Blending Fibers & Wool
Things to consider when picking your blending fibers:
Pick a fiber that has similar staple length and fineness.
Pick fibers that will complement each other.
Think about what characteristics you want the finished yarn to have.
Memory, color, strength, halo, loft, drape, durability, elasticity, etc.
Common Blending fibers with Pygora:
Alpaca (Huacaya)
Staple length: 2-6”
Fiber diameter: 15-35 micron
Qualities: Strength, density, smooth, supple feel. Bloom.
Best for: Knit, crochet, weaving. Versatile.
Notes: lacks elasticity, good blended with mohair, silk or angora rabbit. Takes dye well.
Color: Range of variety
Bluefaced Leicester (BFL)
Staple length: 3-6”
Fiber diameter: 24-28 micron
Qualities: Versatile, fine, durable, long wearing, blends well, adds resilience, drape, luster.
Best for: Soft, hard-wearing garments, hats, sweaters, mittens, hats, and woven clothing and household items.
Notes: Take dye well. Felts reasonably well.
Color: Mostly white, some blacks and grays
Boarder Leicester
Staple length: 4-10”
Fiber diameter: 29-40 micron (variable by geographic location and breeder)
Qualities: Sturdy, versatility, luster, texture
Best for: Novelty yarns, household textiles. Finer fleeces are good for everyday garments. Sweaters, mittens, hats, socks.
Notes: Take dye well. Felts reasonably well.
Color: White, gray, black
Bunny (Angora rabbit) English, French, Satin
Staple length: industial/global market 1 ½-2 ¾”, local small farm 2 ½ - 6 inches.
Fiber diameter: mostly 8-15 micron
Qualities: Fine, halo bloom, warm, no elasticity,
Best for: cowl, lace, light weight
Notes: Felts extremely well. Better dyed after spun into yarn.
Color: variety of colors
Cormo
Staple length: 3-5”
Fiber diameter: 17-23 micron
Qualities: Softness, body, holds pattern well.
Best for: baby garments, lace patterns, next to the skin
Notes: Dyes well.
Color: White, some shades of grey or brown
Dorset (Down, Horn, Poll)
Staple length: 2 - 5”
Fiber diameter: 25-33 micron
Qualities: Durable, versitile
Best for: Long wearing things like, socks, mittens, hats, everyday sweater, blankets
Notes: Takes dye well. Does NOT easily felt
Color: White
Finnsheep
Staple length: 3-6”
Fiber diameter: 22-33 micron
Qualities: Durability, softness
Best for: Next to the skin garments, sweaters, blankets, holds patterns well, woven lace.
Notes: Felts easily. Dyes well.
Color: White, black, gray and some brown
Gotland
Staple length: 3-7”
Fiber diameter: 27-35+ micron
Qualities: soft, smooth, drape, luster
Best for: fine yarns
Notes: Dyes well over the gray. Felts well.
Color: light gray to black
Merino
Staple length: 2-5”
Fiber diameter: 11.5-26 micron
Qualities: Light weight, soft, delicate
Best for: Baby clothes and fine garments
Notes: Takes dye well and felts easily.
Color: Mostly white, some brown or black.
Shetland
Staple length: varies by type 2-10”
Fiber diameter: 20-30 micron
Qualities: Durability, fineness, light weight
Best for: Versatile, anything from fine shawls to rope.
Notes: Take dye well and most fleeces will felt.
Colors: variety of color
.
Teeswater
Staple length: 12-15” yearly, or 6” sheared twice a year
Fiber diameter: 30-36 micron
Qualities: Length, luster, durable, drape
Best for: Weaving yarn, stitch definition,
Notes: Take dye well. Does not felt well
Color: White
List of resources:
The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook, by Deborah Robson & Carol Ekarius
The Field Guide to Fleece (100 Sheep Breeds and How to Use Their Fibers), by Deborah Robson & Carol Ekarius
The Spinner’s Book of Fleece, (The Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose) by Beth Smith
Raising Animals for Fiber, by Chris McLaughlin
Things to consider when picking your blending fibers:
Pick a fiber that has similar staple length and fineness.
