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The Spinner's Book of Fleece: A Breed-by-Breed Guide to Choosing and Spinning the Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose
The characteristics of fleece — its structure, grease content, and fiber diameter — vary widely depending on the breed of sheep the fleece comes from. In this comprehensive guide, Beth Smith profiles 21 types of fleece, from bouncy and pliant to lacy and lightweight. A sheep-by-sheep reference describes the best way to wash and spin each fleece into rich, soft yarn. You’ll soon be confidently choosing the right fleece, spinning it to perfection, and enjoying the perfect yarn for your next fiber creation.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2014
60 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Beth Smith
3 books21 followersBeth Smith is so obsessed with fiber that she has fleece in every room of her house, including her bathroom.
She teaches the whys and how-tos of preparing and spinning as many breeds as a spinner can in her classes taught all over the world and in articles written for Spin Off, Knittyspin and Entangled magazines. She also writes for Ply Magazine and serves as a member of the editorial advisory board.
She is the previous owner of the world famous online shop ,The Spinning Loft, renowned for it’s selection of raw wool, including rare breeds of sheep , available by the ounce (or more) for studying, sampling or just stashing.
She teaches the whys and how-tos of preparing and spinning as many breeds as a spinner can in her classes taught all over the world and in articles written for Spin Off, Knittyspin and Entangled magazines. She also writes for Ply Magazine and serves as a member of the editorial advisory board.
She is the previous owner of the world famous online shop ,The Spinning Loft, renowned for it’s selection of raw wool, including rare breeds of sheep , available by the ounce (or more) for studying, sampling or just stashing.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 11, 2015
I started this book just over 72 hours ago...and I'm already done. the prospect of processing wool and designing a yarn to make a sweater has been, well...basically on my radar since I started spinning. but the possibility of actually doing so seemed so far off until Beth Smith published an article called "Longwools into Lace" in Knitty a few years back. The article is fairly basic, but I found it captivating. Instead of supplementing my fiber stash with processed fibers, I picked up raw wool. I tried spinning in the grease a bit, but then left everything for a while. (Okay, a couple of tumultuous fears of moving and going to school, etc!) But this book has changed EVERYTHING! I'm a better spinner already from some of the very basic advice, and I've already begun utilizing some of these techniques to render raw wool to finished yarns, better than anything I could ever buy, and utilizing the natural strengths of the fleece. What a pleasure!
December 17, 2020
This is a very practical book about spinning which gives a little background, but focuses mostly on types of fleece and their respective purposes.
The author explains the value of raw fleece and the differences in different types such as longwools, downs and multicoated breeds. Relative strengths and advantages to different breeds are covered as well as the options to buy raw or processed wool, how to find sources, how to get consistent yarn and what wools take dye best.
There is a chapter on buying fleece dos and don'ts that contains a lot of valuable information. Cleaning, storing and tools are all discussed in detail and spinning basics are included for noobs like myself. The information about different fibers and how much to buy for specific projects was something I found very valuable. How to keep bugs out of your wool was also of great value.
There are chapters that go into detail about each type of wool, how to wash and comb it and just about anything you might want to know about how to prepare your wool for spinning.
This is the most thorough book about spinning and choosing/preparing yarn that I have come across. It finishes with a glossary of terms plus charts and resources that make the idea of taking up this craft feel much less daunting.
The author explains the value of raw fleece and the differences in different types such as longwools, downs and multicoated breeds. Relative strengths and advantages to different breeds are covered as well as the options to buy raw or processed wool, how to find sources, how to get consistent yarn and what wools take dye best.
There is a chapter on buying fleece dos and don'ts that contains a lot of valuable information. Cleaning, storing and tools are all discussed in detail and spinning basics are included for noobs like myself. The information about different fibers and how much to buy for specific projects was something I found very valuable. How to keep bugs out of your wool was also of great value.
There are chapters that go into detail about each type of wool, how to wash and comb it and just about anything you might want to know about how to prepare your wool for spinning.
