The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Calvadnack on January 08, 2017, 07:24:22 am
-
Has anyone seen the rugs produced by this company by felting a backing onto a raw whole fleece? I'd love to do it but I'm not sure how to attach the the backing without felting the rest of the fleece. I guess washing the end result in the bath would be needed. Any idea?
http://www.thelivingrugcompany.com/how-your-rugs-are-made (http://www.thelivingrugcompany.com/how-your-rugs-are-made)
-
No clue at all but what a clever idea! I will be sharing the website as I know lots of veggies who would love this!
-
A lady bought some fleeces from me to make fleece rugs. She carefully chose fleeces which held together well, then simply felted the backs in the usual way, without adding extra carded fibre as the link shows. She showed me some she had 'made earlier' in true Blue Peter fashion, and they were brilliant. The right side wasn't felted at all. I think you'd have to try an actual fleece for yourself to iron out the minutiae of making them. I certainly intend to have a go. The upside is that fleeces which have started to cling together on the butt side are less ideal for spinning, so it's a true alternative use.
-
Ohn just checked out the website, looks fabulous!
I wonder if Deborah could be approached to do a workshop with some of us. I gave away all my fleece from last year so ideally in June time so we could take along our own fleece :thinking:
-
I brought sacks of felted and semi felted fleece with me, along with some good fleece, and hope to have a go at making felted rugs and pads. Using batts on the back sounds brilliantly simple, and a good way to use up other fleece that's not yet felted but isn't wanted for spinning. Do need to make the batts from fleece that felts, of course... Ryland would be no good, would have to needleflet that on.
-
I have heard of it being done by needle felting the cut ends but that would take a lot of work. This seems like a good idea.
-
I've got a couple of part felted shetland fleeces to try it with sometime.
One of the angora goat club members was trying it with matted mohair fleeces last year, haven't seen the results yet.
-
Very clever!
-
Although I spin, I'm a complete beginner at felting, so do please keep us posted if you have a go. Glad you thought it looked a good idea and might be a quick way to process a few fleeces.
-
I'd love to do it but I'm not sure how to attach the the backing without felting the rest of the fleece. I guess washing the end result in the bath would be needed. Any idea?
Not sure we answered that query. Generally, the butts of the locks are far more inclined to felt than the tips, so in theory the tips would stay free while the butts felted into the backing. That's the theory ;)
You'd be using soap for the felting, so I would think that simply rinsing it all off would leave the whole thing pretty clean. Again, that's the theory.
-
Thank you, I'll have to have a go on a small bit. I've lots of Shetland fleeces but don't want to waste too much carded fleece trying it out.
-
Wow, thanks for the link - how clever! Like I need another craft idea though ::)
-
I was given a mostly felted Leicester Longwool fleece last year and have been needle felting the areas where the fleece isn't holding together, using carded fleece. Where it's too "piecey" for this, I've stitched sections together from the back using sock darning wool. It's a bit laborious, but there's something curiously satisfying about the stabbing process! I will post a picture when I've finished. My husband's response, after the inevitable "what on earth are you doing?" was to gently enquire whether I really needed another hobby! We are both committed vegetarians, and our sheep are with us till they die so I wouldn't feel comfortable having sheepskins as opposed to fleeces.
-
I've scheduled a day with friends who can felt for when it gets warmer, will definitely try this. I also don't want the skins from my girls on the floor, as I said to a friend, it would be like being haunted ! I do want a momento of my special old girls and although I spin this looks more like the living sheep.