Hi! I'm Tara and I'm the Blonde Chicken behind all this yarn! You can read more about how I got this Today I’m cleaning a fleece from an angora goat. Or a mohair fleece. I’m never sure what to call it!
The goat breed is angora – but the finished fiber is called mohair.
So, yeah, I’m cleaning that.
This particular fleece comes from Rammings farm and while beautiful and strong it is quite dirty.
While I’ve become more experienced with washing sheepy fleeces, this is my first time washing a goat fleece, so I did a little research.
My fleece is still soaking, so I’m certainly not an expert, but here are the best resources I’ve found:
- Very detailed information all about mohair fiber, including the correct ph balance and water tempature at Fiber2Yarn.
- A much more succinct guide at the Colored Angora Goat Breeder’s Assocation.
- Lots of fleece information from Spinderella.
The main points of concern (although I really recommend reading all of those articles – so full of great info!) are the following:
- Don’t let the temperature get too hot (over 170) or the fibers will be damaged.
- Don’t let the water get too cold (under 110) or the lanolin will re-congeal (ew)
- Don’t agitate the fibers or change the water temperature rapidly (or you’ll get some lovely, hairy felt!)
If you have any tips or experiences washing an angora goat fleece, please share in the comments!
