From Shearing to Thread

Shearing

Shearing currently takes place between mid and late spring to give sheep relief from the summer heat. It is carried out using scissors or an electric machine. During the process, the wool is shorn close to the animal’s skin in a continuous movement in order to take advantage of the fibre at its maximum length. The piece obtained from shearing one sheep is called a fleece.

Choice

Wool is not a homogeneous product, and its characteristics depend on the different areas of the fleece and of the sheep itself. In order to achieve the best results, it is necessary to select different levels of quality (fineness) within each fleece, which are chosen according to the intended final product. This selection or choice is made manually and requires a degree of experience.

Washing

During the growth phase, wool fibres gradually become coated in natural fats originating from the sheep itself and impurities such as dust, sand and vegetable matter. Washing removes dirt and grease as well as foreign matter, which is usually mineral in nature, and vegetable matter to a lesser extent.

Carding

When carding, the fibres are separated and given their final cleaning. For manual carding, two brushes with steel tines are used, called “cardas”, moved in opposite directions, which card the wool, breaking up fibre tangles and further cleaning the fibres. Carding creates a homogeneous ribbon or paste that is suitable for spinning.

Spinning

Spinning consists of transforming the ribbon or pulp into yarn by twisting and drawing the fibres. Twisting gives the yarn tensile strength because it causes the fibres to tighten against each other. Once spun, the threads are wound up and prepared for being made into hanks. Manual spinning is done using a spinning wheel.

Twisting

Twisting is applied to a thread made up of several strands, as opposed to thread made from single strands, thus resulting in a stable wire.

Hanking

This operation produces the hanks that will enable us to finish the threads (final washing/dyeing). We can produce different sizes and weights depending on requirements.

Balling

At this stage, the aim is to turn the washed hanks into balls of yarn. Here we use a yarn swift, a wooden mechanism with four arms where the hank fits onto the corresponding pins. The spinning motion releases the yarn, which is wound into a ball that can then be used for knitting and weaving.

Dyeing

Dyeing is an optional step designed to colour textile materials uniformly. It has been known and practised since prehistoric times. The sensation of colour is detected by the eye. It is impossible to imagine how other people perceive colours, so this phenomenon is said to be subjective, involving each person’s impressions and experiences. This explains differences in taste and preference.