All the care that went into this blanket, but it shrank ***25%*** when gently washed. The wool was something slightly crispy and down-breed-like (don't remember the breed I was told), which I haven't worked with before, and it's amazingly soft and cushy now, and very small. 54" in the reed came down to 48" when taken off the loom, and shrank to 40" in washing. From around 72" long to about 52" after washing, as well. I've never had that kind of shrinkage in a handspun wool project.
So since I can't weave much wider even on the 60" AVL, the next blanket will be panels to be sewn together after weaving. And to avoid the shrinkage of down-type wool, the next fleece will be something different. I'm hoping to find some Perendale in the US (raw fleece only). I'd like to buy two white Perendale fleeces, if it's traditional-style Perendale. I don't want something that could mimic Romney, but something with that length and lots of crimp. Hoping someone on this list can give me a lead to US Perendale :) Holly who has a deadline of Christmas for the blanket, and the Northern Michigan Lamb & Wool Festival for a new coat--but that one will be Shetland
