· Sheep — Wool-producing livestock known for their diverse breeds and fiber qualities. Common on fiber farms for their annual fleece.

· Alpaca — A camelid raised for its soft, lightweight, hypoallergenic fiber. Alpaca fleece is prized for warmth and luxury.

· Highland Cattle — A hardy Scottish breed known for long, shaggy coats. While not typically shorn for spinning fiber, their hair can be used for felting, stuffing, or specialty crafts.

· Ewe — An adult female sheep.

· Ram — An adult male sheep.

· Wether — A castrated male sheep or alpaca, often kept for fiber production.

· Cria — A baby alpaca.

· Lamb — A young sheep.

· Fleece — The wool or fiber shorn from an animal in a single shearing.

· Staple Length — The length of individual fiber locks. Longer staples are easier to spin.

· Micron Count — A measurement of fiber fineness. Lower micron = softer fiber.

· Crimp — The natural wave in wool fibers, contributing to elasticity and loft.

· Lustre — The natural sheen or shine of a fiber, especially notable in alpaca.

· Guard Hair — Coarse outer hair found in alpacas and Highland cattle; often removed during processing.

· Skirting — Removing dirty, coarse, or unusable parts of the fleece before processing.

· Lanolin — Natural oil found in sheep’s wool; absent in alpaca fiber.

· Carding — Brushing fibers to align them for spinning.

· Combing — A more refined alignment process that removes shorter fibers.

· Roving — A long, narrow bundle of carded fiber ready for spinning.

· Batts — Large sheets of carded fiber used for spinning or felting.

· Top — Highly aligned, combed fiber prepared for worsted spinning.

· Spinning — Twisting fibers together to create yarn.

· Plying — Twisting two or more spun singles together for strength and balance.

· Felting — A process where fibers are matted together using moisture, heat, or agitation.

· Woolen Spin — A fluffy, airy yarn made from carded fibers.

· Worsted Spin — A smooth, strong yarn made from combed fibers.

· Single — A single strand of spun yarn.

· Skein — A looped bundle of yarn for sale or storage.

· Hank — A twisted coil of yarn, often used for hand-dyed or artisanal yarns.

· Dye Lot — A batch of yarn dyed together to ensure color consistency.

· Shearing — The annual removal of fleece from sheep or alpacas.

· Pasture Rotation — Moving animals between grazing areas to maintain healthy grass and soil.

· Ruminant — A grazing animal with a multi-chambered stomach (sheep, alpacas, and cattle).

· Biosecurity — Farm practices that prevent disease spread among animals.

· Mineral Supplementation — Providing essential minerals (like selenium or copper) to maintain herd health.

· Raw Fleece — Unwashed fiber straight from the animal.

· Washed Fiber — Cleaned fleece with dirt, lanolin, and debris removed.

· Hand-Dyed Yarn — Yarn colored in small batches for unique variations.

· Mill-Spun Yarn — Yarn processed and spun at a fiber mill.

· Farm-to-Needle — A term highlighting yarn produced entirely on the farm, from animal to finished skein.

Fleece

The entire coat shorn from a sheep or alpaca in one piece. Think of it as the “raw material” for all fiber arts.

Staple Length

How long each individual lock of fiber is.

· Short staples: Good for woolen spinning.

· Long staples: Easier for beginners and great for worsted spinning.

Micron Count

A measurement of fiber thickness.

· Lower micron = softer fiber.

· Alpaca and BFL often have low micron counts.

Crimp

The natural wave or zig-zag in wool fibers.

· More crimp = more elasticity and bounce.

· BFL has gentle crimp; Valais and Leicester Longwool have more defined curls.

Lustre

The natural shine of a fiber.

· Leicester Longwool and BFL are known for high lustre.

Guard Hair

Coarse outer hairs found in alpacas and Highland cattle. Usually removed during processing to keep the final product soft.

Skirting

Cleaning the fleece by removing dirty, matted, or coarse sections before washing or processing.

Lanolin

A natural waxy oil found in sheep’s wool.

· Helps waterproof the sheep.

· Must be washed out before spinning.

· Alpaca fiber contains no lanolin, making it easier to clean.

Woolen Spin

A fluffy, airy yarn made from carded fibers.

· Warm and lightweight.

Worsted Spin

A smooth, strong yarn made from combed fibers.

· Great for stitch definition and durability.

Single

A single strand of spun yarn.

Skein

A looped bundle of yarn for sale or storage.

Hank

A twisted coil of yarn, often hand-dyed.

Dye Lot

A batch of yarn dyed together so the color matches across skeins.