[SallyintNorth]

If you are reading this, Dans... I've found Castlemilk Moorit to be a surprisingly greasy fleece, so does require high temp lots of detergent to wash.  (Or use Power Scour.)

It's not a novice spin, either.  Very short, very fine fibre.  I find it easiest to spin directly from my little Louet hand combs - which is counter-intuitive, being a short fibre, but it works!

[Bionic]

I bought 5 CMM fleece a couple of years ago and I couldn't spin them. In the end they all went on the compost heap :-(

[SallyintNorth]

I bought 5 CMM fleece a couple of years ago and I couldn't spin them. In the end they all went on the compost heap :-(

Oh no!  But life is definitely too short to spend on fleece that isn't fun to spin.

The spinning short fibres from the comb thing was a revelation to me.  I do the Manxes that way too.  I'm better at making rolags these days, but still prefer spinning CM and Manx from the comb.

[Buttermilk]

  I'm better at making Roland these days, but still prefer spinning CM and Manx from the comb.

I take it Roland is autocorrect for rolags.

[SallyintNorth]

I'm better at making Roland these days, but still prefer spinning CM and Manx from the comb.

I take it Roland is autocorrect for rolags.

That's karma, that is.  When I read other people's posts with stupid autocorrectnesses in them, I spit and fume  .   

I've corrected the post now, thanks!

[Dans]

I am indeed reading this!

I've washed a few fleeces so far in the bath with ecover. No felting incidents so far.

Yeah I've heard that CMM isn't the best for spinning but I fell in love with them. Gonna try peg loom rug mixed with a white fleece this year and maybe try some felting as it's  lovely colour. One is super soft and actually intact (half of them shed a lot) so I'm tempted to try spinning it. Or sending it off to be done, I was reading the other thread with interest.

Dans

[Lesley Silvester]

I prefer to spin in the grease and wash the spun yarn. I've never yet found one too greasy to spin and that includes CMM.

[SallyintNorth]

I prefer to spin in the grease and wash the spun yarn. I've never yet found one too greasy to spin and that includes CMM.

I'm more in your camp, Lesley, preferring to spin in the grease (after a cold soak only) for the most part.  However, having had to wash large numbers of fleeces for our Deb Robson workshop, I hate washing fleece - and washed fleece - less now!

And, now I've partially overcome my antipathy to washing fleece and washed fleece, I can admit that anything tricky to prep on mini-combs or hand cards may well be easier if washed.  So a greasy longwool, I would wash.  Manx and Castlemilk, if short and greasy, I'd wash for carding, might wash or not for spinning off the combs.  Anything in between, I'd probably not wash, mainly due to time constraints and workload, rather, now, than my preference.

I still like the magic of the spun-in-the-grease yarn turning white and airy when it's washed!

[Fleecewife]

I agree with the cold soak first, whichever way you spin.  In fact when I do wash the fleece I don't use really hot water because I want to keep some of the lanolin in, just getting the worst mank out.  I also add baby oil to the final rinse, which helps keep it nice if it's to be stored, and also nice to spin  .