by placing the raw fleece in a tub of cold water overnight. This will remove a lot of the general dirt in the wool. I use a length of wood to push it under the water, being careful not to stir in any way. Next day, I drain the water and spin the partly washed fleece in an upright spinner. (You might not have one of these, so roll the fleece in an old towel to remove as much water as possible).
2. Refill the tub with very hot water - at least 40°C - and add clothes-washing detergent. Place the fleece back in the water, pressing it gently down until it's covered, and leave it for about 40 minutes. Repeat the process of gently removing it, draining the water and rolling in a towel.
3. Finally, refill the tub with clean hot water, add the fleece, press it under the water and leave for about 30 minutes. It can then be removed, drained and as much water as possible removed by rolling a towel.
The fleece should be clean and unfelted. I sometimes repeat states 2 avd 3 if the fleece is really dirty! Good luck if you're having a go!
