In Sheep's Clothing

by Nola Fournier, Jane Fournier, Susan Strawn (Illustrator)

This highly readable, authoritative reference provides a comprehensive look at the characteristics of wool of 100 breeds of sheep. Essential reading for handspinners, wool growers, and other fiber craft enthusiasts, this guide gives special attention to fleece characteristics, methods of preparation and spinning, and best end use. Everything from baby-soft merino to silky lincoln to sturdy karakul--the full range of nature's miracle fiber--is represented here with expert advice on selecting top-quality fleeces; cleaning wool efficiently and thoroughly; teasing, flicking, combing, carding, and other preparation methods; and spinning and plying a variety of yarn styles. Actual fleece locks are shown in full-size photographs. Knitting, crochet, weaving, and other techniques illustrate the importance of matching wool type to end use.

Genres: Knitting, Crafts, Reference, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Amanda Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference book. Indispensable!

It goes into great detail about many breeds of sheep and the aspects of their wool.

Since I am wanting to get my own flock of sheep in the near future, I wanted to find a book that compared the different breeds, letting me know which breeds of sheep had what type of wool. This was just what I was looking for.

It's great because, after I narrow down my favorite types of wool to spin, I can use this book to find a comparable sheep to buy for my flock. If my favorite breed (wool-wise) isn't available for me to own or are undesirable for one reason or another (eg. horned, bad temperament, etc.), this can help me compare the available sheep.

Because I am going to be using it mainly to figure out which breed to buy, I didn't think it would have much use once I've already made my decision, but I've decided to buy a copy to have on hand when buying fleeces/roving/top of breeds I'm not familiar with, because I doubt I'll stop buying other people's stuff completely, even if I have my own sheep. For example, I don't want to buy something that is similar to Merino if I'm looking for something like Coopworth, and vice versa. Also, who knows, maybe I'll be wanting to buy/trade some sheep in the future to diversify the type of sheep I own, and I'll want to have this on hand so I don't buy a sheep breed that is basically the same as what I already have.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a reference book, pure and simple. An amazing wonderful reference book. It tells you pretty much anything you want to know about different types of wool and why they are different. A must for wool spinners.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference book for handspinners who enjoy wool. All different types of wool are examined, along with spinning tips. Really indispensable with the amount of different wools available.

This has allowed me to branch out into different wool breeds that were otherwise too intimidating to try.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

incredibly thorough book with information on wool breeds and spinning that you won't find anywhere else.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

using as reference

[Gaildb]

Haven't read it, just want to keep it listed as a reference book.

[Bandknito · Rating 4 out of 5]

usefuk and informative