The woollen trade has given a number of expressions to everyday language. Some of these are featured with definitions of the process of making woollen cloth. The illustrations shown include some of the many stamps that have been issued by countries where the wool trade is important. The stained glass windows are in the Notre Dame church in Semur-en-Auxois, France
WOOLGATHERING: daydreaming
- wandering about collecting sheep tufts caught on bushes
FLEECING : swindling
- taking the fleece from a sheep is swindling a gullible victim
Sorting
After the sheep has been shorn, the fleece is sorted into different qualities - a good fleece will have as many as twelve qualities, the best being around the shoulders.
Carding
The wool is carded to remove any vegetable matter and to mix the fibres ready for spinning, by working the wool between two boards.
Washing
After spinning the wool is prepared for weaving by washing.
DYED IN THE WOOL: genuine - colour added to the raw wool
PULL THE WOOL OVER ONE'S EYES: hoodwink
Weaving
Old weaving methods, some even in use today, persisted for centuries. The most notable improvement was the fly shuttle in the early 18th century. By 1850 many power looms were in use.
Fulling
Fulling is the process used to thicken the cloth. It was once used in Scotland to produce Harris Tweed, originally compressed by walking on it in a large vat.
ON TENTERHOOKS: suspense - stretched cloth was hung on tenterhooks
Raising
The cloth is stretched on hooks on a tenter frame, so that the fibres (nap) can be raised prior to cropping.
SHODDY: inferior - fabric made from reclaimed wool is called shoddy
