We fiber addicts are very concerned about how to prevent moth damage to wool. Most of us have lovingly prepared fiber waiting to spin and irresistible yarn collected in a stash for an upcoming project. We keenly feel anxiety that this valuable wool yarn and fiber is vulnerable to those treacherous clothes moths. But our options for truly protecting our wool have shrunk because of the poisonous nature of the time-honored moth ball.

Moth balls are very effective at repelling moths in clothing. Our grandmothers used them freely and sometimes that unique fragrance triggers loving memories, but we know now that even the odor is toxic! Naphthalene, the chemical historically used in moth balls, is a solid white substance with a strong smell. The solid gradually breaks down into a gas. How naphthalene actually kills insects is not completely understood, but scientists do know that when the gas is inhaled, the chemicals react with our red blood cells, changing them so that they can no longer car...

We have completed our wool clip for this year. Initially, we store our raw fleeces in clear plastic bags. This makes them easily seen and handled by those who may wish to buy a raw fleece. Most of our fleeces this year were sold quickly, and thankfully, I don't have to worry about their storage. But we have a couple still left that we want to process later or enter into shows. I thought I would give some tips about storing raw fleece.

Every wool producer or hand spinner seems to have their own preference for fleece storage. Some fiber addicts always wash the fleece before storing, others prefer to leave it unwashed. Raw, unwashed fleece needs some additional care for it to remain viable after storage. We are fortunate to live in a cool, dry climate which makes storage less of a problem for us than many other folks. But, whatever your conditions, there are three or four elements to consider.

1. Skirt the fleece well. Removing the dirty manure tags and all of the dock wool will prevent uri...