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Post by zara on Dec 6, 2016 0:14:57 GMT
Don't get me wrong. I buy wool from World of Wool too! ;-) But when a vendor at a market focused on locally produced crafts has a very large stand, with a huge display of felted slippers in all colours and sizes, and sells them for a rather low price, and can't tell me much about the materials used, I get a bit suspicious... And it's difficult for Swedish felters, trying to promote the use of Swedish wool (which is more expensive due to a smaller industry and higher labour wages), to compete with those prices.
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Post by MTRuth on Dec 6, 2016 0:33:21 GMT
Sounds like imported stuff to me Zara. That happens here too. It's supposed to be "local" but then you find out that it isn't. It's a shame.
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Post by zara on Dec 6, 2016 0:36:26 GMT
I guess it's "locally produced" somewhere, just not here... ;-)
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Post by Pandagirl on Dec 6, 2016 1:56:54 GMT
Well,that was quite an education. You took the high road to inform the customer. It's amazing how little people know about wool or sheep. I think making it personal goes a long way. The knowledge that it was Hannah's wool is nice, an identifiable relationship. If the customer is that ignorant so be it.
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Post by jwugg on Dec 6, 2016 11:38:57 GMT
So many people don't are even care whether something is made with natural fibers,I find it shocking! I have a friend who knits well but uses acrylic & she is not aware that wool is warmer. & at the other end of the scale, I sold a cowl scarf on Sunday that I'd made with some of Zara's wonderful locks on the edges. Having told the buyer I knew the person who owned the sheep absolutely added to her love for the piece. She emailed me photos of herself modeling it later! I'm going to tell her they came from Hannah, she'll be totally in love with it & me! Great to have passionate purchasers.
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Post by zara on Dec 6, 2016 16:56:43 GMT
To be entirely correct, you know the person who knows the person who owns the sheep. ;-) I bought the Gotland locks from a farm in a neighbouring village, so they were not from my own sheep. And the sheep Hannah isn't mine either, but I met the owner when I bought the fleece and she told me the name of the sheep. :-) Coincedently, it was fleece from one of Hannah's lambs that won the Swedish wool championships this year too. And Thor (the other fleece I bought) was the lambs father. :-)
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Post by tracey on Dec 6, 2016 19:18:30 GMT
To be entirely correct, you know the person who knows the person who owns the sheep. ;-) I bought the Gotland locks from a farm in a neighbouring village, so they were not from my own sheep. And the sheep Hannah isn't mine either, but I met the owner when I bought the fleece and she told me the name of the sheep. :-) Coincedently, it was fleece from one of Hannah's lambs that won the Swedish wool championships this year too. And Thor (the other fleece I bought) was the lambs father. :-) Zara, as World of Wool sell Gotland, I would be interested to hear what it is like for felting. Is it slow to felt, and is it always better to mix with, say, Merino for easier felting?
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Post by zara on Dec 6, 2016 19:40:55 GMT
Tracy - Gotland felts easily, but as it has rather coarse fibres, it produces a rather hairy result. The coarse fibers provide strength and lustre to the felted piece, but not something you want to wear close to your skin. Better for slippers than wrist warmers. ;-) And the raw locks (uncarded) are gorgeous as embellishment. I wrote a post about some different types of wool, including Gotland, here: feltingandfiberstudio.com/2015/11/25/different-types-of-wool-from-a-swedish-felters-perspective/
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Post by tracey on Dec 6, 2016 19:58:16 GMT
Tracy - Gotland felts easily, but as it has rather coarse fibres, it produces a rather hairy result. The coarse fibers provide strength and lustre to the felted piece, but not something you want to wear close to your skin. Better for slippers than wrist warmers. ;-) And the raw locks (uncarded) are gorgeous as embellishment. I wrote a post about some different types of wool, including Gotland, here: feltingandfiberstudio.com/2015/11/25/different-types-of-wool-from-a-swedish-felters-perspective/Wonderful, thank you Zara for the information. Good to get first hand advice.
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Post by zed on Dec 11, 2016 12:49:29 GMT
That sounds like our big Christmas markets here too, Zara. Lots of 'handmade' or 'handpainted' items (but by who and where?).
The problem I've had lately with ignorance is with people who won't touch wool because it exploits animals, and refuse to be informed. They prefer their environmentally destructive petrochemical synthetics or slave labour produced cottons.
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Post by zara on Dec 11, 2016 23:22:39 GMT
It's difficult to educate people who don't want to listen, Zed. I understand your frustration...
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Post by Shepherdess on Dec 13, 2016 3:11:10 GMT
It's a problem everywhere. It can be hard for people running the shows to know what's truly local until it's to late. We had the same problem with farmers markets. people try to get in with handmade things make in 3rd world countries. they twist their works around to not lie but make it sound like they are local. or they try the it' a women's co-op teaching skills and giving them work angle. mostly a load of BS. they are still low paid workers making what you tell them to make. Most of the money does not go back to the makers.
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Post by Frances on Dec 14, 2016 2:41:54 GMT
Zara reminds me of when I worked in a Garden Center and customers asked for flowers/plants that required no care - watering. I wanted so badly to say a plant is a living thing and would you live without water.
I used some of "lucy's" locks on a scarf I made for my step daughter and she thought it was awesome that I had met the owner of the sheep. (Purchased them from a little shop in Pennsylvania)
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