Processing Price List for 2023
The Process
We offer the washing and processing of your fleeces into either batts or roving. Please make sure to skirt your fleeces thoroughly by removing matts, burrs, and vegetation: you will save yourself money in the long run. If you aren't sure how to skirt a fleece, there are several excellent videos on YouTube that demonstrate the process.
Weighing
All fleeces will be weighed upon arrival at the mill. This is the "unwashed" weight. Washing prices are based on the unwashed weight.
Washing
Washing removes lanolin, dirt and sweat from the fleece, but it won't remove matts or much of the vegetative matter. This is why skirting is so important. A heavily soiled fleece may need a second wash, adding to the cost. The fibre is dried and weighed again. This is the "washed" weight.
Picking
Once dried, the picker opens up the fleece in preparation for carding. Picking removes some of the debris. The picker cannot open matted fibres, only break them, which will add undesirable and unremovable little lumps, or "nepps," to your finished product. Remove matts ahead of time during skirting.
Carding
Carding roughly aligns the fibres in the same direction and removes more debris. Coarser fibre is faster to card than finer fibre. The carder can produce either a batt or roving. Either can be used for spinning or wet felting, though spinners generally prefer roving and felters generally prefer batts. Batts can also be used as quilting material in duvets. Fleeces with large amounts of vegetative matter may need to be carded twice, adding to the expense. Remember: skirt, skirt, skirt!
Very fine fleeces, such as merino or cria fleeces, are not picked but instead carded twice. The picker can break the fibres of very fine fleeces and create short fibres, or "noils." Noils don't spin smoothly and tend to create a tweedy texture to the yarn. Double carding takes more time than picking and carding, so the finest fleeces are more expensive to process.
Price List
- Fleeces must be skirted before arriving at the mill. Or we can do it for you at a cost of $50/hour, minimum 1 hour.
- Prices do not include shipping or taxes.
- Invoices must be paid in full before the fibre leaves the mill.
- Finished product that is not picked up after 2 weeks without arrangement will be charged $2.50/day for storage.
- Finished product that is not paid for or picked up within 30 days becomes the property of Farfelu Fibreworks.
| Service | Price |
| Washing: one soap soak, three soap washes and a rinse | $6.50/lb. unwashed weight |
| Extra Wash | $3.00/lb. unwashed weight |
| Blending | $3.50/lb. washed weight plus the material of your choice |
|
Picking and carding to roving/batts for medium to fine fleeces (romney, alpaca, mohair, etc.) |
$15.00/lb. washed weight |
| Double-carding to roving/batts for very fine fleeces (cria, angora, fine merino, etc.) or for fleeces with tightly-curled locks | $20.00/lb. washed weight |
| Double carding to remove extra debris | $10.00/lb. washed weight |