Felting for Orphans

Some days I feel like the Little Red Hen!  I bought some Angora goats for the fiber (of course), learned to shear them (thank you Denise!), figured out how to wash the fleece, experimented with the dyeing process, and began felting, a skill new to me.

Here's what I've done so far... it's not much.  :D

The general idea is that I am going to try and sell these (or rather, trade them for a $10 tax deductible donation to Elias' adoption fund).  What do you think?  Would YOU buy one?  I'm not asking you to, just to say whether you would.  :D

When you see the picture of the little guy would it make you more likely to donate? Look:

How can you resist such darlingness?!

:D  I'm off to school.  (College for grown ups is exhausting!)

Me and My Blue Bucket

Yesterday I washed most of my remaining Angora fiber, nearly the entire fleece, in the washing machine.  It worked well to get it sort of creamy colored, but it didn't remove the vegetation from the hairs.  I am really struggling with that portion of the process.  Help!

This is what it looked like after washing it. Nice and clean looking...except for all the pine needles and leaves and such!

 Then me and my blue bucket mixed up some dye (ok the bucket was for the soda ash soak before dyeing.)
Look at that pretty burgundy color!  I was really hoping if I mixed the lime with the red I'd get a more orange look as I'm going for felting pumpkins first.  But if it stayed this color, I'd be very happy with it!



Placing it on the paper towel (with plastic under it to prevent counter stains) is kinda gross.

 I started rinsing it but ewww! It really looks like... brains. Until I got it done!  And now look!  Too bad I didn't want PINK and a very light limey color!

Ok, now what.  Hmm.  Well, off to dry it, and then maybe on my NEXT day off, I can card some of it.  I hope people will buy pink and lime pumpkins to support special needs orphans in Russia!  <3