The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: mojocafa on September 10, 2013, 07:45:19 pm

Title: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 10, 2013, 07:45:19 pm
My oh suffered a severe hand trauma  on 1st June. He has had 1 major surgery followed by 6 further surgeries. He is making slow progress. What he is now experiencing is a cold hand . If I was to get some sheep fleece, is it possible to make this into a muff or mitten to wrAp around his hand to keep warm. Or is this a ridiculous idea

Advice please
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Fleecewife on September 10, 2013, 08:38:00 pm
I think it depends on what you can do.  Spin?  Knit?  Felt?
 
If you know how to spin and knit then you could spin a thick mitten, or even just a bag with a drawstring at the wrist if he's not using his hand much (would keep the thumb warmer).  If you can knit but not spin you can draw fleece out into a thick length and knit it into a mitten or bag on large needles.  If you can felt, make some thick felt and make a bag or mitten from that.  If you can knit and felt, then knit an oversize mitten and felt it down until it's the right size.   Or, if you have a not too thick sheepskin, you could cut that up and make a mitten or bag with the woolly side in.  If he were to wear a thin silk glove inside the mitten that would help a lot - silk gloves are available in motorbike shops for not too much
 
Or, you can get heated gloves (in motorbike shops for example) and blocks which you keep in your pockets and when you bend them they give off heat (maybe in fishing shops)
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 10, 2013, 08:56:32 pm
Cheers fleece wife

The problem is he can't wear a glove. I have just realised that its probably sheepskin I'm looking for as fleece wouldn't have any support...

In my head I was thinking long rectangle of ? Wrap it up and secure to make a muff type thing , but I'm not going to be able to do that with fleece am I?

Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Fleecewife on September 10, 2013, 09:09:21 pm
No  ;D
 
But if you have sheepskin then make a bag, much bigger than his hand, with a wide top which you can secure closed.  If you make it really roomy then he can move his hand freely inside to do his exercises - it will be wonderfully cosy.
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 10, 2013, 09:15:45 pm
That sounds just the job, where will I source sheep skin from?

Btw did you used to have a soay called Guinevere or something like that
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Fleecewife on September 11, 2013, 02:11:17 am
That sounds just the job, where will I source sheep skin from?

Btw did you used to have a soay called Guinevere or something like that

Yes that's me  ;D  and Daisy and Tuppence were mine too  :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:   You must know Jo.....
 
For sourcing sheepskins, they sell them in woollen mill outlets, and some butchers have them too, at about half the price you could buy them from someone who gets their own skins tanned.  The quality isn't so good and they will be plain white or dyed, but for chopping them up as an experiment they will be fine.
You should also be able to get them online.
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 11, 2013, 06:38:30 am
Thanks for all that info, on a mission now!

I have their offspring

Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: SallyintNorth on September 11, 2013, 08:22:11 am
Are you in Australia?  ;) :D
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 11, 2013, 09:15:35 am
 :roflanim: if you click on the image they are in uk
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: SallyintNorth on September 11, 2013, 12:53:48 pm
Nope, still upside down!  They look nice :) - would be nicer the right way up, is all! :D
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Penninehillbilly on September 11, 2013, 01:40:23 pm
They do look cute, pity I can't stand on my head for very long :-)
 
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: mojocafa on September 11, 2013, 03:03:31 pm
Moderators.....can you make my sheep flip over please
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: feldar on September 11, 2013, 03:46:48 pm
they look the right way up to me ;)  or am i upside down ???
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Fleecewife on September 11, 2013, 04:57:29 pm
Definitely upsidedown, but that's ok for me cos I've seen them before  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Sheep fleece
Post by: Dogwalker on September 13, 2013, 08:52:06 pm
Definately upside down for me too.
 
Another thought for the muff/bag thing.
If you made it long enough for his forearm to be inside as well that might help support and warm better.  Depends how active he's able to be,if he has to keep it in a sling you could make a sheepskin one. Start  a trend. :)