This is the most thorough book about spinning and choosing/preparing yarn that I have come across. It finishes with a glossary of terms plus charts and resources that make the idea of taking up this craft feel much less daunting.
September 11, 2014
I received this book about a week ago from the publisher for review.
I have not put it down since!
I don't know how I could live without this book for so long!
What a wonderful resource!!!
This book will NOT teach you how to spin. It will teach you how to spin a yarn that suits the fibre you have! We(well I anyway) think about our projects and what the end result will be and then go from there. I have not ever started with the fibre. This book has toppled my spinning habit on it's head! I cannot wait to go and find some of the breeds Mrs. Smith is talking about in her wonderful book and spin them into the perfect yarn for the perfect project!
I have always loved to knit with my home spun yarn, but this will make the whole experience even more rewarding, I think. To know the best way to show off any fibre's strong points and really make it work for you and the project.
Mrs. Smith also gives a bit of a background on the sheep breeds, she discusses in the book. Couple this book with The Field Guide To Fleece and you are pretty much set for any fibre market, or breed auction you could imagine! I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY OUT SOME OF THE TIPS she gives for choosing your fleece at an auction, or a fibre festival! :)
I feel so much more confident to go and buy a fleece instead of processed fibre. I feel armed and ready!
But wait! There is more!
The book also teaches you how to identify the random bits in your stash, to which you lost all notes and labels. (yes, I have those too!! LOTS of those!)
So much information about the breeds and how to keep your head on straight when going to fibre shows and how to pick fleeces, or more processed fiber.
I honestly believe this book is a necessity in every spinners library. No matter if you are a beginner, or an expert. We all can use a refresher course from time to time and a little place to look things up. We can't keep EVERYTHING in our heads, all the time.
Thank you, for such a wonderful resource book! I know I will recommend it to all my fibre friends.
The information is well written and easily understood and put in, are o practice. I find it always so important that even books like this one, for plain information are written well and in an engaging manner. This is absolutely the case for Beth Smith. She knows what she is talking about and gets it across in a way that doesn't make you fall asleep three pages in.
I feel so much more confident in picking my next fleece and processing it myself to really show it off to it's best.
I have not put it down since!
I don't know how I could live without this book for so long!
What a wonderful resource!!!
This book will NOT teach you how to spin. It will teach you how to spin a yarn that suits the fibre you have! We(well I anyway) think about our projects and what the end result will be and then go from there. I have not ever started with the fibre. This book has toppled my spinning habit on it's head! I cannot wait to go and find some of the breeds Mrs. Smith is talking about in her wonderful book and spin them into the perfect yarn for the perfect project!
I have always loved to knit with my home spun yarn, but this will make the whole experience even more rewarding, I think. To know the best way to show off any fibre's strong points and really make it work for you and the project.
Mrs. Smith also gives a bit of a background on the sheep breeds, she discusses in the book. Couple this book with The Field Guide To Fleece and you are pretty much set for any fibre market, or breed auction you could imagine! I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY OUT SOME OF THE TIPS she gives for choosing your fleece at an auction, or a fibre festival! :)
I feel so much more confident to go and buy a fleece instead of processed fibre. I feel armed and ready!
But wait! There is more!
The book also teaches you how to identify the random bits in your stash, to which you lost all notes and labels. (yes, I have those too!! LOTS of those!)
So much information about the breeds and how to keep your head on straight when going to fibre shows and how to pick fleeces, or more processed fiber.
I honestly believe this book is a necessity in every spinners library. No matter if you are a beginner, or an expert. We all can use a refresher course from time to time and a little place to look things up. We can't keep EVERYTHING in our heads, all the time.
Thank you, for such a wonderful resource book! I know I will recommend it to all my fibre friends.
The information is well written and easily understood and put in, are o practice. I find it always so important that even books like this one, for plain information are written well and in an engaging manner. This is absolutely the case for Beth Smith. She knows what she is talking about and gets it across in a way that doesn't make you fall asleep three pages in.
I feel so much more confident in picking my next fleece and processing it myself to really show it off to it's best.
