|
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)What do you use for natural dyes?Natural dyes are available in all forms of nature. They come from plants including roots, bark, nut hulls, and leaves and flowers. All natural dyes require a mordant (from the Latin word mordere: to bite) or product to help the color penetrate the wool. Natural dyes utilize alum (potassium aluminum sulfate), chrome (potassium dichromate), iron (ferrous sulfate), tin (stannous chloride) or cream of tartar to provide richer or duller colors.
How do you felt an item? Wool has a property called differential friction effect (DFE). This means that it has scales or tiny barbs which make it easier for the fiber to ravel toward its root end. The DFE effect makes it possible for fibers to become entangled and matted in a dense, compact configuration. This movement of the fibers causes the scales on it to become entangled so that they are unable to return to their original position after the agitation stops. And, it causes shrinkage because the fibers are very close together.
Our hand-knitted hats are placed in the washing machine with blue jeans for additional rubbing effect on High Agitation cycle. After just a few minutes, they begin to shrink in size and get thicker. We watch their progress very closely and when they’re the right size, we rinse them by hand, squeeze out the water and put them on forms for blocking. Once they are dry, they retain the shape of the block.
How long does it take to spin a skein of yarn? A bobbin on our spinning wheel takes four hours to spin. We ply two of these together so the spinning alone takes eight hours. Next, we ply two bobbins together. This process takes an additional two and a half hours. So each skein of yarn represents at least ten and a half hours of work at the spinning wheel.
What kind of spinning wheel do you use? We use a Lendrum wheel. It is a new spinning wheel that is foldable, portable and easy to set up without taking lots of space. Lendrum spinning tools are made in Canada and are of high quality and workmanship. You may view them at www.lendrum.ca.
Why do I have to purchase all the skeins of a color? We dye and spin enough for a woman’s large sized sweater. If we sold just one or two skeins of yarn out of the batch, there would no longer be enough to complete the sweater. And, our next attempt at the identical color would not be exact. Therefore, each group of skeins must be purchased at one time. Note: If you like a color and just want to make a scarf, why not try to poncho or shawl along with it? Or, you could give the yarn for a gift.
I have a wool hat and it scratches me when I wear it. You are experiencing the differential friction effect of wool. Some wools have more scratchiness than others. This is easily remedied by hand stitching a piece of fabric or ribbon at the place where your hat touches your forehead. It’s also why purchased felted hats have grosgrain ribbon sewn into them. It keeps the raw wool from touching the skin.
What if I purchase a hat and it’s too small? Our hats are sized for most heads. If your head is larger than the hat, simply soak the hat in water in a sink (about one inch). Soak only the brim area, not the entire hat. (Be aware that wool absorbs a lot of water before it is wetted thoroughly).
After it is sufficiently wetted, stretch the hat a little (not too much!) and try it on. Be careful not to stretch it too much or it will be too big. Once you have stretched the hat, let it dry by placing it in a spot where it will get adequate air circulation. Or, if you can, wear it until it dries. Once it dries to a larger size, it will stay that way.
What if I purchase a hat that is too large? If your hat is too large, it needs to be felted to a smaller size. Please provide your head circumference measurement to us and we’ll accommodate you. We would rather your hat be too small (because you can stretch it yourself) than too large. We want you to be pleased with your purchase and wear it with pride.
If your hat is too large, you may wish to return it to us for further felting to your size. However, providing us with your measurement ahead of time will prevent this.
What kind of chemical dyes do you use? We use both Gaywool (from Australia) and Jacquard dyes. Both provide excellent results. An extensive array of colors is available from both manufacturers.
How do you get the yarn into a skein? We use a swift for that purpose. It is a collapsible item that is turned by a horizontal crank on top of the winder. The yarn is threaded through a small hole in one of the spokes and then with a turn of the crank, the yarn begins winding on the skein winder. When the yarn is finished winding, we collapse the swift and then block the yarn to set the twist.
How do you keep the twist on the yarn you spin? Yarn is spun clockwise for the initial bobbins. When two bobbins are plied together, they are spun counter-clockwise. These opposing forces, or “Z” twist (clockwise) and “S” twist (counter-clockwise) provide the tension required for yarn.
Is it necessary to block yarn after it is assembled into a skein? We do block our yarns after they have been wound into a skein. This process is called "setting the twist of the yarn." It involves thoroughly wetting the yarn (immersing it in a tub of water and allowing it to soak up as much water as possible, being careful not to agitate the wool to keep it from felting) and then drying it under tension. We dry our skeins over a horizontal pole with a weight at the bottom. This method produces a very professional looking skein. |
 All Content © 2006-2007 The Royal Fleecery. All Rights Reserved.
|