This picture tells the story of a fleece that started here in Canada. I bought it raw, straight from the farm, and began the slow process of turning it into yarn for my next blanket design.
First came the scouring, washing away lanolin and dust to reveal the clean fibre underneath. Then I combed it into smooth, shiny locks — perfect for spinning a worsted yarn with strength and definition. I’m using this mini Turkish spindle from Galina; it’s adorable and spins well. I haven’t decided yet if I want the finished blanket to be made from a woolen or worsted yarn, so my next step will be carding some of the fleece on my drum carder to compare how each style feels when spun.
After spinning, I’ll mordant the yarn with alum to prepare it for natural dyeing. Once I choose the plant I want to work with, I’ll make a dye stock and let the yarn soak in the dye bath for 24 hours to achieve the deepest, richest colour possible.
The finished yarn will become the foundation of my next blanket design, with each strand knit into a petal — a small piece of this journey from raw fleece to finished textile.
🌿 Subscribe to follow along and see the next stage of my blanket’s progress — from fibre prep to the final bloom.
-Keli
Petal and Purl 