Wool terminology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Raw wool: | wool from the sheep’s back, still containing dirt and grease. |
| Grading: | assessing, by eye and touch, a fleece’s type and quality. |
| Micron: | measure of wool fibre diameter. 1 micron is 0.001mm. The lower the micron figure, the finer the quality. |
| Rise: | |
| Staple length: | the length of the fleece fibres. |
| Scouring: | washing the wool to remove grease and dirt. |
| Carding: | turning clean wool from staple to sliver form and separating the fibres. |
| Combing: | straightening long fibres and removing shorter ones. |
| Tops: | long fibred wool that has been combed by machine. |
| Noil: | short fibre removed during combing. |
| Spinning: | pulling out the fibres and adding twist to make a continuous, strong thread. |
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About Rosemary Champion
Rosemary lives on a 12 acre smallholding in Angus, in the east of Scotland, where she keeps Ryeland Sheep, Shetland cattle and assorted poultry. She was destined to be a smallholder from an early age.
Further Reading
 Sheep Medicine Phillip R. Scott |  Sheep Health, Husbandry and Disease: A Photographic Guide Agnes C. Winter |  The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers David Henderson |  The Sheep Keeper's Veterinary Handbook Agnes Winter & Judith Charnley |  Beautiful Sheep: Portraits of Champion Breeds Kathryn Dun |
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