From Fleece to Fiber: Wool Prep Basics

From Fleece to Fiber: Wool Prep Basics

Part of our From Fleece to Fiber series, this hands-on class is all about turning raw fleece into clean, ready-to-spin fiber. We’ll talk about what makes a good fleece—what to look for and what to avoid, including grease, vegetable matter, and tags. Using a fleece we have on hand, we’ll walk through the skirting process step by step. Then, we’ll divide the fleece and learn how to wash and dry it properly without turning it into a felted wool pancake. With clean fleece ready to go, we’ll try out several picking methods to help release leftover debris and prep the fiber for spinning. To finish, we’ll explore a few beginner-friendly ways to prepare the wool—no spinning wheel required (yet).

Supplies to bring:

• A 5-gallon bucket
  
• A mesh laundry bag
  
• Dishwashing gloves (optional, but helpful if you want to protect your hands)
  

Registration deadline: April 12th, 2025

A minimum of 8 students is required for the class to run.

Host or Publisher Melissa Sisk