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Cloth Making Menu

An Introduction
Who Did What?
Clothier
Woolstapler
Dyer
Willower
Scribbler
Blender
Carder
Slubbing
Spinner
Quilley Winder
Warper
Weaver
Finishing
Burler
Scourer
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Shearer
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Factor

Willower

Beating with willow twigs, the willower cleaned the raw wool, removing dust and dirt.

By the end of the 18cen, a water driven willowing machine, called a willow or willyer was used to help remove burrs. The wool was passed over iron spikes on a roller. This was not as good as the hand treatment as it was too harsh on the fibres.

More recently, vegetable matter was removed by carbonising, the wool being treated with sulphuric acid.

 


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