August 7, 2014
Excellent book for spinners of all levels interested in working from raw wool!
January 28, 2015
Excellent reference guide for spinners. Highly recommended!
February 7, 2023
A very good basic overview of terminology, and how to spin different wool types. For a beginner it was easy to understand and grasp the concepts. The only thing it lacks is more details on how to process a raw fleece. Otherwise, a perfect beginners book.
September 30, 2022
Fantastically helpful
January 10, 2023
I think this book is a great primer on breed selection and the basics of processing raw fleece.
April 29, 2023
I will need to own this to reference the different methods the author discusses in this book. I have learned more from this book than in the past 10 years of working with fleece and spinning yarn.
August 13, 2015
when i bought this book i thought what i was buying was a more elaborate and spinning-specific extension on the "using X fiber" sections included, breed by breed, in the fleece and fiber sourcebook. there are so few breeds in here - and all 'american' - when you do finally get to them, and the information is definitely not what i was hoping for, nor do i consider it useful. this is not just because i was expecting it to be something it isn't. but there are far more opinions in here than i would like - so much bias in fact i can't even consider this decent reference material.
if you are relatively new to spinning and want to get into processing fleece this is probably a decent book. if you want to spin sheep-to-sweater, buy a bunch of equipment to do so, and choose one of the 42 breeds discussed and have no prior experience working with those wools, also probably a good book. if you want someone to tell you what to do because you feel lost in a mountain of wool (lucky you) and have no internet connection, maybe an okay book for that too.
but me? i hated it. it was preachy and it was very passive-aggressive while still carrying that spinning police tone. do i agree with some of the things she said? yeah. would i recommend the book? hell no. the fleece and fiber sourcebook did it right and i hope there is a follow-up with more fiber and maybe even some other plant or even sericin fibers too. but the spinner's book of fleece actually just made me angry. i hope people who are new to the craft definitely get as many conflicting opinions as possible in order to realize that these are, in fact, just her opinions.
if you are relatively new to spinning and want to get into processing fleece this is probably a decent book. if you want to spin sheep-to-sweater, buy a bunch of equipment to do so, and choose one of the 42 breeds discussed and have no prior experience working with those wools, also probably a good book. if you want someone to tell you what to do because you feel lost in a mountain of wool (lucky you) and have no internet connection, maybe an okay book for that too.
but me? i hated it. it was preachy and it was very passive-aggressive while still carrying that spinning police tone. do i agree with some of the things she said? yeah. would i recommend the book? hell no. the fleece and fiber sourcebook did it right and i hope there is a follow-up with more fiber and maybe even some other plant or even sericin fibers too. but the spinner's book of fleece actually just made me angry. i hope people who are new to the craft definitely get as many conflicting opinions as possible in order to realize that these are, in fact, just her opinions.
January 8, 2015
I think "all yarn that holds together is useable yarn" needs to be my new mantra.
Overall, this is a great book that came highly recommended by some friends as well as The Knitmore Girls podcast. I read through it fast this first time, but I know I will return regularly as I venture into the world of processing and choosing fleeces. I already want to rush right out and order a box of samples. I can't wait to get started with two fleeces I recently bought so I can see just how they behave and which of their parent breeds they most resemble.
However, there are a couple of things I did not like. She focuses a bit too heavily on having an end project in mind and is quite clearly prejudiced towards worsted spinning. There are times when she mentions that the fleece used in the books for the samples is perhaps not the most representative for its breed or has flaws that make it difficult to work with. I feel that does not give a reader a good idea of what thy can get from a better or more normal fleece of the breed.
That being said, I very highly recommend this book to spinners of any ilk.
Overall, this is a great book that came highly recommended by some friends as well as The Knitmore Girls podcast. I read through it fast this first time, but I know I will return regularly as I venture into the world of processing and choosing fleeces. I already want to rush right out and order a box of samples. I can't wait to get started with two fleeces I recently bought so I can see just how they behave and which of their parent breeds they most resemble.
