Sometimes as much as 50% of the weight of the fleece is not wool. Raw merino wool before cleaning and processing. A good friend of mine raises sheep. how raw wool gets turned into yarn? Yarn spun short draw using these preparations can be considered semiworsted. Using a drumcarder can change their perspective. Like most other dyes, the process is simple. Thanks so much for stopping by~ I was happy with the colors but red is a difficult one to work with to get a bright red. I skirted, washed, picked, dyed, and carded a stockpile of beautiful wool~. I hope to be all settled by next winter and will have a lot more room to work on a blanket. Carding wool is a process of brushing clean fibers over opposing sets of short wire teeth to open and separate the fibers into a uniform mass. Fluff and turn the wool a few times to rotate it so it will dry. Various camels, goats, and rabbits produce hair that is also classified as wool. Carding is a mechanical process that disentangles, cleans and intermixes fibres to produce a continuous web or sliver suitable for subsequent processing. (As in light and fluffy.) We also offer a variety of blending fibers including tencel, superwash merino, bamboo, seacell silk, hemp, and nylon. Sourced wool is the term given to greasy wool that has been washed to remove contaminants, such as dirt, dust, sweat (suint) and wool … Top-making is unique to the worsted processing system and comprises three steps: carding, gilling and combing. About: I am married with two children. Jul 11, 2017 - 8 min read. We are pleased to be the first mill located in Virginia processing exotic fibers such as … Today, wool is a global industry, with Australia, Argentina, the United States, and New Zealand serving as the major suppliers of raw wool. Breed matters. I used it for the wool in this instructable. To sell wool on the global market is not profitable, but a local cooperative could set a price that is sustainable. By Robin Russo From what I understand different types of wool require hotter temperatures and more careful handling. I used a large plastic 22 gallon tub with a lid to store the clean wool in, to prevent mice and bugs from damaging it while storing it in the garage loft. Then remove excess water from the wool and place the wool into the dye solution; and carefully poke it with a wooden spoon and let it set in this mixture for fifteen minutes. There are many methods used for washing wool, depending on the type of wool you’re washing, the water you’re using, the space you have, and the quantity of raw wool … She still makes them and has a large loom in her living room. ... Transform your raw fiber into something spectacular. It is a process that eludes most new spinners and can even cause problems for the most proficient wool worker. Carded wool is also easier to control in the spinning process. Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek! Breed matters. Sourcing local Tasmanian wool along with fibre from the mainland, Waverley Mills mainly works with 18-micron fleece to ensure all blankets and throws are exceptionally soft when next to skin. Roving can be found at any local yarn store, or from several online retailers. I will use a natural soap for the birds when I make their projects. Worsted top-making Woolen fabric holds a greater market than other textile fabrics. Flick carding wool can be the first step of hand carding. Turn heat on low while you prepare the pre-soak mixture. While the wool is soaking, set up the work station and add 1/4 teaspoon of coloring to a small amount of hot distilled water and stir. Place the wool in the pre-soak solution and allow it to soak for a few minutes. So it really does start in the field with the sheep. We spent a few hours on this step, until the water was clear and the wool was clean and the soap removed. Contact us for an estimated time to expect your finished items. One of the many joys of cleaning and processing your own wool is the ability to tailor it to your own need. Salt has been recommended for a better overall color. So, we are going to peel back the curtain just a bit to give you a peek into the process. Pakistan Fibres collects and process the best quality of wool form the sheep across the country. Our prices are competitive with mills across the country … and we get your processed fiber to you in a timely fashion! Zeilinger Wool Company located in Michigan provides fiber processing of many fiber types and wool products including socks, yarns, batting and roving for over 100 years. Oh, I'd tried it before—started with a raw fleece, washed, and handcarded (and handcarded) and got small quickly disappearing rolags. The acid in the vinegar changes the ph. Please see our Fiber Processing for specific details. It also investigates the principles of detergency and entanglement. This should loosen the dirt particles, making it easier for the dirt to separate from the wool or for you to remove it with some light scrubbing. Raw Wool. Repeat again for 2 more minutes. Carefully place the wet wool into the hot dye mixture and gently press the wool with a spoon until it is coated with the liquid. Here, we give you step by step instructions and encouragement to transform your raw sheep fleece into a ready to spin delight. I had planned on making a wool blanket from my project and did give felting a try but was not satisfied with the results. We love working with Canadian farmers to procure the best natural wool and create a variety of yarn for our customers. The purpose of handcarding wool is to open, separate, and straighten the wool fibers. Share it with us! Timing will be important because the wool should be added before the temperature of the pot is warmer than the wool, otherwise the wool may felt right up. However, the more I am around spinning, the more I learn there is always a price for taking the easy way. I will make one the next time I need to card wool! We offer custom wool processing along with organic wool