I did a little fiber study on Dartmoor wool. Dartmoor wool is akin to Elliotdale or Drysdale in that they are a rug grade wool or very course grade.
The wool has no crimp, just a big wave. The fiber is sleek and it has a nice sheen. I washed it in lock formation.
I always use a soap made for wool/protein fibers such as Unicorn or Kookaburra, however, due to the coarse grade you totally could use a dish soap that has no enzymes.
I used wool combs, but because it's so slick with no crimp it fell apart as I dizzed off the top.. So I ran it through my Brother drum carder.
I spun it bulky, about an 11 wpi, and then plyed from a center-pull-ball. It was sort of like spinning a very soft man's beard.
The yarn is soft, but strong and has fibers poking out, probably due to carding it and it being a woolen prep vs a worsted prep. Maybe next time I will try to spin it directly off the comb.
The micron is about 36-40 so these are not very soft and pliable.
There is no crimp so there is no spring or memory to the yarn.
I would think this might be nice as an item that is hard-wearing and not next to the skin, maybe a horse blanket or a rug.
I hope you enjoyed this little breed study. What other breeds would you like to see?
Cheers,
Mary Egbert
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