[Bionic]

I washed and rinsed my fleece several times before carding. Having just moved the drum carder I don't think I did a good job of washing in the first place 
Sally
 

[Alistair]

Is that your spun wool in the background, looks fantastic

[Alistair]

Oh, and is the drum carder remote control?

[Lesley Silvester]

You can wash the rest out now it's spun or even after you have made it up into something.

[Bionic]

Alistair, I only wish that was my spun yarn. No mine is much more of a hit and miss affair than that as you can see from the pic.
The drum carder needs to be wound by hand but I have found it sooo much easier than hand carders. Unfortunately an electric carder costs about £1200 so I won't be getting one of those 
MGM, I washed the spun yarn in the pic on Monday, 2 washes and 3 rinses, and it feels much softer now. There is a debate over whether to put a weight on the bottom when its drying or not. I have chosen not to because I don't want to loose the elasticity in the yarn.   
My next task is to wind it into balls and then weigh it so that I can determine how much I have to make something with. Jumper for OH seems to be the favourite idea if there is enough. I still have some of the carded batts to spin so I am sure there will be.
This is all new to me so I am learning as I go along.
Sally

[Dans]

looks good Sally 

Dans

[SallyintNorth]

That yarn looks fab, Sally 

My next task is to wind it into balls and then weigh it so that I can determine how much I have to make something with.

Errr....  not sure the weight is a very reliable indicator, especially at the stage we're at...  Ravellers talk about using yardage as the measure, rather than weight.  My earlier spinnings were very dense, so less yardage per ounce.  Now I'm getting better at woollen draw and at controlling the diameter and being more consistent, I can get a lot more yardage out of a packet of fibre.

If you count the turns as you wind onto the niddy noddy, then you have the yardage.  Apols if I am mentioning this as the horse's hooves disappear into the distance and the empty stable door creaks swinging in the wind... 

Another idea would be to knit a swatch or two (of course you'll do this anyway, that is, you will if you are more disciplined than I am  ) and weigh that... should give a prety good indication? 

Having said all of which, I think jaykay used weight for her awesome purple jumper - but then she was spinning quite fine and very consistent yarn. (Need emotiwotsit for green-eyed with envy!)

[Bionic]

Thats really interesting and I am sure you are right about yardage rather than weight.
I wish I had heard about the niddy noddy measure before. I think todays task will be winding it all back on the niddy noddy bit by bit, before I wind into balls. Better get my calculator out too. Once I have a better idea of what I had got I can start 
thanks
Sally

[Lesley Silvester]

And don't forget the pics of the finished article.

[Mammyshaz]

Salty, your spun wool looks lovely  I wish mine looked so good, but it will get there with practice ( may be still practicing for perfection for a few years yet    )

Definitely a piccie of your finished item  to spur me on    . ( Still no spinning emotiowhatsit Dan??  )

[Bionic]

MGM, Mammyshaz, you will both be old ladies before this jumper gets finished. I have promised OH for about 7 years time 
Sally

[Lesley Silvester]

Forgot to say, your spun wool looks pretty good to me.
 
BTW, did you know the term spinster dates back to the time when it would be the daughters of the house who did the spinning so that makes you a spinster.   
 
I must be one of the only women in the world who was married to a spinster.   

[Moleskins]

MGM, Mammyshaz, you will both be old ladies before this jumper gets finished. I have promised OH for about 7 years time 
Sally

Unless his jumper ends up like mine, on its way to being a cushion cover - easier to do apparently