bedding, wool roving and wool batting. These short fibers are spun into longer filaments to make the yarn. the slightly-different basic colors of raw wool, and also helps to standardize staple length and diameter for uniform quality. Fill the machine with HOT water and laundry or animal soap, then add the bags of fleece. If I’m going to spend time processing fiber, I shouldn’t rush the spinning. Wool that is washed and shrunk until it is dense won't … Finally, you will learn to use carding processes to produce woolen yarns that are soft, lofty, fuzzy, warm, bouncy, and lightweight; or use combing preparations to produce worsted-spun yarns with fibers tucked inward for smooth, long-wearing garments. This is what you need for washing the wool: Dawn dish washing soap ( was the most recommended soap to remove the lanolin. Scoured Wool. This two-day unit will cover the opening and scouring of wool fibre. Reply Additional supplies optional Clothes pins, sheets, towels, clamps. Follow Robin’s carding instructions and learn how to adjust your drumcarder, maintain it, and eventually make processing wool as much part of the journey as the spinning and knitting. (ABC Landline)Reimagining the supply chain. This tutorial will be sharing the things, I have learned while attempting to process raw wool. When the water is fairly clear, gently remove the wool from the pot and place it into a bowl to cool. You can tell when the wool has absorbed all the color when the water is clear or pale in color. Each piece is made up of three essential components: the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla. Take the empty brush and lightly brush over the wool as if you are brushing a babies hair, in a lifting motion. So I asked my Navajo weaving friend Roy Kady of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona (www.dinewoven.com) on the Navajo Reservation only 60 miles southwest of Cortez Colorado, to show and teach us the steps involved. Wool scouring is the only operation, other than carbonising, which is unique to the early stage processing of wool fibre. Dry wool is difficult to color. A rough estimate is courser wool is 140 degrees F and finer wool is 160 degrees F. Skirting table or a place to dry the wool, old towels to aide in removing excess water if you don't have a screen or skirting table. Turn the heat up until you reach 160 degrees F minimum, and hold this temperature for 30 minutes, occasionally and very gently use the spoon to slightly stir the hot water. We hope you find it as exciting as we do! I let the wool air out in the sun for a couple of days in nice warm weather. Raw wool, called grease wool, contains grease and dirt that needs to be washed without agitating it too much, as this will result in felting. Remove the wool from the ( pre-soaking mixture) and very gently squeeze ( do not wring) the water from the wool. If you heat the water lower than boiling it will reduce the possibility of the wool felting while it is in the hot water. Plastic wrap,or zip lock bags, microwave safe glass jars or bowls Wooden spoon. Very very gently press the wool into the water to prevent felting. Raw Wool Cleaning Basics. Each strand is, in turn, made of fibers, all shorter than the piece of yarn that they form. My son's aunt raises sheep and I was able to get a large bag of recently sheared wool from her. Because there are so many options and paths for fiber to take within the mill, we have broken each process out. Our specialty is custom spinning of your wool into yarn. Sampling requires a minimum of 2 kg of combed top. It also maximizes your fiber processing investment dollars. When you begin to see the smooth wispy wool effect, then carefully lift up the edge of the wool and stack it in a box with the ends all going in the same direction. Wool is commonly used for warm clothing. It is very true with wool processing. Custom Wool Processing. The paste food coloring is usually more difficult to mix with the water but the colors are nice and bright. Hopefully now you’ve got a big pile of clean, dry fleece, probably including bits of dried up grass and stuff, but generally looking a better for having had a good wash. Hair conditioner for softening the wool if desired. I shook all the wool out by hand; the best I could and then placed the wool on top of the skirting table and separated the wool pieces to allow the grass and seed particles to fall from the table as I shook it. Buckets or tubs depending on amount of wool to be washed. Wool dyed immediately after it … We enjoy working with fiber producers to design yarn particular to their unique fleece and fiber considerations. The cuticle is the outer layer. I will remind you I am a beginner and it is possible I overlooked something. . Woollen refers to a yarn produced from carded, non-parallel fibre, while worsted refers to a finer yarn spun from longer fibers which have been combed to be parallel. Very carefully add a small amount of wool to test for unwanted felting. I dyed a small wool piece in a plastic bag to see how it worked following the same microwave instructions and it works just as well. At Central Virginia Fiber Mill our goal is to create high end fiber products which reflect the fine quality of your fleeces. We are a family-owned spinnery located in the hills of Vermont Township in Dane County, Wisconsin. Spin Off feeds our deep curiosity about the art and craft of making yarn. I have seen the light! Learn how to card wool using wool carders (also called wool cards). During processing, wool fiber requires water and energy to process the raw fiber into textiles and even more water will be required during the consumer use phase for wool garments (Henry 2012). The word “roving” is used to refer to any unspun fiber. You can apply the dye differently by laying the wool on a plate or plastic surface and apply the food coloring in a concentrated mixture with distilled water, and vinegar mixed with the paste food coloring and stirred.