The weaver can
choose to weave a "hard" or a "soft"
cloth.
The short, fine
fibres taken from the front of the sheep form a
yarn which is rather loose, with lots of air
spaces, and produces a "soft" cloth. The
wool is prepared for spinning using carders,
which have hundreds of small hooks on their flat,
inner surfaces; the wool is transferred from
one carder to the other until a fluffy roll of
wool is produced in which all the fibres lie at
right-angles to one another.
The long, course fibres, taken from the side of
the sheep, can be spun into a worsted yarn, which
gives a "hard" cloth. The long fibres must
all run in the same direction. This is done by
pulling handfuls of the wool through a spiked
metal comb.
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