[Jacob-list] Sheepskin treatment

[Chovhani]

Can you believe this. I've spent an hour surfing the net, using four different search engines and I CANNOT find some straightforward instructions for turning my raw sheepskin into a rug or throw. I know you guys won't let me down!

I didn't think I'd need advice you see. I own John Seymour's book of self-sufficiency, and use it for everything, but just as I'm about to get out the borax something told me to stop. These instructions do not say anything about the wool.......I don't want to wreck it for the sake of rawhide......his method cures rather than tans. 

So.....I collected the fleece, head attached and dripping, still warm, straight after the kill. Tons of blood everywhere, got it into my bathtub, cut off the head and tail, cut a rough sheepskin shape, and rinsed all the blood off. NOW WHAT?

Seymour says to rinse in a borax solution, then dump it in a solution of salt and sulphuric acid, and leave for 3 days. Then rinse it in borax again, churn in the washing machine, half-dry it, and finally work on it by hand. I'm game for all this, but what about the wool? Or do you guys have a better way? When I wash fleeces I do them in the washing machine, but I don't use these harsh chemicals (I'm an organic gal) so I'm clueless.

Please get back to me as fast as you can before the stores close in case I need to go fetch anything.

THANKS!
Melanie



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