Posted: Sat Jun 18, 16 10:09 am Post subject: Using up the wool
So I can't felt anymore, and I recently sold my spinning wheel because of the arthritis ... I am still pretty mean with a drop spindle and have set up the ancient rigid heddle loom to use up some of the merino I have left over...
...but it's a bit boring, and I wondered if there were any bright or novel ideas around?
I could bag it up and sell it on e-bay I suppose, but I'd rather use it myself.
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 16 8:48 pm Post subject:
Can you manage peg looming? It makes marvellous rugs and uses up lots of wool.
Probably
Merino is a bit too soft for rugs though isn't it?
sally_in_wales Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 20809 Location: sunny wales
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 16 8:45 am Post subject:
What about doing some plain belts with the heddle but putting really exuberant Bronze Age style tassels on the end- thats a bit less boring, and there is currently a good market for Neolithic and Bronze Age costume items with its addition to the curriculum, so you could recoup some funds at the same time.
The rigid heddle loom isn't ideal for them, but you can make belts with the warp threads showing, as in inkle weaving. They are quite solid and good for belts, lute and guitar straps and all sorts. I assume you can't knit or crochet very much, or you could just draw out slivers and knit them unspun. Not as strong but can be a nice effect.
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 16 10:00 am Post subject:
I did some arm knitting with roving. It was really, really hard to keep track of the stitches, though. I knitted a triangle.
You can use it for a shawl, blanket, whatever, to keep warm. It will felt very easily, so something like a blanket is a good idea. I had a shawl, years ago, made like that and it felted when I washed it, so not so good for a shawl any more.
wellington womble
Joined: 08 Nov 2004 Posts: 15051 Location: East Midlands
would art felting by creating the design or picture out of fluff on a cloth and then rolling it up before felting it with hot slightly soapy water and a good bashing be a possible option?
the bashing is fairly hard work but i recon one could drive over the roll a few times to take the strain out of it.
some of the folk at my first art college produced a variety of stuff ranging from landscapes to firework bursts and flowers in felts that ended up big as you want and strong enough for use as rugs or display on a wall.
if there are no detailed instructions on line i can probably remember most of the important details.
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