The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Mel Rice on December 17, 2012, 09:50:42 am
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Ive managed to card it, but Ive not rolled the results. Can I still spin it or would I be better to felt it? Never done that before, how would I start?
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If you have carded it and it draws out as normal, there's no problem. Try spinning a small amount and see how it goes.
If it's badly felted already then it's difficult to use it for anything. For felting you still need to start off with carded batts.
Maybe a bit more description of what has happened will help us with ideas.
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As I understand it, heat per se isn't the problem with wool, it's the combination of more than one 'felting factor', being usually heat + lubrication (soap) + agitation. But I am still a very novice at all this, so that's 'book larning' speaking, not experience! ;) :D
So yes, please, as Fleecewife says, please tell us more about what happened and how the fleece now looks and behaves.
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Last time I washed it each fibre was still fairly straight, but this time each fibre is quite crinkly and the bats do not feel as soft as they did last time.
I did use a little hotter water and/because the kitchen was colder. I also think I tried to wash a bigger bundle at one time and was not so patient.
If I do try felting what do I do with the bats. ..not done felting before.
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I woke up thinking about felting....almost an entire project in my head as I groggily surfaced..nothing fancy but an experiment in the offing..
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Last time I washed it each fibre was still fairly straight, but this time each fibre is quite crinkly and the bats do not feel as soft as they did last time.
I did use a little hotter water and/because the kitchen was colder. I also think I tried to wash a bigger bundle at one time and was not so patient.
If I do try felting what do I do with the bats. ..not done felting before.
Hi Mel. I still don't quite get what the problem is. If you can draw out the fibres to spin, then there is no problem. If you can card it, then you should be able to spin it. If however the fibres are matted together and impossible to pull apart, then you won't be able to spin it.
For making felt, you still need prepared fibre which can be pulled apart. There are probably loads of Utube clips of felting - it's too complicated to try to explain it here.
If you were to use fibre batts which have already partially felted, then they won't felt with another batt as the felted fibres are not free. If you can pull your batts apart then you can either spin or felt.
Sorry - that's not very clear :dunce:
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Thanks FW...all now spun so it cant have been bad.
I must have a go with felting....and peg loom rug...and???? Must use up this years fleece before I chop off next years