All About Wool Fabric

There are several ways of describing various characteristics of wool fibers. Some commonly used terms are:

•  Staple length - length of fiber when sheared from   sheep
•  Diameter - fineness or thickness of fiber measured in microns
•  Hand- how the fiber feels, eg. soft, harsh, springy
•  Crimp - waviness along the length of the fiber
•  luster - how the fibers look, eg. shiny, dull
•  Color - ranges from white through tans and browns, also silver through greys to black.

Wool from different breeds of sheep is also categorized in other ways. They are usually roughly  divided by the length of their fiber.

•  Fine, Short
•  Cross-bred and medium
•  Shortwool and Down
•  longwool and luster
•  Coarsewool and Mountain breeds

Types of Wool:

• Merino = is a wonderfully soft, highly sought after fiber. It grows on sheep specifically bred for their    fine, warm fleece. Merino wool is also... flame retardant, odor resistant , stain resistant , water resistant naturally elastic, available in machine washable and dryable forms. Truly incredible and so versatile
• Smart Wool = It's made from only the finest merino fiber. All the thicker fibers (over 30 microns) which may cause itchiness are carefully removed. Basically the same as the merino wool but has been treated so it does not shrink.
• Corriedale = comes from a lovely large sheep. Merino ewes are bred with Lincoln or Leicester males. Fleece should be white…any other color means problem. It is classed as a long staple length and has a definite crimp, which is great for spinning. It has a soft feel and the sheep looks very evenly rounded rather than shaggy. The average micron count for fibers is between 25 and 32. The fiber itself is perfect for needle felting due to the fiber diameter and the springy texture.
• lincoln = is ideal for wefts in weaving as the yarn is smooth, silky, and strong. Woven Lincoln cloth has incredible durability and brightness. It is ideal for outer clothing such as jackets and skirts. It blends well with many fibers, adding strength to the yarn because of its own tensile strength and length. It is the ideal blend for quality mohair spinning as its own lustre compliments that of mohair.
• Border Leicester = they are an elegant long wool breed with highly lustrous fleece. The fall fleeces are much  nicer than the spring fleeces. The wool is long enough that they can be sheared once a year or twice a year. It’s fleece often yields 70% wool after scouring, one of the highest of all.