On processing a very matted fleece

In June I was presented with three fleeces from Easy-care sheep. Now I had been given wool from Easy-care sheep before, but only in matted fragments full of vegetable matter and often mouldy. The reason is that Easy-care sheep naturally shed their wool and so, once the wool starts falling off, it ends up in all the bushes and each part at a different time.

So with this background I was initially quite puzzled when I was told I would be brought entire fleeces. However it turns out that the previous owners of this wool managed to get it so felted that the entire fleece came off in one piece. 

Two of them I gave to other volunteers immediately, so I can only show you the fleece I kept. This 

sheep was so skilled in felting it, that the fleece begged to be turned into a capelet or waistcoat of some kind. Just look at it's shape!

Fleece after washing and brushing with a brush with few teeth

So to process it, I cleaned it out by washing it with water and gentle wool wash. Then I started working out the locks with a coarse brush and stabilizing the bits that had not been too well felted. Specifically, I used wool yarn (loosely spun and of a type that is prone to felt) and wove through the felted back side of the fleece if I thought the felt was a little unstable or the felted fragments were not working together as a closed fabric. In addition I sewed over the edge to create a stable constant line. At these picture in the half-point the difference between the unstabilized and the stabilized half is very apparent.

Bottom half and edge stabilized, top half and edge still raw

Top half brushed and carded, bottom half only brushed

Once the surface was stable I carded and combed the wool to make it fluff up. Then finally I sewed the sides together under the arms and pulled stitching around the edges of the shoulders tight to make them round a little. And that's it - waistcoat done!

If a material this desperately wants to be an item, who am I to say no.

Formalities

• Materials: fleece, wool yarn
• Tools: Hair brush, card, needle
• Time: I can't really remember... maybe 7-8 hrs?