Wool clothing is in nearly every closet. Throughout history, people have sheared sheep for their wool. It’s used to create a veriety of fabrics and produce clothing, blankets, and other textiles. Humans have been using wool since the early days of agriculture, but how exactly did we figure out how to do this? The history […]
The History of Wool Read More »
Have you ever seen a sweater made out of Merino wool and wondered why it’s such a popular (and expensive) material? The answer lies in its superior quality and characteristics. In this article, I’ll explain what Merino wool is, where it’s from, and the unique qualities that make this type of sheep’s wool superior to
What is Merino Wool? (and why it’s so special) Read More »
There are many different kinds of yarn classified by their different characteristics, such as thickness and weight. So what is worsted weight yarn, and how does it fit in?
What is Worsted Weight Yarn? Read More »
Skirting is when you remove debris from sheep’s wool before selling. Debris in sheep wool often includes stains, vegetable manner, tags, and tarry bits. This is an essential process to make wool presentable to the public. Whether you sell raw wool fleeces or produce fiber products to sell, after shearing is completed, skirting wool is
Skirting Wool Guide (how to skirt a wool fleece) Read More »
Since the 1970’s, traditional wool has seen a decline in use in clothing and other products compared to synthetic fabrics. Synthetic materials are cheaper, made in a factory, and made on-demand. On the other hand, traditional wool requires a more labor-intensive and time-consuming production process to care for the sheep. Even if it’s not as
Properties of Wool Fiber Read More »
Wool is a highly sought-after material for a plethora of different reasons used in a variety of industries. This is just one reason why proper handling, storing, and marketing of wool fleeces is so important. It’s just as important for wool producers to know what to do with sheep wool after shearing. That will preserve
What to do with Sheep Wool after Shearing? Read More »
If you have decided to raise sheep for wool production, then you will first need to learn how to keep sheep wool clean and free of contaminants. Most fleece produced on small farms is marketed to hand spinners who will either require raw fleece or roving. Spinners will be looking for wool in many different
How to Keep Sheep Wool Clean (management tips) Read More »
Shearing, skirting, and spinning are part of the cycle for farmers on sheep fiber farms. They are activities that require hard work to ensure that the fleece is ready to be sold at a high standard. However, the quality of the fleece your sheep produce relies on effective management practices. The way you take care
Sheep Nutrition for Wool Production (what to feed) Read More »
For thousands of years shepherds have been raising sheep for wool in countries all over the world. Sheep wool is a preferred fiber because it is easy to work with (the crimp of each strand makes it easier to spin as the fibers “catch” one another more easily) and the fact that wool clothing provides
Raising Sheep for Wool Read More »
If you’re new to spinning it can be a bit daunting to learn how to use a spinning wheel. Many communities have a local spinning or knitting group that you can use as a knowledge base, resource and it’s also a great place to make friends who share your interest – people who can offer
How to Set Up & Use a Spinning Wheel Read More »