by Sarabeth Parido
Shearing season is here once again! Shepherds are gathering up bags of wool, and hand spinners are on the lookout for their next great fleece. But what makes a fleece stand out? And how can you, as a shepherd, make sure your wool is top-notch for spinners? While there are some buyers who want the fleece as fresh off your animals as possible, you may need to prep your fiber a bit to get the most value for your wool. Whether you're into fiber arts or raising sheep, understanding the wool-prep process can help you connect with buyers and make the most of your fleece.
Skirting: Picking the Best Parts
Before selling or storing for any amount of time, it’s important to skirt the fleece—basically, removing any unusable bits. Spinners love clean fleeces without too much dirt or tangled fibers- and most definitely free of soiled portions! A well-skirted fleece makes fiber artists happy and ensures they’ll come back for more, and if you are planning on storing your fleece, you won’t want any soiled or moisture heavy areas ruining your fleece while it waits for you to use it!
Washing Wool: Getting it Clean
Freshly shorn wool is packed with lanolin, dirt, and debris, so the first step is scouring. This means soaking the fleece in hot water with a gentle detergent—dish soap or a wool-specific cleanser works great. After soaking, it gets rinsed a few times, making sure the water temp doesn’t drop too quickly (otherwise, you risk felting). Once clean, it’s carefully squeezed out and laid flat to dry.
Prepping the Wool: Carding and Combing
Once dry, wool needs to be fluffed up and straightened before spinning. Spinners use different tools for this:
Hand Cards – These look like big dog brushes and create fluffy rolls for soft, bouncy yarn.
Wool Combs – These align fibers for smooth, strong yarn but require careful handling.
Drum Carders – These machines create fiber batts and speed up the process while being easier on the wrists.
Spinning: Turning Fiber into Yarn
Now for the fun part—spinning! There are a couple of main tools spinners use:
Spindles – Simple, portable, and great for beginners, drop spindles are handheld tools that get the job done.
Spinning Wheels – These range from antique great wheels to modern treadle wheels, giving spinners more speed and control.
E-Spinners – If you want a more portable and efficient option, e-spinners are worth considering. These electric-powered spinners take the treadling out of the equation, letting spinners focus on drafting and fiber control. They come in different sizes and speeds, making them a great choice for both newbies and experienced fiber artists looking for a compact, easy-to-use tool.
After spinning a single strand, the yarn can be plied—twisted together with another strand—to make it stronger and more balanced. Then it gets washed again and hung up to dry, a process called blocking, which sets and helps even out the twist.
Adding Some Color: Dyeing Wool
While natural wool shades like white, gray, and brown are beautiful, many spinners love adding color to their fiber.
Natural Dyes – These come from leaves, flowers, mushrooms, and wood, but they can be unpredictable and require special prep.
Commercial Dyes – Designed for wool, these give vibrant, consistent results.
Food Coloring & Kool-Aid – Fun, non-toxic, and great for introducing kids to fiber arts!
Selling Your Wool to Spinners
Selling wool to hand spinners is an interactive and rewarding experience. Want to attract buyers? Here’s how:
Check out fiber festivals and craft fairs. The upcoming Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival in May is a great place to sell raw fleece as well as network with the hand spinning and fiber community!
Connect with local spinning and weaving guilds.
Share pics of your flock and fleece on social media.
Offer well-skirted, clean wool to keep customers happy.
Spinners love knowing the story behind their wool. When they knit up socks, hats, or sweaters from your fleece, they take pride in knowing exactly where it came from. Building connections in the fiber community can lead to long-term relationships and loyal customers who return year after year.
Whether you’re a shepherd looking to market your fleece or a fiber lover diving into spinning, understanding these steps will help you get the most out of your wool.
Sarabeth Parido, is the Director of the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival and The Kentucky Fiber Trail. She raises her own small flock of sheep in Clark County, Kentucky along with her husband and four sons.
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