old fleece

[doddy]

I am a lapsed spinner, and have just found a sack of high quality Merino fleece in my cupboard. It has been there for years. No moth, but the lanoline seems to have dried out and gone hard. The fleece feels very dry. Can it be salvaged? If so, how? I am sure it would be unpleasant to try and spin with it as it is.

[mullerslanefarm]

I would gently scour the fleece in hot water and a good wool wash. You can lose up to 50% weight in lanolin when scouring a merino fleece.

In the final rinse, add some hair conditioner.