I share this peeve - and I may go awandering far afield in a highland meadow later - but I have opinions about opinions.
A fiberist who causally dismisses any breed for its inherent genetic qualities is an indication of inexperience. A novice doesn't have enough data to make an acurate judgment on anything other than their preference. Which, we all have preferences, but being enthusiastically loud about our preferences doesn't make us right.
In a culture fixated on the seductive qualities of soft, our western idiom has been coddled into the false equation of soft=best leading to the unsustainable environment nightmare of microfibers. The first fail in that soft equation comes from comparing hand spun yarns with commercial yarns. The loud opinions tend to get ramped up here, especially when an novice hasn't reconciled the equation:
[Great Yarn = (characteristics of breed or breed blend + preparation method) ÷ spinning technique (± ply)] all influenced by fabrication method of the final project.
Now that☝️equation gets shit done!
Because even though wool is a multifaceted fiber -
It isn't a one-size-fits-all fiber. it's a spectrum of fiber solutions to a variety of situations & needs, producing both textile & non-textile uses
Yes - carpets & rugs are one of those needful situations that specific wools fulfill. However, the same breeds used reliably for industry also have functions in garments & home decor not associated with feet. And, to the experienced fiberist: you don't dismiss wool for not being softy-soft
As part of a rare breed study, I had the opportunity to spin an Old-World UK Herdwick.
The fleece was the same color of the stones in its native range. It was coarse, full of hair, & kemp. It was tough. The twisted single cut a groove my flyer's wood. The staple was 3-4" (7.5-10 cm) & it held twist perfectly even when spun super-fine.
Plied back upon itself it made a stable 2-ply lace weight.
Despite it being from one of the cutest sheep to grace the hard-knock fells - it was a beast of a fleece.
Our Guild chairperson called the rolags “Godzilla’s pubes” - and he wasn't wrong. It was akin to a natural steel wool pad.
Together, our Guild tried every preparation we knew.
We de-haired, hand carded, drum carded, hackled, & combed. Spun on wheels & hand spindles making singles, & multiple plies. The yarn was crocheted, knitted woven, needle felted, needle punched, & even used in nalbinding. It was deemed filler wool - not even worthy of rug making but the fleece was far to clean to compost.
And - alas - with the same fiber someone spun their sample as cobweb weight and made a square shawl/lap cover - maybe 40" by 40" (a meter square ). Because of the fibre characteristics it held its structure in an open lace that was beautiful. The charcoal gray was stunning - it caught the light here and there where the lighter shades of kemp and hair reflected. It was a most beautiful piece of work
And it is not soft. But it is very lightweight & warm.
And that combination is hard to find in commercial yarns.
The variety of textures in the fiber category of Wools is astounding. There just might be a wool for every need:
Alpaca for the cowl around your neck.
Merino for the colorwork sweater pattern from Ravelry
Shetland for mittens and hats.
Wensleydale socks that will wear well in boots and keep your feet warm.
Lincoln Long wool that - if spun as lace weight or cobweb will make an heirloom lace baby blanket -
Or Herdwick . . . to make a lap warmer for someone whose circulation can't stand the weight of more than a sheet but still needs to stay warm.
All of these could be carpet wool - the last three being far superior & more durable to the task than the others - but they can also be much more.
Seriously. Don't discount a wool for being itself. Look at your skillset, add to your knowledge, try something new. Also - and i mean this - do a fucking breed study.
