I am doing my own 'Is it Garbage?' study

I am using one of my gray Dorset/Romney fleeces

for this study. I will later use a white fleece and a 

darker fleece. This is either Ebony or her 1/2 sister Midnight.

 After skirting, but before doing anything else.

If you click on the pictures, you may be able

to see the dirt, mud, hay and other VM in this fleece.

 What is left behind after I pulled a section out of

the fleece and gave it a quick shake. I did pull out

the 2nd cuts that I could see. I believe what I am 

sampling is along the lower front of the sheep, 

just above one of her front legs, judging by the coloring.

 The first hot water and Dawn soak was dirty!

The cat is requesting I don't get him wet.

I did not feel like trying to wheel a hot

bowl of water over the threshold to empty

off the deck. So, onto the deck each pour goes.

 The 2nd wash. Still pretty dirty.

 The fleece still has quite a bit of debris in it, but it is cleaner.

 The first rinse.

 The 2nd and last rinse.

Some of the VM fell out in this rinse.

 It is laid out on an old pillowcase under the ceiling

fan. If I could get outside better, it would be on a

screen allowing the air to dry it from both sides,

and taking advantage of the summer heat. With 

the cast on my foot, I am making due.

When it is fully dry, I will finish pulling it apart in

order to get out more of the VM. I might card 1/2

and comb 1/2, or I might spin it right from the picked pile.

I have not used any of my spinning wheels since before

my 2nd shoulder surgery in December. This will be a 

good reason for me to give it a go. Obviously, the only

wheel I will be spinning on is the single treadle. 😉  

In another day or two, I will pull out a white fleece.