I bought some yarn from webs. It has a heavy oily residue. I am not certain if this yarn was spun in the grease or if this is a “spinning oil” residue (web states that some of their yarn had been stored in spinning oil). This yarn is on the cone.
In any case the yarn washes up well.
Should I knit my project and wash AFTER? or Skein the yarn and wash before I knit my sweater?
Working the yarn raw seems to be the easier answer. But it may not be the right one. Opinions appreciated!
You can do either. Spinning in the grease (unwashed fiber) does not leave an oily feel, persay, it has a thicker/heavier feel, more like a greasy feel. The best way to describe the feel is sort of like washing greasy dishes or pots and pans, and the water cold. Oily has the thinner more fluid feel, sorta like spilling vegetable oil when we cook. Because wool fibers are naturally coated in lanoline, it will make your hands feel very soft (from the lanoline) Yes it is the same product put in soaps, hand lotions, and shampoo. When wool is washed, a lot of the lanoline is removed from the fibers. This lanoline is sold to manufacters. When the wool is washed a second time, more lanoline and a sticky byproduct is removed from the wool. The sticky stuff is sold to band aid companys and it is the sticky that makes the band aid stick. I love spinning, when I spin my hands get so soft, it is incrediable!!!
Very interesting, Heidi, I never knew that!
Wash your gauge swatch, though, because I have read that after washing, garments made with lanolin rich yarn will get bigger.
The stuff definately fluffs after a good washing!
But I have decided to skein it and wash the wool first.
I just swatched this stuff in pattern. It was too stiff and sticky for my limited skill. Now I am trying to figure out how to skein without a niddy noddy. I am eyeing the back of the colonial rocker 
You can use the chair and tie with scrap yarn in four places. I like the niddy noddy the best. It seems to go faster with the rythm. I personally like to spin and knit with a “cleaner” fiber. How are you going to wash it? You don’t want to agitate it or it will felt. I and a lot of spinners use a product called Orvis. It is a cleaner that is used to clean/wash animals, people that show animals at fairs, competitions etc. use it. It is fabulous. To wash wool, use all hot water, the hotest you can get. Put a tablespoon or so in the water. Just drop the fiber/yarn into hot water. Leave overnight. Do not agitate, wring, nothing, just let it sink to the bottom by itself and soak overnight. On top of the water will be lanolin and an oily soap scum looking water. Place the yarn in clean, clear cool water and let soak several hours or overnight. You will have clean fresh yarn, with little effort. Remove the yarn and hang to dry.
You can buy Orvis at feed and hay stores, some Walmarts, wherever you can purchase horse/animal supplies. My friends even use it to bath their dogs. It is a really good product.
Thanks for the tip on the orvis.
I swatched this yarn out earlier and washed it with plain ol dish soap and warm water. It took 3 trips through to get the wool feeling really clean.
So far I have wrapped 4 of (about) 12 hanks off the back of my rocker.
Its a colonial style - 4 spindles. It makes a decent hank but its a pain in the wrist 
After I get the first wash out of the way I will wash again if needed. I have some Euclan on hand so Ill probably use that.
That is what is nice about Orvis, it breaks down the grease and oil so well, It is really incredible your yarn will be so clean. It is gentle, fast and excellent. No icky ordor either. If you want, I’ll send you some.