More Magic Wool

Our annual winter wool class last weekend seemed to be a success. We had fun learning some basic felting techniques such as needle felting and making wet felted soaps.  Both were a hit with the children who did not want to stop once class was over.  The color combinations were beautiful!  Hot spicy chai, lentil soup with cheddar muffins, and gluten free brownies topped off our afternoon.  Working with wool is a perfect way to enjoy a cold, blustery day.

Resources for felting supplies:
-Paper Scissors Stone: waldorfsupplies.com 
-Any foam mattress store (for less expensive needle felting boards)
-Local artisan yarn stores: more expensive but usually have unique materials and colors

Wet Felting With Raw Wool

After spending a good many hours getting acquainted with the new stash of Navajo-Churro wool, there was enough carded to experiment with my first project wet felting the raw wool.  I have done a fair amount of wet felting with roving purchased online but this would be my first experience with the freshly sheered, raw, unwashed fleece.  Since a large, flat, water resistant work surface was needed, I set up a tarp outside on my driveway.  A tote bag was a simple enough project to start with and I basically needed to felt a large rectangle.  So I started by layering thin wispy pieces of the darker wool into a crude shape, all going in one direction.  

For the second layer I repeated the same step but going in the opposite direction.   

With each piece I was making sure not to make the wool too thick.  

After I had a few layers of darker wool, I added several layers of lighter wool in hopes that the inside and outside of my bag would be contrasting colors.  With each layer I was still taking care to change directions as I applied the pieces of wool.  

Finally I had about 5-6 layers.  My goal was a nicely shaped rectangle made of evenly layered wool where none of the tarp was showing through.  

My next step was to very gently apply hot soapy water so that all the layers were saturated.  I poured the water over my hand, pressing and allowing it to soak into the wool.  

Once completely saturated, I started pressing and patting the wool.  If you have never done any wet felting before it is difficult to describe, but after several minutes of gently pressing, the wool begins to felt and you can start adding more pressure and friction.  At that point I used force to rub the fabric for about 10-15 minutes adding more hot soapy water and then alternating with cold water.  The temperature change shocks the wool into felting.  

When my fabric was felted enough to flip over easily, I worked the other side then rolled it into the tarp.  Using my arms I massaged the tarp back and forth many times, unrolled the fabric and repeated in the opposite direction.  

I then had a piece of clean, felted wool fabric.
  

 A close up view shows how the fibers have joined together.  

 It was then time to dry in the sun for a couple of hours.

The result was a very cushy fabric much like a plush rug.  A bit hairy, but I guess that is a characteristic of this particular type of wool.

Each side successfully felted in a different color.  

I hand sewed my bag together by folding in half and there it is, ready to add some leather handles.  

The end product is a rustic wool bag that is a sturdy, easy project to try for your first wet felting adventure. 

Navajo-Churro Wool

While visiting a family ranch up north, I was gifted a huge amount of raw wool.  During a tour of the ranch the owner showed us a pile of recently sheered fleece the size of a pick up truck.  I asked him how much he was selling them for and he laughed saying they were all going to be thrown away.  And so happily, I ended up with two large bags of Navajo-Churro wool.  

each fleece is a different color

I learned the Navajo-Churro is renowned for its hardiness and adaptability to extremes of climate. It's wool consists of a protective topcoat and soft undercoat. Some rams have four fully developed horns, a trait shared with few other breeds in the world. The Navajo-Churro is also popular due to its low-maintenance reputation, resistance to disease, and lean meat.  Although this breed is often raised for it's wool alone, the rancher we visited was raising his sheep solely for meat.

underside of fleece

This being my first time working with raw fleece I decided to do some research.  I emailed a local artist who makes the most amazing raw wool creations.  She graciously gave me some wonderful advice.  She said that learning in a hands-on way is definitely the best way.  But as a general suggestion, if you are just playing around with the wool, she recommends not using carding combs or other mechanical carders to prepare your wool.  By using your hands to open the locks of wool you will  develop a sensory and intuitive relationship with the fleece, a strong tactile connection.  Using carding combs is fine when you already know what you are doing and just need to process the wool faster, but it is important to learn the fiber.  So, practice taking small hand fulls of your fleece, opening them up and observing the fiber and how it behaves in your hands.  You can "hand-pick", as this is called, enough wool to make a flat sheet or a hat or a pouch, and then felt it by hand.  Because Navajo-Churro is low in lanolin, and as so much soap is used in the felting process, she doesn't wash her wool first.  

I love her advice!  So I immediately spent hours picking and teasing the wool with my hands.  After about a half a day of doing this, when I felt I understood how the fiber acts in my hands, I went in search of a carder.  Low and behold, a spectacular neighbor came over to lend me her drum carder.  And after getting acquainted with the machine we ended up with a nice basket of beautifully carded wool roving.  No washing, not too much fuss. 

I am so ecstatic about this wool!  The smell, the texture...I have plans for a wet felted bag and hat in the near future.  We may even have to trade our goats for few Navajo Churro sheep.  

All About Wool

...to maintain one's self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime,

 if we live simply and wisely.

-H.D. Thoreau

cleaned, combed, and dyed wool roving ready to be spun or felted

Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer for a wonderful event at the Oakland Museum called FELT, the first of a four part series called the Seed Circus, including sheep and felt, foraging, pickling and fermentation, and the fall harvest.  Sponsored by The Greenhorns, a land-based non profit serving young farmers across America, this event educated all about wool from the livestock to the spindle.  There were some local artists doing wet felted rugs and clothing, even a farmer who brought two of his East Friesian sheep to demonstrate sheering.  I learned that East Friesians are a good breed for both wool  and dairy.  We took home a big bag of the freshly sheered wool (pictured below).  It was surprising to feel how oily it is and pretty stinky too, but once picked and washed will make nice material for felting projects.  Needless to say we had a great time.  Check the links for dates on the next three events to come. 

raw wool fresh off of the sheep

It Takes a Village.....to Eat a Zucchini?

I found this zucchini hiding in the garden tonight after two hot days.  I have heard of these monstrosities getting dropped off secretly on neighbors doorsteps but have not yet grown one myself until now.  This squash is most probably destined for the dehydrator.