The Self-Sufficient Skills thread (new name, old thread!)

Tortoise- that is SERIOUSLY NICE! :woot

I learned to use a drop spindle last year in a bid to use up some of my fleece that has been sitting around from when I used to have a place for my spinning wheel. I have a few skeins done, but haven't used up much fleece yet. It's amazing how much yarn a fleece makes.
 
And just how much yard DOES a fleece make??? (Getting a fleece on Monday, wondering if I should get more than one or if I am just being silly....)
 
How much are you planning on spinning? I can't see a dent in my brown fleece, and I have made 4 skeins on my wheel (long ago) and another 3 so far with the spindle. I even went through the fleece this summer and got rid of some of the marginal parts of it since it seemed like I had so much to work with.

I want an alpaca fleece this spring! (not that I have time to spin it, either :/)
 
This will be my first attempt...I have grandma's wool carders and will make a drop spindle. Then will sit in front of the computer watching youtube instructional videos, trying to make yarn!

If I get enough, the plan is to make something rustic for myself. A vest? Socks? Mittens? I don't know....how much yarn will I get? Are your skeins standard four ounce skeins, or are homemade measured differently? Do I need to ply it, too?

Haven't done much research yet, since I just stumbled across this fleece opportunity.

I would love to stuff a quilt with fleece. How many would I need? I suppose they could be lower quality, shorter fibers and such. So exciting!
 
I was reading an old MEN mag the other day and found a neat article about making yarn from the brushings of Great Pyrs. The lady was using her pottery wheel to make the thread/yarn.

Anyone else using nontraditional fiber like rabbit or dog for their yarn?
 
We've been considering using the poodles' hair. We have 4 miniature poodles and we're keeping one of our mini labradoodles this year, so we'll have a fleecey f1b labradoodle as well :)

I noticed my goats are scratching cause its been so warm and their winter coat is falling out and its all fleecey lol... I've been collecting it and admiring it haha. I might take the slicker brush to them tomorrow.
 
Wet dog hair yarn smells like, yup, you guessed it, wet dog. Even when it's mixed into other stuff. I used to work at a doggie daycare and had access to literally pounds of hair. I hired a lady to spin it mixed with wool. I knit a hat out of it, and every time it rained (which was every day in Washington) my head would smell like wet dog. Which I actually don't mind, but some people might.

I had my wool sheep processed on Saturday, I asked them to save the skin for me, and I plan on shaving it. They put it in the freezer for me, has anyone done this? Will the wool be damaged from being sheared post mortem, post freezing?

I can always use it as mulch, but I wanted to try to salvage some of it at least.
 
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