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Post by blythwhimsies on Oct 27, 2015 16:54:08 GMT
Hi there I recently purchased some gorgeous coloured wool roving which has been painted I think. However, when I came to use it, it was really tough and not fluffy at all. I had to wrench some of it apart, or work the fibres very loose in order to be able to pull off tiny amounts. Which is a real shame. I have made a ruffled scarf from it which worked quite well using it for the centre part.
Is there anything I can do, any kind of process, to make it more easily usable, draftable?
If not, I may give up and simply continue felting it to make a pre-felt flat band instead.
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Post by MTRuth on Oct 27, 2015 17:19:37 GMT
You can try picking it apart as much as you can with your hands (or if you have a picker, putting it through that) and then carding it again. Do you have carders or a drum carder? It will mix the colors more. And it will take quite a bit of time.
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Post by Teri Berry on Oct 27, 2015 21:51:27 GMT
I would card it too, failing that, use it as textural decorative elements. Sometimes you can rescue partially felted roving by teasing it apart sideways to make it easier to draft into shingles but you are probably going to find it hard to get an even layout.
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Post by blythwhimsies on Oct 27, 2015 22:34:47 GMT
Thanks Ruth and Terri I don't have carders, hand or drum, and I've already discovered how hard and time consuming it is to tease the fibres apart again. It's such a shame because the colours are gorgeous. I will be more mindful of checking the condition of fibres I purchase at a show next time too. It is also encouraging me to have a go at dyeing my own wool, and I have 1.2kg of mixed undyed wools winging its way to me for some experimenting.
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Post by Pandagirl on Oct 27, 2015 22:44:56 GMT
Did you get your combs for the hackle yet? It sounds like the fiber maybe too tough. You can always try dog brushes, but it a long process. I would suggest using Teri's idea of separating the fibers first before the hackle or brushes.
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Post by Teri Berry on Oct 27, 2015 22:49:22 GMT
If you have decided to give up and are anywhere near Manchester Marian, I'm sure Zed would love a donation of matted wool for her wellbeing group (Zed has a drum carder and makes beautiful batts from our tatty scraps).
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Post by zed on Oct 28, 2015 11:50:08 GMT
I'd do the same as Ruth and Teri, try to split first and use the rest as texture. It's easier to split the matted roving lengthways, the opposite to how you'd pull it off to use. I see these painted rovings all the time and wonder who they're aimed at because they always look rough and matted. Maybe they assume they'll be carded? I think we have enough stuff for the well being group at the moment, Teri Though the blended batts are the favourites! I'd be happy to card your stuff for you though, Marian if you pay the postage. If you have much of it, it might be more worthwhile than 'writing it off'. Though maybe there's a group near you that has a carder you can borrow.
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Post by Teri Berry on Oct 28, 2015 20:29:18 GMT
That's a good idea Zed. My local spinners weavers and dyers guild lends out kit like carders to their members
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Post by Shepherdess on Oct 28, 2015 20:34:36 GMT
I would split it down the length and recard it too. Sounds like it got a bit felted in the dyeing. Do you know who you got it from. I wold let them know you are not happy with it.
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Post by penguin on Oct 29, 2015 19:24:06 GMT
I dyed some merino and silk tops, mixed, a while back and had the same problem. My cheap but time consuming solution was using a cat 'flea comb' to separate the fibres! It worked really well but did take awhile!
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Post by jwugg on Oct 30, 2015 7:08:57 GMT
I've had some like this, too. I found a good way to use it was to pull off long strips from the roving, maybe 1/8 or 1/10th of the width & a metre or so long, then partially draft it, ie stretch the length out, bit by bit, not separating it off the length, just elongating it. Use these long strings down the length of a nuno felted scarf, it felts in well & gives a good look.
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Post by penguin on Oct 30, 2015 8:20:10 GMT
I'll have to give that a try!
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Post by MTRuth on Oct 30, 2015 15:29:08 GMT
Good idea Jill - kind of using it like prefelt.
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Post by Wolfrott on Nov 2, 2015 1:36:03 GMT
I don't think it's salvageable, unfortunately. The wool would not have absorbed the colour like proper dye would, it's just be 'caked on', hence why it's so stiff.
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