Pick fibers that will complement each other.
Think about what characteristics you want the finished yarn to have.
Memory, color, strength, halo, loft, drape, durability, elasticity, etc.
Common Blending fibers with Pygora:
Alpaca (Huacaya)
Staple length: 2-6”
Fiber diameter: 15-35 micron
Qualities: Strength, density, smooth, supple feel. Bloom.
Best for: Knit, crochet, weaving. Versatile.
Notes: lacks elasticity, good blended with mohair, silk or angora rabbit. Takes dye well.
Color: Range of variety
Bluefaced Leicester (BFL)
Staple length: 3-6”
Fiber diameter: 24-28 micron
Qualities: Versatile, fine, durable, long wearing, blends well, adds resilience, drape, luster.
Best for: Soft, hard-wearing garments, hats, sweaters, mittens, hats, and woven clothing and household items.
Notes: Take dye well. Felts reasonably well.
Color: Mostly white, some blacks and grays
Boarder Leicester
Staple length: 4-10”
Fiber diameter: 29-40 micron (variable by geographic location and breeder)
Qualities: Sturdy, versatility, luster, texture
Best for: Novelty yarns, household textiles. Finer fleeces are good for everyday garments. Sweaters, mittens, hats, socks.
Notes: Take dye well. Felts reasonably well.
Color: White, gray, black
Bunny (Angora rabbit) English, French, Satin
Staple length: industial/global market 1 ½-2 ¾”, local small farm 2 ½ - 6 inches.
Fiber diameter: mostly 8-15 micron
Qualities: Fine, halo bloom, warm, no elasticity,
Best for: cowl, lace, light weight
Notes: Felts extremely well. Better dyed after spun into yarn.
Color: variety of colors
Cormo
Staple length: 3-5”
Fiber diameter: 17-23 micron
Qualities: Softness, body, holds pattern well.
Best for: baby garments, lace patterns, next to the skin
Notes: Dyes well.
Color: White, some shades of grey or brown
Dorset (Down, Horn, Poll)
Staple length: 2 - 5”
Fiber diameter: 25-33 micron
Qualities: Durable, versitile
Best for: Long wearing things like, socks, mittens, hats, everyday sweater, blankets
Notes: Takes dye well. Does NOT easily felt
Color: White
Finnsheep
Staple length: 3-6”
Fiber diameter: 22-33 micron
Qualities: Durability, softness
Best for: Next to the skin garments, sweaters, blankets, holds patterns well, woven lace.
Notes: Felts easily. Dyes well.
Color: White, black, gray and some brown
Gotland
Staple length: 3-7”
Fiber diameter: 27-35+ micron
Qualities: soft, smooth, drape, luster
Best for: fine yarns
Notes: Dyes well over the gray. Felts well.
Color: light gray to black
Merino
Staple length: 2-5”
Fiber diameter: 11.5-26 micron
Qualities: Light weight, soft, delicate
Best for: Baby clothes and fine garments
Notes: Takes dye well and felts easily.
Color: Mostly white, some brown or black.
Shetland
Staple length: varies by type 2-10”
Fiber diameter: 20-30 micron
Qualities: Durability, fineness, light weight
Best for: Versatile, anything from fine shawls to rope.
Notes: Take dye well and most fleeces will felt.
Colors: variety of color
.
Teeswater
Staple length: 12-15” yearly, or 6” sheared twice a year
Fiber diameter: 30-36 micron
Qualities: Length, luster, durable, drape
Best for: Weaving yarn, stitch definition,
Notes: Take dye well. Does not felt well
Color: White
List of resources:
The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook, by Deborah Robson & Carol Ekarius
The Field Guide to Fleece (100 Sheep Breeds and How to Use Their Fibers), by Deborah Robson & Carol Ekarius
The Spinner’s Book of Fleece, (The Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose) by Beth Smith
Raising Animals for Fiber, by Chris McLaughlin
