Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: We have a huge needle felter....so....  (Read 5557 times)

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
We have a huge needle felter....so....
« on: May 18, 2010, 07:19:47 pm »
.....get thinking about your fleeces and what we can make them in to!

Needlefelt is a material made from your wool and can be up to 5 foot wide and as long as you want. We can needle ANY breeds wool, even those that do not wet felt. Uses for the felt include yurt liners, rugs, garments, blankets, ponchos felt slippers and all sorts of other ideas. It is possible to embelish it with colours and patterns, just ask!

This is the only felter of its kind in Britain, so get in the queue!
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

Teresa

  • Guest
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2010, 08:25:56 pm »
 :o Sounds brilliant!! Will you do alpaca fleeces too?

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2010, 10:18:32 pm »
:o Sounds brilliant!! Will you do alpaca fleeces too?

Oh yes! No Problem! We can wet felt alpaca too....and also blend it with some wool to give it a little something more if not too good a quality! :llama:
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

Teresa

  • Guest
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2010, 06:36:42 pm »
is there a minimum requirement?

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2010, 09:29:12 pm »
No minimum requirement for felt other than making sure there is enough to produce what you need. Please be aware that up to 30% of weight of sent in fibre can be lost in the processing (grease, dirt, vegetation etc)
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

ScotsGirl

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2010, 08:22:24 am »
Excuse my ignorance but what is a yurt?

Can you give me a ballpark figure for needlefelting my fleeces?  I was going to try hand washing and drying them but not sure if it is very effective.  Did a handful to see and it was ok but will I get all the grease out?  I plan to try and shear some over next few days.  Do I need to get fleece off in one go for you to do something with it?  Only asking as it will be my first attempt and not sure my Lister Wizard blades are as good as stated.

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2010, 10:23:57 am »
Hello

A yurt.... http://www.yurtvillage.co.uk/ will give you the idea!

Processing costs.....well we charge £25 per kg to make your wool into felt and that is based on wool weight as it arrives with us. We need wool/alpaca to be free from poo, toe nail clippings, hay, twigs, burrs, bits of metal :o and any other odd debris! Approx 30% of the sent in weight will be lost in the processing for wool (grease and sweat etc) and about 10% for alpaca. We wash it, dry it, open up the fibres in a picker then card it and felt the resulting batts and can now make felt 4'6 ish wide and as long as you want!!! weight would depend on how thick the average felt is but a metre of felt weighs about 500g or 300g if thinner.

Please note we cannot process wool that has not followed the strict withdrawl periods for pour ons as it can be very damaging to the environment. We are now asking for signed disclaimers about that as we are a very eco friendly business :)
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

ScotsGirl

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2010, 10:08:59 pm »
What is the withdrawal period for pour-ons? How long can I store the fleece before I get it to you and presumably I need to drive to you?  Not sure how else I would get it to you.  How long does it take to process? My poor pet sheep is a lot cooler but I don't think I would get a job as a shearer!  9 more to go... :-\

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2010, 10:54:58 pm »
Withdrawl periods for pourons are usually on the box or on leaflet with them in the small print!

Getting fleeces to us.....send by courier, post, friendly neighbour going on holiday, or come down to sunny Devon for the weekend and drop them off...... ;D Don't worry about how long your shearing is taking, I admire anyone willing to do it themselves!
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2010, 10:32:24 am »
Hi Woolyshepherd - spoke a wee while ago on the phone re Jacobs and felt - just an update - shearer coming on Saturday thank goodness as the girls are a wee bit hot in this weather - so I should know what weight of fleece I have very soon, be in touch Clare
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

ScotsGirl

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2010, 08:55:26 am »
Tried to handwash.... won't try again!  Harder than shearing.  How long can I store the fleece in my shed before I bring?  Can you use it if not all off in one (third time lucky I got it off in one!)?  Is processing cost before or after done?  Do you charge extra to dye it?

Not knowing much about it, would I recover my costs by selling the felt?  Going to be expensive to process if I can't do anything with it and I am useless at making stuff.

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2010, 09:15:16 am »
Handwashing fleece is a tough task....believe me I know ;)
 If you are going to spin fleece several 'cuts' with the shears causes lots of short bits and therefore no good for much but if you mean the fleece is in several bits, ie the fleece is not in one huge mat, its not a problem as we do not mind if they are rolled or not. Processing costs are based on the weight as we receive it.....which is why not to include bits we may discard ;)
If we dye any wool, it is by arrangement and I will discuss requirements and costs on an individual basis as some folks want a kg dyed and some more or lots less...or several colours etc.

As to selling the felt....you need to think what people would buy in advance, perhaps discuss with a local craft group what they want and what they would buy. Do they want a soft pre felt type or really hard felt? We know that a piece of felt about 3' x 4' is worth about £20-30 pounds per piece weighing around 300g or so depending upon what breed, type, thickness etc......obviously thicker felt up to 1kg is worth more. Give it a lot of thought and do lots of research into potential markets before committing to an expensive process....hope that helps
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

ScotsGirl

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: We have a huge needle felter....so....
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2010, 10:03:42 pm »
Great info, thanks.  Will make a few calls then decide what to do with the usable fleece.

 

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