Fleeces
We aim to have our fleeces a good length for handspinners and yet still be easily processed. The average staple length is around 10-12cm in our best fleeces (processing maximum is 15cm). Lustre and the way that the wool handles are important considerations.
All our fleeces are professionally classed at shearing time with the only the best fleeces in terms of length, colour and strength going through to our value-adding processing.
Presently, we are not further processing the Drysdale and English Leicester wools ourselves. We certainly hope to do so in the future.
Processing
After being classed at shearing time our best Merino and Castledale fleeces go to Geelong, Victoria, to be scoured (washed). This involves washing with hot water and detergent. No other process is involved with scouring of our fleeces – no carbonising or “superwash”.
The washed fleece then goes to Cashmere Connections in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, to be combed. This aligns all the fibres for effortless spinning as well as removing all the vegetable matter (grass seed, bits of grass/hay etc) and any short bits of wool.
After that minimal processing, all within our state of Victoria, the wool tops head home to be hand-dyed or sold as undyed.
