The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: kate on January 12, 2012, 12:33:11 pm
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Hallo my name is Kate I have been teaching the art of weaving with whole fleece and peg looms for the past sixteen years. During that time I have never washed the fleece because I find it easier to work unwashed fleece. I make sure the dirtiest parts are removed first. The fleece stays together much better for this method of weaving, unwashed.Sometimes people prefer to wash the finished rug or mat after completion,this may take a while to dry, but it is worth it. I have a few rugs in my home, I have never washed them,they last well do not smell and I have not found any moths or other insects.
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I've got a peg loom and coloured Ryeland sheep - just never managed to bring the two together :(
Where are you?
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Welcome kate :wave:
I have just taken on 4 Castlemilk Moorit wethers and am busily refreshing my rather basic knitting skills and starting to take up spinning. I have a yen to make hardwearing weatherprrof work clothes for us out of untreated fleece - but nothing like the knowledge experience or skill to make that happen ... yet!
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HI, I am very interested in the peg loom weaving with whole untreated fleece as I am going to have a go this year with my Shetlands fleeces. Do you just pull it out or card it first?
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I've pegloomed a little rug, and prep was only pulling out the really awful stuff and vaguely "stretch" each section of fleece as I wove. However, the tufts tend to come loose, so next time I want to try roughly spinning :)
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I have a couple of days at the exhibition I am doing weave on my peg looms and I will be using Ryeland and a cross breed fleece.
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I thought about peg looming a rug with fleece. Then I thought about vacuuming the dog hair (etc ::)) off it and decided to worsted-spin anything I want to make a rug from!
Anyway, hi Kate :wave:
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If your spinning it why not extreme knit a rug they are very tough and durable
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Talk to me about that - sounds interesting....... :)
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you can use multiple strands 2-200 on large needles I have needles ranging from 10mm to 24mm for this depending on what you want. I find if you can colour the yarn when you knit it is like painting as the strands twist on themselves. I have a pair of 24mm needles that are over a metre long for doing large rugs and blankets.
Don't know where you are but I am demonstrating at the Bricks and Bread Sustainable living Centre in Aldershot on the 4th and 18th of February
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Ok, that does sound interesting - will have to have a play.
I'm a bit too far north, Cumbria, to come to your demo but thanks for the info :)
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I used to weave rugs with unspun, carded fleece on a cotton warp on my four shft table loom.
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Do any of you have pics to post of your various weaving with unspun fleece?
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(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0570.jpg)
(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0062.jpg)
:thumbsup:
I want to card it next time!
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It looks soooo cosy :thumbsup:
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Similar to the ones I used to make but mine were smoother. Yours look a lovely texture and very cuddly.
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Looking at them gave me a thought I wonder what one would be like done with wenselydale fleece? Sorry my brain is most definately in design mode today ::)
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Very interesting post, full of inspiration. Cant wait for the shearer to come!! We usually let him take the fleeces to put in with his.( yes I know 'native shetland fleeces' but worth bugger all in a captive market) I really must not waste them this year.
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YorkshireLass, that is great, I loveit and the coloursm :thumbsup:
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Thank you! ;D
The colours are Hebridean, Shropshire, and the brown is a mutant red Heb ram lamb, who has so far escaped the abbatoir ;)
The Heb was very coarse and quite short and tufty, as was the Shropshire, the mutant ginger was/is a much nicer fleece. Is it too late to castrate and keep him...? ::)
PS - tried needle felting to take away the tuftiness/shedding, didn't quite work...