Saturday, February 26, 2011

Spinnakees Fiber Farm's Zenyatta - What a beautiful Keeshonden. Project: Farm helment.

This is Zenyatta, my 9 month old Keeshonden pup. My Angora goats were wondering what she was doing in the front yard with me. My 2 older Keeshonden disappeared as they fear the sheep and goats. Not Zenyatta, she really loves all of my critters and is my constant companion. Lots of energy and very intelligent.
Hum, next project? How about a women's helmet using finger weight yarn from my Olde English "Babydoll" Southdown Sheep blended with Angora and Mohair? My mom made a couple helmets for the boys and used sports weight yarn from Spinnakees Fiber Farm. That yarn was wool and mohair. The pattern surprised me as it turned out to feel like Bulky and they were big. So I'm going to use size 9, 14" long circular needles (1 1/2 sizes smaller) and the fingering yarn. This might be a nice, light weight farm hat - spring or fall. Hope to have a picture of the finished project in a few days. Wish me luck!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Spinnakees Fiber Farm making Wool Cloth easily

I made this embrodiery case out of store bought wool, pearl cotton, beads, and dyed wool pieces. I decided to make my own wool cloth to make an embrodiery case from Spinnakees Fiber. This is a process, but worth the effort!



This is the inside of the case layed open.


First lay down your bubble wrap. I used a piece about 16" x 20". I then placed a piece of cotton on top of the bubble wrap. I then teased apart roving and lay it in one layer across the cotton cloth filling it. Do this first vertically then horizontally. About 6 layers.

Take a spray bottle full of water and wet your fiber throughly, then place another piece of cotton cloth the same size over the fiber, and then another piece of bubble wrap on top of the cloth.


I rolled up the layers and put elastics about every 2". Then the works begins! Roll it on your table about 100 times the first time. Then take elastics off, unrole it and see how much it has felted. Roll it back up from the side and then roll it back and forth about 50 times and check it again for felting.



This is wool cloth I have felted and wool rolled into a roll to be felted. Shultz is a Spinnakees' Farm German Angora, who is taking a break. Shultz donated his fiber for one side of the cloth making a beautiful soft surface.