{"id":7967,"date":"2022-04-23T09:16:18","date_gmt":"2022-04-23T07:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/?p=7967"},"modified":"2022-04-23T09:16:19","modified_gmt":"2022-04-23T07:16:19","slug":"dual-coat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/dual-coat\/","title":{"rendered":"dual coat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many of the Swedish heritage breeds have dual coats, just like Icelandic sheep, Navajo Churro, Karakul, North Ronaldsay and some Shetland sheep. A dual coat has a combination of long and strong outercoat fibers and soft and airy undercoat fibers in the same staple. Today I dive into dual coats and reflect over how I work with these versatile fleeces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dual coats are common in primitive breeds, but not with all sheep of that breed and not necessarily consistently over the whole body of the sheep. Swedish heritage breeds like dalap\u00e4ls<\/a>, V\u00e4rmland<\/a>, Gestrike<\/a> (featured image above), Kl\u00f6vsj\u00f6<\/a> and \u00c5sen<\/a> sheep along with rya<\/a>, gute<\/a> and \u00c5land sheep<\/a> are all breeds that can have dual coats on parts or the whole of their fleeces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the linked breed study posts above to dive deeper into different ways I work with dual coats.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a dual coat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dual coats consist of long hairs, the outercoat (t\u00e4ckh\u00e5r) and shorter wool, the undercoat (bottenull). These fiber types look very different and have different purposes. The long outercoat fibers are strong, often shiny and usually packed quite densely in the tips while the shorter undercoat fibers are soft, fine and airily distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Staple samples from two different Gestrike sheep. Both dual coats but the left, Elsa, more heterogenous than the right, Gunvor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the coats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the outercoat on the sheep is to keep the sheep dry. When rain hits the fleece, the long and dense outercoat tails lead the rain drops away from the body of the sheep. The purpose of the undercoat is to keep the sheep warm. With its lofty distribution air comes in between the fibers and keeps the sheep warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this Icelandic fleece it is easy to imagine the rain drops sliding on the dense outercoat tips out and away from the body of the sheep.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kemp<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to undercoat and outercoat some fleeces have kemp. Kemp is a coarse hair fiber with a medulla, a core with air-filled cells, that takes up at least 60 per cent of the diameter of the fiber. Due to this wide medulla core the kemp fibers are brittle and short (because they break from being so brittle). They are usually white or black and don’t take dye. Kemp fibers are coarse, quirky and stick out of the yarn and usually fall out sooner or later. This is very evident when you prepare a fleece with kemp in it \u2013 the floor will be full of kemp that has fallen out of the fleece. Also when you full a garment knit with a yarn with kemp you will find lots of kemp fibers that have crept out of the textile in the agitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fine undercoat fibers, coarser outercoat fibers and quirky kemp fibers in Gestrike wool.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a loupe image it’s possible to see the difference in diameter between undercoat, outercoat and kemp fibers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooperation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The wool types on the sheep cooperate, all in an effort to keep the sheep dry and warm. The outercoat armours the undercoat so that the undercoat can stay airy and the outercoat can stay upright. The undercoat in turn form a fundament for the outercoat. Kemp fibers also help keeping the staple upright and airy so that the rain doesn’t get the sheep wet and cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The staples on Gunvor the Gestrike sheep stand out from her body, keeping rain and cold away.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let the wool lead the way<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When I spin a fleece, any fleece, I like to use the properties of the wool to make a garment that is for me what the fleece was to the sheep that once grew the wool. I let the characteristics of the wool lead the way as I prepare, spin and use it. With a dual coat there are so many ways I can do this and create a wide range of yarns from one single fleece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the wool I have and what I have in mind for it I can choose to<\/p>\n\n\n\n