Presented at the PLAA Annual Meeting 2011 by Lydia Piper of Gurdy Run Farm and Woolen Mill at 763 Tourist Park Road in Halifax, PA 17032 USA. Contact information: (717) 896-8419 or (717) 896-7661.

1. Gurdy Run Woolen Mill
Established 2001

2.  Pre-shearing grooming
Brush, Blower and Bath
 Clean shearing area
Prevent secondary contamination of fleece
 Skirt fleece
Sort out undesirable fiber and contamination
 Determine fiber suitability
What do you want to do with your fiber?
Type of yarn and what you are going to use it for?

3. The process of removing lower grade fibers, debris, dung and vegetable
matter from a fleece
Sorted fiber 3 lbs Fred Guard hairs and
2 lbs 10 oz after Raw Llama fleece weighing short fiber 1 lb
washing 4lbs 12 oz 10 oz

4. When looking over your fleeces check for staple length consistency and strength
Throw out vegetable matter, short fibers, matted fiber and coarse guard hair
Reduces weight, improves product, and saves money
Just a few things found in fleeces

6. Picking is the opening of locks not the picking out of vegetation.
It is also a good place to blend fibers.

16. Bulky Weight: Less than 8 wraps per inch - 400 to 700 yards per
pound
Worsted Weight: 10 to 12 wraps per inch - 900 to 1100 yards per
pound
Double Knitting (DK): 12 to 18 wraps per inch - 1000 to1400
yards per pound
Sport Weight: 18 to 24 wraps per inch - 1300 to 1800 yards per
pound
Fingering: 24 to 30 wraps per inch - 1800 to 2400 yards per
pound
Lace Weight: 36 to 40 wraps per inch - 3000 to 6000 yards per
pound