Two Wilson College Students Completed an Independent Study, Focusing on the Path of Wool from Fiber to Fabric

Have you ever thought of how wool goes from a fiber off of a sheep into a soft sweater or blanket? Wilson College of Textiles students Eliza Sweeney and Grace Avery were able to find out last semester through an independent study course.

Independent study courses give students the ability to work hands-on in their field and deepen their understanding of the fiber and textile industry. Instead of just studying in a classroom, they get to apply what they’ve learned, build practical skills, and work on projects that interest them. 

“If a student is interested in expanding their knowledge base, and developing skills that might serve them better as they move on into professional careers, or even help them determine what direction they want to go, I’m committed to that,” says Professor Karen Leonas, who co-led the course. 

After a friend of Professor Leonas’ inquired if she would have any use for recently sheared wool, leading Leonas and her co-leader Janie Woodbridge to reach out to the two textile design students about the study. Both students were immediately interested in participating. Sweeney enjoys hand spinning and even owns her own spinning wheel, while Avery has a passion for sustainable textile design. 

“It was a great opportunity to do something different from regular schoolwork, where we were able to put into effect what we’ve learned about in class,” Avery says.

Working with wool

The Wilson College students went into this study with a very open mind on where it could end up.

 “Throughout the whole semester, we didn’t know what the end goal was going to be. And it ended up working out really well to have it be open-ended,” Sweeney says. 

They started at Stoney Acre Farm in Cary, North Carolina, where the students helped shear the sheep and collect the wool they would be using for their project. They then took the wool and transported it to the college where they started working in the textile labs to make the wool into a workable fiber. 

“There were times where we went to three different labs in one day, so it was a very unique project,” Sweeney says.

They cleaned and combed the wool in order to make it soft and viable to create a fabric. Then they took a portion of the wool and hand spun it into yarn to make the woven and knit fabric samples. A needle punched fabric sample was made with the rest of the fibers.

“It’s rare that you get to see the fabric development process completely from the animal to the end product,” Woodbridge says.

The independent study experience

This course allowed Avery and Sweeney to get hands-on experience working with the technology they learn about every day.

“It was really interesting just being able to go from ground zero and put what we learned in our  classes into actual effect,” Avery says.

Sweeney and Avery both enjoyed the opportunity to bring a fiber from its natural state to a fabric sample. This unique project made them both a little more interested in the sustainability aspect of how fibers are processed. Sweeney says she plans to apply this knowledge to her hand spinning practice.

“Locally sourcing my own materials or fibers would be a cool way to connect what I learned in that class to my own lifestyle,” Sweeney says.