It's been 3 years since I posted on my blog.  Time really does fly by.   New things happening on the homefront.  We are now PB Sterling WoolNook & Mill, LLC.  Located at 1327 Byerland Church Rd.  Willow Street, PA 17584.  717-371-4195  www.sterlingwoolmill.com  beth@sterlingwoolmill.com

We bought a mill from New York and relocated it to PA.  We have Belfast Mini Mill equipment and can transform your wool, alpaca, fiber to roving, batts, or yarn.  We also do custom dyeing and blending.

I teach knitting, crochet, drop spindle spinning, spinning wheel spinning, and offer a Wool Study Home Course.

For more information go to www.sterlingwoolmill.com

It's good to be back on the blog.  Watch for more student Wool Study comments in the future..

Happy Fibering.

Beth

Wool Study - Student Comments on Cormo

Wool Study - Student Comments on Karakul

Wool Study - Student Comments on Shetland

Wool Study - Student Comments on Rambouillet

WoolBit:

So what are some of the characteristics of wool you want to look for when going for a spinning fleece?

That is other than, oh that is so beautiful I just have to have it! :-) 

Have you noticed (I'm chuckling to myself since I fall into these categories) you have those who plan a project then look for fleece and those who look for fleece and then plan a project.  

So on to the characteristics:

1. Tensile Strength - how much tension can it take?
2. Elasticity - does it "boing" back after pullling on it?
3. Luster - putting it in simple terms, shiny longwools have less serrated scales duller fleeces have more serrated scales which breaks up light reflection.
4. Color
5. Staple Length
6. Micron Count - diameter of a fiber - generally the shorter the length the finer the diameter.
7. Softness/Pliability - depends on breed, climate, care, scaling of fiber
8. Crimp - finer wools generally have more crimp which increases the elasticity
9. Vegetable Matter
10. Moths/Mildew
11. And one I never thought of, its Hygroscopic(moisture) Quality - how much moisture will it hold - this is a good indicator of dye uptake.

Next WoolBit:  Classes of Fiber.

Information from Hands On Experience with various breed and research from books including Wool by Hart.

WoolBit:

WoolBit: 

Structure of Wool Fiber: There are three defined layers to a wool fiber.

1. The outside or epidermis.  The epidermis consists of the overlapping scales which give fiber their felting and spinning properties. 
2. The middle of the fiber is called the cortex which is defined by it's angular shaped elongated cells.  The cortex defines the elasticity and strength of the fiber. 
3. The medulla is the core of the fiber.  The core is the pathway to which the fiber received it's nourishment.

Wednesday's WoolBit:  What makes up the spinning qualities of fiber?