Wonders of Wool (2 Hours)

Learn the processes of making fiber into fabric. Discover the steps of felt making and the art of spinning in this "hands-on" experience of processing wool into fabric. Maximum number of classes is two.

 Upon arrival to the preserve, groups will be formed and oriented in the parking lot. Groups will then rotate through the program with one group starting at the farm with the sheep and the other starting at the felting activity. Group One will first visit the sheep at the barn; they will see ewes, (mothers), rams, (fathers) and the lambs, (babies). The care, housing and feed requirements of the sheep will be covered, the students will learn about the process of rumination, (how food is processed through their four compartment stomach), and students will be given the chance to feed the sheep some sweet grain by hand and touch the sheep’s wool. Next the students will go to the Orchard House where they will learn of the variety of products that sheep provide: wool, meat, and lanolin. Students will learn how wool is sheared from the sheep, where the best wool is found, and how raw wool is processed. Students will examine wool fibers under a microscope and learn of the other fibers used for making cloth products, silk, flax and cotton. Students will then be divided into groups of four, to process raw wool. Raw wool will first be teased, a manual separation of fibers by pulling to untangle and loosen trapped dirt. Then the students will brush the ‘picked’ wool with cards, (flat wire brushes used to align the wool fibers prior to spinning and felting), peel the brushed wool from the card, and roll it into a loose woolen roll called a ‘rolag’ After each student has a completed rolag, they will partner up with another student to spin the rolag into yarn, using a drop spindle, one student spinning the spindle like a top, while the other student pulls the rolag gently apart and allows the fibers to twist together until they have completed a length of wool yarn. The partners will then change jobs and spin the other rolag. Upon completion of the spinning project, the students will learn the process of felting. The students will work in groups of four and will first take previously teased and carded wool, cross layer the wool into 4 plies, add a soapy hot water solution, and roll the wool in a circular pattern between their hands, (as if making a meatball), and applying pressure to bind the wool fiber scales together. By continuing to add hot soapy water and repeating the rolling process the students will obtain a woolen felt ball. If time allows, more than one felt ball can be made. The students will then be able to bring these finished products home. If this program is done in March or April a sheep shearing demonstration can be added. A one group rotation will sequence by first visiting the sheep, then spinning, felting, second group rotation will be felting, sheep visit, spinning.