Dorset At My Doorstep

Well, not a whole Dorset. A Dorset fleece. And now I'll talk about Why I Love Dorset Wool.

First of all, it is hard to felt. For people who love to felt this can be a problem but for those of us who SPIN, felting is evil! When I wash this lovely Dorset fleece I will not have to be nearly as careful as I would if I were washing Merino. And sweaters, etc, made from Dorset wool can be gently washed IN THE MACHINE! I'm not making it up. No hot water, no dryer, but other than that, Dorset can handle the handling.

Second, Dorset is boingy. Or should I say sproingy. It has a lot of bounce. If it is spun woolen-style with a long draw from fluffy rolags it make a very squishable, wonderful yarn with lots of loft.

Third, it is very white once it is washed. Some wools are creamy-colored. That's fine, except if you want to dye it true pink, because the creamy-colored wool plus true pink dye equals a peachy pink. Sometimes I just want pink, not peachy.

Fourth, it is fun to card. (Only a fiber addict would understand this.) Dorset makes wonderful rolags.

Fifth, Dorset is usually not pricey.

Try some Dorset! Look for a fleece with a staple length of at least 3 inches. Much shorter than that and it's a pain to draft. Happy Spinning!