Knitalong Progress

OK, so I'm one pair behind.. Actually three whole socks!! I started this sock for the Maple Leaf Knitalong on yahoo and frogged it all out and started again with smaller needles. This is a different yarn and obviously not as fine as Lorna's Laces... my yarn of choice for socks! The sock is still a tag baggy on me, but I'm hoping with a good washing they'll shrink down some. Love the colorway of this wool! No pooling! I think this is a German yarn that I bought at my local yarn shop (LYS).. I'll have to check. It's kind of splitty and 'dry' and I don't like the feel of it much. Oh well. It's the first pair I'm actually making for ME! What a novel idea! :)

Scouring Lucille

Since returning to work, my fiber time has been cut short... Short?? Try OFF!!
J and I went to a fall festival in Somerset, PA and I met a wonderful woman named Carmen Rose who was spinning alpaca. I bought an unwashed fleece from her and will show the process of scouring, carding, spinning and knitting Lucille! I wish I had a picture of Lucille the Alpaca to include!
The fleece is beautiful with varigated tans and dark browns. There's little VM in it and NO smell at all! I gave it three washes with Mane and Tail shampoo and two rinses with hair conditioner.
I scour my fleece with hot water (no, it never felts) in a lingerie bag (try Dollar Tree). I do some squishing to remove dirt. I don't swish the bag back and forth, but I'm not all that gentle with it either! And NO felting....
Here are the pictures of yesterday's progress. As I write, the fleece is outside on the deck. The cats are not sure what to make of it! It spent the night in the studio with a small fan blowing over it. I want to card this evening! DRY! DRY!!