The Merino Wool Journey
Our most popular yarn is our merino wool. Here is the process of how it is made.
Shearing
The first step is to shear the sheep. This happens once a year, in the spring. At that time, the sheep still have their heavy winter coats, and shearing them allows them to remain cool during the summer. Shearers use specific electric clippers to remove the wool in one piece, called a fleece.
Scouring
Scouring is the process of cleaning the wool. Scouring removes lanolin, dirt, soil, sweat, vegetable matter, and other contaminants from the wool. The scouring process involves washing the wool in a series of warm baths with detergent.
Carding
Once the wool is clean, it needs to be untangled. Carding is important because it separates individual wool fibers, aligns the fibers in the same direction, and creates a fluffy mass.
Spinning
The final stage of yarnmaking is spinning the wool fibers into yarn. The spinning process starts with drafting, pulling the yarn fibers to the desired thickness. From there, it is twisted to bind the fibers together. Finally, it is wound onto a bobbin to collect the spun yarn.
