«Previous    Next»
Where To Get Wool Spun Into Yarn
Small flock owners with too much wool to spin by hand can send it to the Green Mountain Spinnery. The Vermont, worker-owned cooperative has been producing high-quality yarns from a wide variety of fibers for 37 years. Most of the fiber they work with is purchased from individual growers.
  “We can card and spin as little as 35 lbs. of raw fleece or 20 lbs. of scoured fleece,” says David Ritchie, Green Mountain Spinnery. “We will wash orders of up to 200 lbs. for the fiber owner. If the wool is washed before sending it to us, we can process up to 2,000 lbs. in an order.”
  The Spinnery can process most types of fiber other than longer, more lustrous wools. The equipment simply isn’t designed to handle those fibers. Fibers used at the mill include alpaca, mohair, wool, Tencel (wood-based fibers), and organic cotton. Yarns produced include lightweight, worsted weight, and bulky yarns, both plied and unplied.
  “We work with producers all across the country,” says Ritchie. “We can take wool to whatever level desired, from wool batt to yarn stage. If you want it woven into cloth or made into finished products, we can recommend small companies to do the job.”
  Ritchie notes that a lot of small woolen mills have started up around the country in recent years. That is good for small producers, he points out, as wool can be expensive to ship. However, The Spinnery is fairly unique as it is certified as an organic wool processor.
  “We work with a lot of organic sheep producers who want to take some yarn to the farmers’ markets where they sell their lamb,” says Ritchie.
  Custom processing fees can be found on The Spinnery’s website. Prices include a set up fee, but otherwise depend on amounts, raw or scoured, and the desired end product. Producer wool can be blended with other fibers, dyed and natural. With so many options, it is important to call first to discuss your wool.
  “Let us know the kind of wool you have, how much you want processed and what you want done with it,” says Ritchie. “If we are attending a show in your area, stop by and visit.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Green Mountain Spinnery, Box 568, 7 Brickyard Lane, Putney, Vt. 05346 (ph 802 387-4528; toll free 800 321-9665; spinnery@spinnery.com; www.spinnery.com).


  Click here to download page story appeared in.



  Click here to read entire issue




To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.
Order the Issue Containing This Story
2019 - Volume #43, Issue #5