Scotland Wool

While hiking The West Highland Way in Scotland, I picked up clean wool dropped by sheep that shed their wool, called rooing I was told. There was no heavy smell of lanolin in the wool, and I was able to wash it in the sink and let dry before spinning. I spun 80 yards of single ply from what was gathered, which spun up to approximately 40 yards plied. The wool had a long staple, but was a bit coarse, especially as I had been spinning merino, tencel, and silk blends. We were told the wool in southern Scotland were used for carpet wool.

I did not have carding equipment available, so I spun directly from what was gathered from the fences and ground on my spindle.