Combing and Salvaging Merino

Yesterday I told you Targhee wool has too little luster to suit my taste.  You may be wondering why I'm showing you a box of combed merino wool today since it has even less.

I bought the wool a couple of years ago before coming to grips with my predilection, before realizing how much a glossy sheen is necessary to my happiness.

I also didn't know at the time how much I prefer to spin well-prepared, lofty fibre without noils or sections that resist drafting.  When I bought this merino, the roving was the very opposite.  The seller told me so and showed me a sample of the rustic yarn the roving would make.  I said, oh, that's fine, and bought a pound because while I was informed my powers of discrimination were as yet unformed.  My fault and a forgivable one.

Now I have combed the merino.  I'd been meaning to do so for ages and it's good to have gotten that task off the "to do" list.  I feel like I've salvaged the purchase.

Sixty-one grams, or just over two ounces remain.  The matte texture remains.  The waste might be good for stuffing.  The combed wool is definitely going in the category of "wool with which to make gifts for family" not "wool for selfish knitting."  The preparation is good, the wool is fine, and only the longest fibres are left.  This combination would lend itself to an experiment in spinning extremely fine gauge yarn if I want.

The colour is a natural brown and the wool was probably raised in Alberta, both plusses in my book.  Natural colour in general, I mean, not this particular shade of warm brown.  I can see other people going crazy for it.  Me, I like natural wool colours in the clear grey range.