Breed Book- Merino

Merino 

Photo credit https://milligansganderhillfarm.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/merino-sheep/

Their fleece average from 9-14 pounds with a 50 percent yield from washing. 

The fiber has an average staple length of 2”-5”. 

The average micron count is 20-22 for adults.

Woolen

Prep- Scoured, rinsed twice. Teased then carded. Spun woolen using a long draw.

After washing the fiber, I notice that the fleece was infested with dead lice. After further inspecting the fleece I also noticed that the tips had been shorn off. Even though the fiber seemed very clean and white after washing, it became apparent that after it dried there was still a lot of lanolin left on the fiber. There were also a lot of neps and second cuts that I tried to remove during the teasing process. The fiber was hard to comb because of the stickiness but it helped the rolags stay together nicely. The fiber drafted fairly well but I had to do an assisted long draw from time to time. 

Suggested end use: The finished yarn is very soft and fluffy, making it very suitable for a next to the skin projects. I do think that if it is something that gets a lot of wear and tear that it will pill. I believe it would make a great hat, scarf or baby sweater. 

Worsted

Prep- Scoured using dip washed method, rinsed twice. Teased then combed. Spun worsted using a short forward draw.

After washing the fiber, I notice that the fleece was infested with dead lice. After further inspecting the fleece I also noticed that the tips had been shorn off. Even though the fiber seemed very clean and white after washing, it became apparent that after it dried there was still a lot of lanolin left on the fiber. This made the fiber sticky and hard to comb. There was also a lot of neps that I tried to remove while spinning. I couldn't spin butt to tip because I wasn't able to identify which was which.

Suggested end use: The finished yarn is so soft and would be great for a next to the skin projects. I do think that if it is something that gets a lot of wear and tear that it will pill. I believe it would make a great hat, scarf, shawl or baby sweater. 

Breed Book- Gotland

Gotland 

Photo credit :http://www.americangotlandsheep.org

 Their fleece range from 5 1/2- 11 pounds with a average staple length of 3-7”

 The average micron count is 27-34 for adults in North America and as fine as 18 microns from a lamb.

Woolen

Prep-Washed, rinsed twice. Teased then carded 3x into rolags. Spun woolen using a long draw.

The fiber was very clean, but after washing it seemed to be a little on the dry side. I hand teased the fiber before carding and attempted to pick out as many second cuts and vegetable matter as possible. Due to the fiber’s dryness and length I found it hard to control the rolags so I used a dowel to make them tighter. Even with the dowel the rolags would start to come undone. During spinning I felt the singles were coming out uneven and inconsistent. There were a lot of second cuts and noils that I tired to pull out. The singles also felt a little on the rougher side but I was pleasantly surprised by the finished yarn. I found it evened itself out after plying and it also had a really nice hand. 

Suggested end use: I think it would look really nice as a pillow or something where you would want to emphasize the texture of the fiber. I also think it would would be perfect for something felted, maybe in a bag or slippers.

Worsted

Prep- Dip washed, rinsed twice. Teased then combed. Spun worsted using a short forward draw. 

The fiber was very clean, but after washing it seemed a little on the drier side. Next time I wash Gotland I will wash it at a lower temperature. I felt that there was more waste during combing than a lot of the other fibers I worked with. The sliver was very puffy and didn't seem to want to cling together. I spun the fiber butt to tip and it drafted really easily. I love this yarn and I feel spinning it worsted is the best preparation for the Gotland fiber. 

Suggested end use: The fiber has such a nice sheen and I think it would make a beautiful knit or woven shawl. I would make something that had a lot of drape to it to really emphasize the fiber. 

Breed Book- Cotswold

Cotswold 

Photo credit http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/cotswold/

Their fleece ranges from  8 3/4 - 20 pounds with a 60% yield from washing.

 The fiber has an average staple length of 8-12”.

 The average micron count is 33-42.

Woolen

Prep- Dip washed, rinsed twice. Teased then carded. Spun woolen using an assisted long draw.

Before processing, I separated the light and the dark fiber to process separately. Due to the length of the fiber I found it hard to card. I used a dowel to assist me in rolling the rolags. I made 4 light, 4 dark and then blended the light and dark to make 6 medium colored rolags. I arranged the rolags from light to dark for two repeats and then the opposite way for the second ply. Next time, I would spin them both the same, then ply them for a gradual color change effect. I think because the fibers were too similar in color the ply blended more then I had wanted. The lack of crimp and length made it very difficult to draft; at times I had to use an assisted long draw. 

Suggested end use: I like the finished look of this yarn but I don’t think it’s next to skin soft. I think it would make a great pillow or even slippers because the yarn would hold up nicely with wear and tear.

Worsted

Prep- Dip washed, rinsed twice. Teased then combed. Spun worsted using a forward draw. 

Before processing, I separated the light and the darker fiber to process separately. While combing there was a lot of dirt and debris that fell out. That being said, the sliver came out nice, clean and drafted beautifully. My hands were about 6-8” apart during drafting. I spun a ply of the light and a ply of the dark, then plied them together to get the barber poll effect.

Suggested end use: The yarn has a crisp and sturdy hand. It is not next to skin soft but it would make an amazing woven textile or purse. Whatever piece that it was made into could take a lot of wear and tear and would hold up because of the strength and length of the fiber.