Low Input Washing & Dyeing Wool - Part I

This is my first try at seeing just how little in external energy inputs I can use to wash and dye wool. The idea was sequential washing and dyeing of the wool as opposed to just washing the wool and then expecting to spin it myself or send it off to be made into roving or yarn. The fleece was another soft Jacob fleece that I "discovered" while organizing/cleaning the basement. It was soaked in rain water from the cistern system (shown in picture) for 3 days (during 90 degree weather). The water was then drained off and used to water plants. This was
followed by a second soak for three days, after which the water was drained off, and the wool spun out in the washer tub to remove as much excess water as possible. At this stage the wool didn't feel too greasy at this point and the water wasn't that dirty either. I have used no soap and the wool seems like it is now ready for dyeing.

Fermented Suint Fleece Washing - Part II

The two parts of the Jacob fleece I described in the last post are both dry. The one that just recieved a hot rinse with no regular washing smells very nice to me, a faint lanolin odor. The section of the fleece that was subsequently washed in the regular way (one hot soap soak and two rinses) has no odor at all. They feel different as well - the fermented, not washed one feels softer and more "alive" for want of a better way to describe it; whereas the one that was given a conventional wash feels harsher and dryer, although the handle of the fleece is still reasonably nice. They card up about the same based on the two ounces of each batch that I have done so far. At this point, I like this method of non-washing; what I still want to do is spin up the samples I have carded and try this method with a fleece that is higher in grease. I also still want to track down and read the original article in which it was described.