The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Moleskins on July 22, 2012, 11:21:59 am

Title: Felted on the sheep
Post by: Moleskins on July 22, 2012, 11:21:59 am

I've had some wool that felted on the sheep due to the weather being so bad couldn't clip them.
Has anyone got any ideas what to do with it. It's Gotland wool and the tips of the wool aren't felted but remain curly just the bottom of it is felted and it's in good sized pieces.

Title: Re: Felted on the sheep
Post by: SallyintNorth on July 22, 2012, 11:48:15 am

I am so not an expert at this one, moley, but someone told me you could just wash it and use it as you would a sheepskin.  Can't see why not, eh?  Let us know if you try!

Title: Re: Felted on the sheep
Post by: HappyHippy on July 22, 2012, 12:17:16 pm

I saw an interesting thing with felt and soap yesterday - handmade bars of soap, wrapped and bound with felt.
It's a bit like a soft brilo pad  ;) No need to take a separate cloth/scrubber/exfoliating pad into the shower and apparently the felt shrinks with the soap so at the end all you're left with is a nice smelling bit of felt that you can use to fragrence drawers/wardrobes. I thought it was a great idea and maybe your fleece/felt would work for this ? (You can buy bulk packs of handmade soap off cuts on ebay  ;) :innocent:)
http://www.pvsoap.com/felted_soap_instructions.htm (http://www.pvsoap.com/felted_soap_instructions.htm) Here's a link with info  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Felted on the sheep
Post by: Anke on July 22, 2012, 10:23:38 pm

My Gotland fleeces have felted a bit on the sheep, and from what I have been told it is quite common for the spring clipped ewes, but you should have better luck, especially with the lamb/hogg fleeces, for the October clip.
 
You can carefully wash it and then use for peg looming, the lady I bought my Gotlands from does quite a bit of that. Just tears strips of the felted fleece and makes really nice rugs/seat cushions etc - things where further felting doesn't matter.
 
Tell us what you are oing to do with yours, I am still having mine in bags...no time for fleece work atm... :(

Title: Re: Felted on the sheep
Post by: Moleskins on July 23, 2012, 10:08:53 am

I've done the felt stones bit, found that only works if the wool has been washed and carded first for some reason. Gotland wool of course is the ideal colour for this project.
I like the idea of just taking strips off for a peg loom, I wonder if this would work for a 'rag rug'
or 'clippy mat' ??