What to look for when you buy or accept a fleece

This is the first in a series of blogs I am writing about processing your own fleece and I'm starting at the beginning with buying or being offered a sheep fleece.

Buying or being offered a sheep fleece can feel a little like being handed a treasure chest: exciting, full of possibility, and slightly mysterious until you know what you are looking at.

A good fleece can be a joy to work with, but not every fleece will suit every project, and the more you understand about breed, quality, and preparation, the better your results will be. The most important thing to remember is that fleeces are as varied as sheep breeds themselves, so my advice is to choose or accept fleece that fits your intended use of it.

There's no point getting a Ryeland fleece if you want to use it for wet felting as they don't felt. Similarly if you are not an experienced spinner, choosing a fleece that has a staple length of less then 2-3 inches which really needs to be spun long draw, probably isn't for you. At the other end of the scale, the longwool breeds, while great will need you to have the patience to separate out the locks before washing and if you're not going to use the locks as they are, they will require combing rather than carding. These sort of things are all well worth thinking about before you say yes, even if it's free. Knowing what you want to make ultimately from the wool, will helps you judge whether the fleece in front of you is suitable.

One of the first practical things to assess is the overall condition of the fleece. A good fleece should be reasonably clean, fresh, and free from excessive second cuts, contamination, or breakage. Look for a healthy, even staple and a balanced feel in the hand. There will nearly always be some vegetable matter and poop present, but the question is whether the fleece looks manageable or is overly burdened with debris. A fleece that is heavily felted, badly weakened, or full of straw and manure may require far more work than it is worth, depending on your goal. I have become quite harsh over the years and if a fleece has lots of VM in it, often from a ewe that has lambed indoors and been on straw and eaten hay for a couple of months, the resulting fleece is sometimes not worth picking through. If you are just going to buy or take just one fleece, there's not point it not being really good fleece. Getting from fleece to fibre is a lengthy process so make sure the fleece is worth it.

Even if the fleece is fairly clean and the breed you want, you need to check whether it's a healthy fleece. Pull out a lock and holding it between your hand give it a good tug. If it breaks, the fleece has come from poorly sheep and is not going to worth processing. If it passes the tug test and to be fair most will, then gently open the lock and have a good look at it. How long is it? Does it have a well defined crimp? Does it have some spring and structure, or does it fall apart in your hand? Does it feel harsh, dry, and brittle, or soft and resilient? Look at the tips and the cut end of the staple as well. The tips should give you an idea of how the fleece has weathered, while the cut end can show you the strength and consistency of the fibre. If the staple stretches and holds together neatly, that is usually a good sign.

As I mentioned earlier, staple length matters a great deal. Too short, and the fibre can be difficult to hold together while spinning, especially for newer spinners or anyone wanting a smoother yarn. On the other hand, a very long staple can also present challenges. Long locks often need to be separated out more carefully before washing, and they will need to be combed rather than carded. Unless you already have combs, and for combing a whole fleece I would suggest combs on a stand rather than hand combs, this is an addition expense to think about. That said, and I know I am biased, when the fleece has a long, strong staple, you will get more beautiful result from combing it and then worsted spinning it.

Crimp is another clue to how a fleece may behave. Fine, elastic crimp often gives excellent bounce and spin, while straighter or more open staples may create a smoother, drapier yarn. Some fleeces like Ryeland, Dorset Down (and other down sheep breeds) are lofty and springy, others like the longwool breeds are silky and flowing, and while the native breeds are robust and characterful. None of these are inherently better than the others. The right fleece is the one that works for the fabric or fibre outcome you want.

Breed should always be part of your thinking. A Shetland fleece, for example, will behave very differently from a Leicester Longwool, a Masham, or a Romney. Some breeds produce soft, fine fibre with plenty of loft, while others offer lustre, length, and strength. Many breeds also have distinctive natural colour variations, which can be a huge advantage if you want undyed fibre with depth and richness. Understanding the breed gives you a helpful shorthand for what the fleece may do, but it is still worth examining each individual fleece on its own merits, because there can be plenty of variation even within one flock.

If you are being offered a fleece directly from a sheep farmer or smallholder, ask a few simple questions. Has the fleece been skirted already? Was it shorn recently or has it been stored for a while? Were the sheep kept on clean pasture, or were they housed on straw for sometime before shearing? Is this a fleece from one animal, or a mixed bag of several? These details can help you predict how much sorting and washing will be needed. It is always encouraging to remember that a fleece with some imperfections can still be very useful if you choose a project that suits it.

If you can, I would certainly encourage you to skirting your new fleece as soon as possible, even if you don't intend to do any further processing of it in the near future. This because it is much better to store a skirted fleece than leave the raw fleece in all its mucky glory.

So what is skirting? It's basically laying the fleece out somewhere flat and clean and removing the dirtiest, coarsest, or most damaged sections of the fleece - usually from the edges and underside. Also if there are any coloured spray or raddle chalk on the fleece these sections need to be removed too as they will not wash out. Be bold when you skirt and take out any heavily contaminated patches and any stained or brittle parts leaving the best fibre from the prime areas of the fleece. Good skirting makes washing easier, reduces waste in your processing, and helps ensure that the fibres you keep are the ones most likely to give you a satisfying result. The grotty bits can be used for mulch in the garden as they are an excellent weed suppressant.

Finally, if you are not going to wash the fleece immediately, proper storage matters. Keep it somewhere cool, dry, and well ventilated, away from damp, direct sunlight, and pests. Breathable bags such as paper feed sacks are better than plastic bags, because wool can trap moisture if sealed while still slightly damp. If possible, store it in a way that allows air to circulate, and check it occasionally for signs of moths or beetles. A fleece that is stored carefully will wait patiently for you, ready to become something beautiful when the time is right.

Next time we'll look at washing your fleece.