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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 4, 2014 4:37:09 GMT
Ruth, Do you usually just add the locks as embellishment? In the white bundle of wool, it's mostly locks with very little "regular" stuff. When you want a thick mat, do you use just merino wool or mix them?
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Post by zed on Feb 4, 2014 11:05:47 GMT
I wouldn't card the locks either, they cost a fortune and it looks like you have some really nice ones, it isn't worth wasting them to card up for regular felting. I use my locks raw/unwashed mostly. If you want to make extra sure they'll attach, you can run the cut end through the carders, just an inch or so, this will open the ends up giving the underneath wool more chance to grip them/attach. If you want to use them for hair/animal coats for needle felting, I'd wash them individually. Anti dandruff shampoo works well, it's mild and creamy These are using raw locks and felted in the washing machine: White texture felt by zedster01, on Flickr Woolly vessel by zedster01, on Flickr
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Post by koffipot on Feb 4, 2014 13:34:52 GMT
Love that vessel!
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 4, 2014 15:14:02 GMT
Love the locks Zed. How did you get the locks to felt in the machine without felting together? I'd like to try that.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 4, 2014 16:33:04 GMT
Zed, Your use of the locks is stunning, particularly the vessel…that's on my list to try! I am attaching photos of my samples made from the raw wool fibers I purchased. I only very lightly felted them, as you can see, because I wanted to reuse them if possible. The black/brown turned out very soft and luxurious. Any comments on the type of sheep's wool or the locks? I kind of threw all of the white fibers together, since they all looked slightly different and I was trying to save a little time. Looks to me like two different kinds of locks, and I am setting them all aside for now. feltingandfiberstudio.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/rrrc8iogi3dkdcaazyxd.jpg
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 4, 2014 16:35:19 GMT
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 4, 2014 17:14:12 GMT
The brown could be Romney but there are so many types of wool, it is really hard to tell.
I usually use my locks for embellishment purposes. For example, like Zed's vessel, I would use regularly processed wool for the base of the vessel and the locks would just be on the outer layer.
For a thick mat for the cats, I would use a coarser wool then merino. But merino will work if that's what you have. You will need 10-12 layers of wool (or more). Before you wet down, the layers should be about 8-10 inches high or higher.
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 4, 2014 19:07:52 GMT
You'll get the best curls with locks instead of roving. You can try putting it in a steamy shower to see if you get some curl back. Ruth and Ann, I hung a piece of roving in the shower. Even after two showers there was no change. I will have to try using it all in one direction and see what happens. So many things to try, so little time. :-) Thanks for for the suggestion.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 4, 2014 19:53:31 GMT
Wow! Need 10-12 layers of wool for cat mat? Sheesh! Well I won't be using all merino but will try mixing with a coarser fiber. Ok, my cats are worth it! Thanks Ruth, never would have guessed 8-10 inches high!
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 4, 2014 20:32:38 GMT
You wouldn't have to use that many luvswool but to get a about an inch thick piece, that's what you'd need. It's surprising how much air is in wool when you first lay it out. I would use just the coarser fibers myself. The cats won't notice. Marilyn - sorry you didn't get any curl back. I do think the commercial places do something to chemically change the wool to straighten it. I am not certain about that but maybe Ann knows. I also think that the wool would have to be split out from roving form. Did you just hang the entire roving in the shower? It would probably need to be separated pretty thinly. I can just see your shower now
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 4, 2014 21:14:56 GMT
Ruth, you are so right about the amount of air in wool when laying out…have come to realize I was not using enough wool in most of my projects. Had a false sense of "thickness." Thanks for the tips!
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 4, 2014 23:04:39 GMT
Ruth I drafted off a piece of the Wensleydale about 12 inches long and an inch wide and clipped it to a soap dish at the back end of the shower. I will do some samples this week to see how it felts without trying to do cobweb and laying it out lengthwise as Ann suggested. Thanks. I'll post my results.
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Post by Shepherdess on Feb 4, 2014 23:31:57 GMT
Many thin layers are better then a few think ones. I do hats in 3 layers but they are really 6 as I layout thin and usually have to go over each layer twice to use up the wool for that layer. I have spent so much time laying out thin for scarves I don't seem to be able to do thick layers any more. they so spay wool with oils to help it go through the machines. you know how staticy the wool can be in dry winter weather. Now imagine putting it through a huge machine at high speed. It is amazing how dirty the water is when I am soaking wool for dying.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 5, 2014 2:10:54 GMT
Ann, Do you measure out the grams of wool before laying out? It just occurred to me that would be one way of making sure I used enough wool. Ruth, just to follow up on your recommendation of RH Lindsay for reasonably priced wool--do you buy the Domestic 56s or Falkland 56s? They are both very economical!
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Post by zed on Feb 5, 2014 10:33:58 GMT
Marilyn, I needlefelted mostly raw locks into an already felted vessel, put it in a pillowcase then put it in the washer with a regular wash. This was made with Teeswater tops from World of Wool, I didn't do anything special, just wet felted.
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