more FAQ's

I decided I should continue with the FAQ's so here they are:

12. What can angora yarn be used for?
Angora yarn is amazingly warm and soft. It can be made into fabulous hats, scarves, wrist warmers for example. It can also be used to line other knit items for added warmth. I like to add stripes of angora to projects to provide some special texture and interest.
13. Does it shed?
Angora yarn that is spun from plucked fibers sheds very little. Commercially produced angora yarn often sheds because when the fiber is clipped off the animal it includes short bits along with the long hair and those short bits are what sheds out.

14. Does it shrink/felt?
Yes, angora items will definitely shrink and felt if subjected to warmth, moisture and agitation. For this reason, I do not recommend pure angora for socks or for gloves and mittens (unless they are house socks – worn just to bed or around the house). It does make lovely lining for mittens.
15. How should it be washed and cared for?
Angora items should be washed in cold water with no agitation. Just soak them, squeeze the soapy water through a few times, rinse the same way and let them dry flat on a towel.
16. Is angora fiber hard to spin?
It can be tricky to spin at first, but once you get the hang of it, spinning angora is very easy! It is slippery, and the fibers do not “grab” as readily as wool, so it requires a lot of twist, and very little pull-in. One of the things I like best is that plucked angora can be spun right off the rabbit with no washing or carding. Now by that, I do not mean that I spin directly from the rabbit. It can be done, and you will often see that at fairs because it is such a novelty. I find it hard to get up any speed or be really consistent that way. Instead I pluck the rabbit, then I can take that plucked fiber and spin it immediately.
17. What does “prime plucked” mean?
Prime Plucked fiber has been carefully harvested from the rabbit by gently pulling it out when the hair is ready to shed. It is smooth, untangled and all the same length which makes it lovely and easy to spin.
18. How do you create your yarns?

Do you do your own dyeing?
Yes, I dye at all different stages of the process: raw wool, unspun angora, carded batts, or spun yarn. I love playing with color and I am experimenting with solar dyeing, as a way to eliminate the need for CO2 producing fossil fuels from yet another stage (all my carding and spinning are done under my own power!). I regularly use two main sources of natural dye – walnut for lovely rich browns, and lichen for eye-popping purples.
Where does the wool you use come from?
Most of the wool that I use (sometimes alone, more often in combination with angora) comes from local sheep. I either buy it directly from friends, or find it at one of the local fiber fairs in the area.
What is the difference between sheep’s wool and angora?
Angora from rabbits is softer silkier and much warmer (7 times warmer!) than wool. It also does not have the elasticity of wool, which is why I often combine the two.
What can I do with small skeins of yarn?
http://simpleknits.blogspot.com/2008/03/500-patterns-to-knit-with-1-285-yards.html
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