However, there are a couple of things I did not like. She focuses a bit too heavily on having an end project in mind and is quite clearly prejudiced towards worsted spinning. There are times when she mentions that the fleece used in the books for the samples is perhaps not the most representative for its breed or has flaws that make it difficult to work with. I feel that does not give a reader a good idea of what thy can get from a better or more normal fleece of the breed.
That being said, I very highly recommend this book to spinners of any ilk.
May 22, 2015
The photos and visual layout of this book are gorgeous. Additionally, the text is clearly written with an enjoyable, cheerful tone and organized in a logical, user-friendly way.
I will say, however, this is probably not the best book for true spinning beginners. The intended audience seems to be one with basic spinning experience, in particular, using a spinning wheel. She does occasionally address drop spindles, but most of her technique instruction simply doesn't apply. And there is A LOT of technical instruction for spinning. Her spinning is also geared toward yarn for knitting as opposed to crochet. All of her photos of samples are knitted, not crocheted. Again, not a huge issue, but something to know ahead of time.
This is a great guide for experienced spinners, and a good companion book for the recently "hooked.". The author's philosophy of yarn use--that is, EVERY yarn does, in fact, have a use--was a helpful one for me to try and adapt.
I will say, however, this is probably not the best book for true spinning beginners. The intended audience seems to be one with basic spinning experience, in particular, using a spinning wheel. She does occasionally address drop spindles, but most of her technique instruction simply doesn't apply. And there is A LOT of technical instruction for spinning. Her spinning is also geared toward yarn for knitting as opposed to crochet. All of her photos of samples are knitted, not crocheted. Again, not a huge issue, but something to know ahead of time.
This is a great guide for experienced spinners, and a good companion book for the recently "hooked.". The author's philosophy of yarn use--that is, EVERY yarn does, in fact, have a use--was a helpful one for me to try and adapt.
July 22, 2016
Book was good, but left me wanting more. Beth only had one fleece sample for each breed she showcased. And for each breed type (fine, longwool, down, multicoated) she only did one type of fiber prep (flicking locks, combing, carding). She did sample multiple types of drafting and 2 and 3 ply samples. But I was hoping for some more variety and non-standard approaches. The book did inspire me to spin more from the fleece instead of prepared fibers. And it made me want to play more with all steps from fiber prep to spinning style to yarn construction.
April 18, 2014
This book does exactly what it says on the tin and does this very well. And as promised on the tin it really starts with the fleece and focuses very much on the fleece and how to choose the right one. If you tend to prefer buying already processed yarn much of the information will be not relevant. There is still a lot of basics about spinning in general and tips for it but if that's what you after other books will probably be better.
ARC received from NetGalley
ARC received from NetGalley
March 31, 2015
A wonderful resource! I will definitely be referring back to it as I spin from different breeds. The title basically implies this, but just know that it's generally geared towards spinners who are actually going to be working with raw fleeces. If you only spin commercial fiber, it won't help you much!
Beautiful photography and detailed samples...it's just really well done. :)
Beautiful photography and detailed samples...it's just really well done. :)
July 28, 2014
This is serious stuff, spinning and fiber. I was overwhelmed by a lot of the content (in a good way) and while I try to buy handspun I now have a greater appreciation for this process. The book was a little technical at times, confession that I skimmed some sections.
January 1, 2015
A must have for spinners new and old. This is another encyclopedic book with amazing information. Well laid out with fiber prep information, corresponding ways to spin with a little historical information on the fiber source.
January 7, 2015
I learned a few new things, which is always good! As a spindle spinner, I thought the amount of spinning wheel information was disproportionate to the amount of spindle information, but that's typical of most spinning resources. I'm sure I'll come back to this book often for reference.
April 25, 2019
This book covers a number of different sheep breeds and is an excellent resource for someone who spins or is more interested in the different types of wool from different sheep breeds offered in yarn.
December 7, 2014
this book is great for anyone wanting to spin. The pictures are stunning and it goes into great detail! I highly recommend this book... ~Yarning4asmile.blogspot.com
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews