Keeping Warm With Wool Part One

There's an old saying, Get some wool on your back! Wool will keep you warm when cotton will freeze you to death. Wool is to some extent self-cleaning, hanging a woolen item in the open air will freshen it up. Wool won't burn like synthetics. Wool is a wonder fibre.

At one time we all had basic fibrecraft skills, now it's almost all outsourced to big business. The Greta Reset will leave us short of what we need as supply chains break down. It's time to learn how to do it yourself.

Preparing the fleece for spinning is a skilled job in itself. Some fleeces can be prepared by hand but many fleeces will need combs or carders.


The fleece will be as dirty as the sheep was. In the past sheep were washed before shearing but that is rarely done now. The sheep's living conditions and habits will determine what's in the fleece. Standing around in a field at night means sometimes a fast flying beetle will embed itself in the fleece. You'll find it's desicated remains. These are known as 'gifts', any small bits left after cleaning and prep will fall out during spinning. The amount of cleaning you do before combing or carding is down to personal preference. If you wash out all the natural grease you will need to add some other oil to allow the fibres to glide over each other.

Carded fleece is suitable for spinning a woolen, which is a fluffier yarn. Combed fleece is suitable for spinning a worsted, which a harder wearing yarn, not as warm due to less trapped air. The simple difference is a woolen has fibres going in all directions while a worsted has the fibres in line.

Raw fleece can be bought from suppliers such as those listed here. www.woolsack.org... You'll be able to find similar lists of suppliers in your part of the world.

Some sheep native to areas with high rainfall have fleeces that shed rain better. Softer fleeces such as merino absorb and hold much more water. Washing the fibre in warm water without any soap leaves the natural lanolin in which helps shed water. Lanolin can also be added to the finished garment for weatherproofing.

Each fleece has different grades that may have to be separated and used for different purposes.

Every single fleece is rolled out on a table and worked by hand, feeling for any course or matted sections and testing the fibres for strength and condition. We sort into two grades; the finest becomes our knitting yarns and the second, our weaving and crafting yarns.

www.ionawool.com...

Fibre can also be purchased ready prepared for spinning. This is a market that has grown rapidly in recent years, the huge variety can be confusing for a beginner. More on ready prepared fibres in the next instalment, following in a few days.

Keep warm.

Got a wool knit blanket that is 32 years old. Use it for camping in the mountains. Best thing ever.

a reply to: Kester

My other half makes crotched clothing and we have a wool spinner, an electric spinning wheel a manual carder which im converting to electric and a wool picker that I'm making.

Weve also got about 5 sacks of Jacobs sheep wool, and by sacks I mean builders sacks.

Even before its worn it keeps you warm just processing and carding and spinning.

Yes, in the hiking world the phrase is "cotton is rotten". Or, "cotton kills".

My family have switched out to wool socks. I don't think there is a cotton pair left around here! You can buy them from Darn Tough...still USA made in Vermont. Many people balk at the price. But unlike cotton, you only need a few pairs. You can wear one pair for several days before they need washing.

I've started trying to slowly wean myself off the petro-made fleece, etc and replace with wool, down, etc. As I've gotten older I've come to appreciate having a few of something of really good quality rather than a whole closet/drawer full of crap.

We kept a small flock of Shetland Sheep years ago and I dipped my toes into spinning. The Shetland Sheep organization does a wonderful job of educating about the types of wool and how to handle it. I miss having them, and wouldn't mind having a few again.

originally posted by: JourneyAbout
Yes, in the hiking world the phrase is "cotton is rotten". Or, "cotton kills".

My family have switched out to wool socks. I don't think there is a cotton pair left around here! You can buy them from Darn Tough...still USA made in Vermont. Many people balk at the price. But unlike cotton, you only need a few pairs. You can wear one pair for several days before they need washing.

I've started trying to slowly wean myself off the petro-made fleece, etc and replace with wool, down, etc. As I've gotten older I've come to appreciate having a few of something of really good quality rather than a whole closet/drawer full of crap.

We kept a small flock of Shetland Sheep years ago and I dipped my toes into spinning. The Shetland Sheep organization does a wonderful job of educating about the types of wool and how to handle it. I miss having them, and wouldn't mind having a few again.

I loved my short time of having sheep. Maybe someday again. Still have two fleeces to process in my freezer. A bit daunting as I've only worked with rabbit furs.

Boiled wool is the best clothing to my mind. Our winters are cold and wet so I find the boiled wool almost works like a raincoat, in all but the worst downpour, but is still breathable. Hardly need to wash it as you always smell fresh, well as fresh as a sheep which isn't bad.

Currently saving rabbit fur, loose from grooming them, to make a blanket along the lines of down. It's just an experiment but the fur itself hold heat so well I thought I'd give it a try.

Also, just got an angora rabbit so saving hers to try to make wool.

All great skills to have.

a reply to: nonspecific

Even before its worn it keeps you warm just processing and carding and spinning.

That's a good point. I find using a sit down and treadle spinning wheel is just enough exercise to keep warm. The Great Wheel or Walking Wheel keeps the spinner more active. These days very few people can use a Walking Wheel at speed, but it's said a skilled spinner could run, skip or dance back and forth.

a reply to: nonspecific

I learnt to spin mostly with Jacobs. The main product was kids jumpers with a sheep-shaped pocket on the front like this. www.etsy.com... rch_query=childs+sheep+sweater&ref=sr_gallery-1-28&frs=1
A steady stream of tourists left Scotland with one of these in their luggage.