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locks
Mar 20, 2014 9:18:55 GMT
Post by felicity on Mar 20, 2014 9:18:55 GMT
It's true Zara Gotland locks are very much in demand at the moment because they create such a beautiful texture! It's easy to achive a "faux fur" effect(as you did!) which is very popular with environmentally conscious people.
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 9:33:56 GMT
Post by zed on Mar 20, 2014 9:33:56 GMT
Gotland is apparently the most common breed in Sweden, breed mostly for meat and skinns. Lots of wool and beautiful locks that are sheared and go to waste. Perhaps they should aim for an international market instead. :-) Seriously? That is criminal! I love Gotland locks, definitely my favourite.
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 15:24:37 GMT
Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Mar 20, 2014 15:24:37 GMT
Like Halay, I am also wanting to begin using locks in wet felting. You may recall a few months ago when I mentioned that I had purchased locks by accident on ebay, thinking it was wool roving. I learned that was probably a lucky accident, since locks are so precious and expensive. Now that I am ready to begin using them, I noticed with the white/ivory locks there is vegetable matter scattered throughout, but they smell clean. Would you advise me to go ahead and re-wash, or just somehow pick out the matter? IMG_5325 by catwycliff, on Flickr Also, what type of locks do the "sheep experts" believe them to be, and what would be the best use in wet felting?
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Mar 20, 2014 15:29:58 GMT
The second batch of locks I purchased are black (not grey as the photo suggests), and as I handled them I was reminded of a coat my great aunt Katherine used to wear, which at the time was called "Persian lamb." You don't see it here in the States any more, except on vintage clothing. Again, can any of you sheep experts guess on its origin, and/or suggest a possible future use for wet felting as locks? IMG_5326 by catwycliff, on Flickr Apologies for the poor photo lighting, but in Chicago, we have to grab these photo ops whenever the sun sees fit to show itself, albeit most briefly!
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 17:24:30 GMT
Post by felicity on Mar 20, 2014 17:24:30 GMT
I don't use locks much and mainly dyed or at least cleaned. I've tried such "raw" locks once and noticed that yellow stains (urine?) on some of them might stay after even wet felting...
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 18:04:11 GMT
Post by MTRuth on Mar 20, 2014 18:04:11 GMT
If it's just vegetable matter, I wouldn't worry about washing again. Most will come out while you're felting anyways.
or you could gently comb the locks to get rid of some of the bigger pieces of vm.
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 18:18:35 GMT
Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 18:18:35 GMT
I would just grab a pair of tweezers and try to pick out as much as possible of the "vegetable matter" from the dry locks. Washing the locks will not unfortunately not dissolve bits of grass/hay/straw and will just disturbe the locks. And they will get washed again anyway if you wet-felt them.
Looks like very soft and fine fibers. You could try and just add a few in a wet felted piece to see how they turn out. If you felt until "prefelt stage" before adding the locks to the surface they get less absorbed by the other wool, i.e. you have a better chance of them still being defined after fulling.
I am guessing you bought these in the States, so dare not venture a guess on what breed they are from.
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Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 18:24:54 GMT
Here is an example of locks (soft & fine, lambs wool) used as texture/embelishment on a wet felted hat.
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Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 18:29:10 GMT
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Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 18:41:54 GMT
I've tried such "raw" locks once and noticed that yellow stains (urine?) on some of them might stay after even wet felting... I think in many cases the yellow colour on white raw locks is from the lanoline. If they lay around for too long unwashed (more than a year) they turn yellow (especially in the cut end) and that is difficult (impossible?) to get rid of. If the locks are long it can be worth cutting them a bit shorter (the tips are usually less disscoloured), or you can try dyeing them.
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 19:23:12 GMT
Post by MTRuth on Mar 20, 2014 19:23:12 GMT
Nice hat - I love the locks as embellishment.
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Post by Pandagirl on Mar 20, 2014 19:30:13 GMT
The hat with the flower locks is so cute. Is that one of your daughters!? She's darling.
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Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 19:41:39 GMT
Thanks! Yes, that is my eldest daughter (9 years old). We made the hat for my mother - who actually does wear it! :-)
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 22:01:33 GMT
Post by Shepherdess on Mar 20, 2014 22:01:33 GMT
Great hat! I love and want your rolling pin. I can not find one here. I have found them on a couple of European sites but they are to expensive to ship.
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locks
Mar 20, 2014 22:22:57 GMT
Post by zara on Mar 20, 2014 22:22:57 GMT
I bought my rolling pin very cheaply at a second hand store. Works really well for wet felting (especially with kids!). Made of solid wood and therefore quite heavy, so I guess that explains high shipping costs.
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