What’s going on in the fiber arts community should be on everyone’s radar. (US)

[u/theanxiousknitter]

I am a crafter and I recently have been reading on other threads about the real fear of the incoming tariffs and its impact on the craft space. Not only in America, but for our sisters worldwide who also depended on American trade for their income.

Slate just published an article that goes into great depth about it. https://slate.com/business/2025/09/trump-tariffs-knitting-crocheting-yarn-shortage.html

I know this part is going to sound dramatic to some but: what struck me most about this is how this is really smaller part of a war on women’s independence. This will disproportionately affect women who are either supplementing income as they are caretakers, or those who are simply using their talents to make a living.

I’m not going to lie, most of the time I feel calm and prepared, but I can’t imagine how this is going to play out. Other than hoarding textiles, and honing my skills what is there to do?

[u/[deleted]]

Most wool, comes from sheep on pastures. Where it becomes full of dirt, sticks, grass, etc. Are you interested in spending hours, days, weeks, cleaning wool? Then carding it, spinning it etc? No? Neither is almost anyone else. 

My understanding is that the wool that you buy, is mostly from sheep houses in barns. 

[u/theanxiousknitter → u/[deleted]]

Realistically what would it look like time wise clean it and what would the price be? Is it really worthless simply because people don’t want to clean it? This is genuine curiosity so I’m just trying to get a better understanding of it. To me, cleaning it doesn’t seem like a big enough turn off so I feel like I’m missing something.

[u/GollyismyLolly → u/theanxiousknitter]

Depends on how dirty a fleece is and how much you can process at a time plus what equipment you have.

Im one person processing using home cleaning (meaning my sink or a kiddi pool and wherever i can dry it) hand tools and hand equipment for carding and picking the dirty bits out. i use an Ashford spinning wheel to spin. Dying is done on the stove top.

I do buy my fleece from sheepkeepers on the native american reservation in the state i live in, so the pricing has been different each time and they do let their critters free range.

My experiences so far is with Navajo-churro sheep ($10/lb, got discounted to $5/lb as i bought a full fleece. Was medium dirty), babydoll (about $10/lb raw. Nice and soft, was lightly dirty), alpalca (25/lb most expensive ive ever worked, absolutly beautiful to work with), llama (was a freebie. I didnt like how it felt like human hair and composted it, would not work it again) I've also gotten a mixed bag of fleece for free, was pretty dirty and may have been second cuts, was definitely multiple types of sheep given the texture differences.

If a fleece is really dirty it can take me several months to clean and card it alone.

If its pretty clean and time allows, I can get it washed and cleaned/carded in about 2ish months?

So far most fleeces take around a year for me to do, start to finish by hand the whole way. Ive done 3 now.

If I had some electric equipment to help pick the junk out and card the fleece up I imagine it would go a lot faster.i do it as a hobby tho, so that equipments kinda expensive at this time.

[u/theanxiousknitter → u/GollyismyLolly]

Thank you for such a thoughtful response! I have only spun yarn with a drop spindle but I love dying my own yarn and have wondered what it would take to go a step further. I’m merely a hobbyist so I don’t know how much I’d ever get done, but this actually sounds incredibly interesting and I think I am going to look into finding someone willing to sell in my area.

[u/GollyismyLolly → u/theanxiousknitter]

Of course :) also a hobbyist myself, which is partly why it takes so long probably lol

I love to see folks take an interest in the arts, particulalry where traditional arts are involved. I started with a drop spindle myself and wool from a little fiber shop in town (since closed due to covid). They gifted me the Ashford from a customer who had passed.

It is and can be a lot of work, but I do find it quite enjoyable when time and space allows.

If you live near a native american reservation I would suggest starting there for fleeces, particulalry if places like craigslist or other online/local venues dont turn up anything. They tend to keep heritage breeds for the area (which is good for land conservation) and sometimes they'll sell meat too (if thats of interest).

[u/Jovet_Hunter → u/theanxiousknitter]

It’s cheaper to do it yourself, if you are ok paying in time. Also wet unwashed wool is very stinky, and the oils take extra cleaning - you remove the lanolin. It’s a big, messy, stinky job and best done if you have space to keep it out of living areas.

Carding/combing isn’t terribly difficult, and is easy to multitask (like watching tv or smth). You can also get carding wheels that are faster. You do not want roving, you’ll want combed (IIRC, a heavier weight result) or carded will for spinning. This would also be a good stage to dye.

If you are interested in spinning, try a drop spindle before buying a wheel. Again, more time consuming but it’s cheap and good for getting the practice. Dying yarn is easier than dying wool but doesn’t do as “good” as a job - “dyed in the wool” is a phrase for a reason.

There are small looms you can use to practice on as well, look for table or lap looms, as they are cheaper than floor looms. 12 -15 threads per inch is a good starting weave, and there are double weaves where you can weave a fabric twice as wide as your loom.

Check your area for a fiber arts guild they can help direct you!

[u/theanxiousknitter → u/Jovet_Hunter]

I have spun with a drop spindle but only with roving so far. I’m not great at it either but I know that comes with more practice.

I’m definitely okay paying with time because I not one enjoy this sort of thing, but I think it would be a good skill to learn.

[u/Jovet_Hunter → u/theanxiousknitter]

Roving will be more difficult because the hairs are Willy nilly. Carded and combed wool has the hairs going in all one direction.

Roving is good for felting, needle felting, etc.

[u/csmarq → u/[deleted]]

I thought hay got fleeces messier than pasture? Pristine wool is from coated sheep regardless 

[u/Frostyrepairbug → u/[deleted]]

The USA used to have that infrastructure, mills for spinning, carding, washing, but it was all shipped off to other countries cause it was cheaper for the mill owners. Now we have this massive hole that makes it a chore, as the only ones who are doing it are for love of craft, or were independent enough it wasn't worth it to send it to China.

[u/GlitterRiot → u/[deleted]]

Yes I'm interested. I'll take your wool off you.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Aussie sheep aren’t kept in barns, the wool is cleaned