Best Seep breeds for spinning/making yarn?

[Riocotesei]

Hello, I'm asking this for a friend who is interested in raising sheep so that she can shave/shear them and use the wool to make yarn and other nifty things.
I own sheep, but only know the FFA "show" side to sheep. I own 1 Hampshire and 2 Suffolk Ewes and have 4 Suffolk lambs. I have been under the impression that the 2 breeds I have are not the best breeds to use. (but what do i know

) How do finewool breeds fit into this? I thought maybe the best breed was a southdown. She is also interested in the Angora goats, how good is their wool/hair compared to a sheep?
What are/is the best breeds of sheep to use for yarn and craftiness purposes?

Sorry that's a lot of questions.
Thanks for any replies and help.

~Rio

 

[vicki2x2]

I have a friend that will be getting some sheep this summer for this very reason. They are new to it also, so I will be watching this thread for them. They are leaning towards Jacobs just because that is what someone told them, but would love more input.

 

[patandchickens]

There are about fifty-six bazillion breeds of sheep, a reasonable number of which are considered popular handspinner and fiber-arts type wool producers. Things that come readily to mind off the top of my head are Shetlands (I am picking up three tomorrow <g>), Icelandics, Cotswold, Lincoln, Wensleydale; also Merino and Rambouillet (very fine-soft wool sheep, mostly raised commercially but wool also used for some particular handspinner/craftsy purposes too).

The thing is to figure out what KIND of fleece you want, though -- long or short? Thick or thin fiber? Easily felting, or not? Etc. For pretty much any need, there is a breed (or at least individual sheep within a breed) that produces it. Be aware that there is variation between sheep in ANY breed, in terms of the nature of the wool they produce, and in some breeds e.g. Shetlands the variation is extreme. So one shetland may produce radically-different fleece than another one does.

Pat