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Welcome to our fiber page. Check back frequently to see what we're making from our angora wool. You'll
find photos of our harvesting process, raw wool, blended fibers, hand spun yarn, and more. If you move down to
the bottom of the page you will see tips for spinning angora fiber. For purchasing info please visit our online
store at
www.wespinangora.etsy.com
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This basket is 0.5 ounces
of white angora fiber.
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Close up of white plucked angora fiber.
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This is a photo of fiber still on the rabbit.
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1 ounce of prime plucked fiber right off
the rabbit.
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This photo demonstrates the length of the
staple. In this case you can see it is 4.5 to 5 inches long.
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This is angora yarn. One single is pure angora
and the other is alpaca. Super soft and lofty.
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This batt was blended on the drum carder. I combined dyed sheep's wool and mohair with my angora. I call it
hurricane season because the colors were inspired by the weather and stormy sky this time of year.
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Angora
Rabbit Fiber
Spinning angora fiber is a wonderful way to
develop yarn that is soft, warm and has a wonderful bloom or halo.
Spinning
When you
spin angora fiber it is best to use a semi-woolen method using a little extra twist. Angora fiber is wonderful for beginners
who tend to treadle too quickly or over spin other fibers. Angora needs the extra twist to give it strength and prevent shedding.
Plying
Angora yarn can be used as a single or plied. The yarn will soften as you ply but it will not develop it's
full bloom until it is knit or woven. Angora is perfect for blending with other fibers. I sometimes like to use one
single of angora and ply it with another single of alpaca, wool or even cashmere.
Finishing
Finishing is the
most important step when spinning with angora. The following process is called fulling and I feel it is essential to
a high quality angora yarn.
You will need the following supplies: a squirt of liquid dish soap, sink
or large bowl, a potato masher or sink plunger, cold water and a towel or salad spinner.
1. Fill your bowl with
very hot water, add a squirt of detergent and then add your tied skein of angora yarn.
2. Use the potato masher or sink
plunger to compress the skein over and over.
3. dump out the hot water and fill the bowl with cold water. (Now is a good
time to re-align the skein to prevent tangles)
4. Fill up your bowl with hot water and compress it over and over until
the water is clear of soap residue.
5. Dump the hot and add cold water again to completely rinse the soap out of the
skein. At this time I add a splash of white vinegar to help remove the soap. You will learn how much soap to use
in the beginning based on how many times you have to rinse. :-)
6. I do a final hot rinse and I usually add one
or two drops of essential oil to the skein to mask out any vinegar scent.
7. Use a towel or salad spinner to remove
the excess water.
8. Now it is time to whack the skein. Re-align the skein, hold one end of the
skein and give the other end a hard whack against your counter top. Turn it around and give it another whack.
This opens up the fibers and helps the yarn to develop it's bloom.
You will notice a nice bloom as the
skein hangs to dry.
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