last update 01-02-2002
What
to do with Lagotto wool?
I have been saving Tiekas fur after combing, scissoring and shaving as I thought it a shame to throw away.
The first thing I ever did with it was put it in plastic net bags and hang these up in trees so the birds could make nests with it.
This idea was very good as the birds loved it and I think many birds are now flying around after being kept nice and warm in Tiekas wool when they were little.
But I wanted to do more.
Each type/length of wool I keep seperate. Short cut wool in one bag, very soft combed out wool in another and ofcaurse in a 3rd bag I keep the long shaven wool.
I had thought of spinning it but I had no idea how to do that and at the very least I’d have to buy a spinnig wheel which is not a cheap thing to do.
Does
anyone have any experience with spinning Lagotto wool? If you
have please let me know.
So I thought of felt making.
Couldn’t find any books in the Dutch shops so I went on the net. First in a textile chat room… no one knew how to make it but lots of people were helpful in giving hints.
Via altavista.com I found a lot of sites. One of the best sites for beginners I think is http://www.dimensional.com/~gfwsheep/felting/felt.html
Out of all the information I concockted my own way and have now succeded in making felt and from that I make small stuffed animals.
Its such a cheap thing to do and lots of fun if you have the time.
How I do this you can read further on.
I
would love to fill the rest of the space with good ideas how
to recycle Lagotto wool but need your help with this. So if
you have any good ideas please email them to me and I’ll
put them on this site!
: Wash the wool well and use as stuffing for cushions
: Use as decoration material for self –made cards. For example white fur is good for Santas beard.
How I make felt
You need: a baking tray (about 30 by 40cm)
for this size you need about 55grams of long shaven and or combed out wool
washing liquid
hot water
potato masher
piece of fine curtain netting (larger than the baking tray)
vinegar
Plant yourself in a chair with some good music and the baking tray on your lap.
With a metal brush and comb brush out piece by piece the wool each time laying this on the baking tray in layers, each layer going the other way (stretch out the fur). So the first layer is all going from left to right the next from top to bottom. Do this till all the wool is used up. I make about 5 or 6 layers, it all depends how royal you are with the layers.
Place the netting over the wool/tray.
Mix the hot water with the washing up liquid. (or you can keep and use these seperat if you like)
Pour some of the hot mixture over the wool and with the masher push cearfully till all the wool is wet. By now the water should be cold enough to touch. Start moving your hands in circles over the netting especially on the sides. Pour out cold water and replace with hot water (as hot as your hands can take it) and keep on circling with your hands.
Pull the netting off the wool every now and then to prevent it getting stuck to your felt.
Once the first side has started to mat togeather you can flop the whole thing over and do the same on the other side. The mat schrinks the more you work it.
To make toys from your felt stop when your mat has shrunk about 1 cm on all sides. Then wash your mat out, watch out that you don’t shrink your mat too much while doing this as this vigerous working helps to “fill” the felt and schrink it too much. Once free of soap let your felt dry. I often use a iron to hurry it up and this also makes the felt nice and flat. The last bit of moisture I let dry naturally
When dry you can make your toys. For the stuffing I use the short wool. After sewing together wash the toy with hot water and washing liquid. Dont be frightend to really work the toy, squeezing well. This will “fill” the felt even more and your stiches will vanish making your toy look even beter. After washing out all the soap wash one last time with vinegar which is good for the wool.
Dry the toy and then sew or glue on eyes, nose ect.
