Not sure of what to do with raw wool? Here are some ways you can make the best of your recently sheared raw wool in your farm and homestead
A 'Penny' refers to a round circle of wool, traditionally cut using coins or a 'Penny' as a template. These circles were a wonderful way to use scraps of wool to "make something from nothing". Pennies cut in this fashion have slight variations, which add to their charm. The Wool Penny Pin is an original design by Rose Clay / Three Sheep Studio. This listing is for the "Wool Penny Pin" Pattern Pattern will include easy to understand, step by step directions, with thumbnail photographs, for making a Penny Pin and penny templates. Instructions with diagram for the Blanket Stitch are also included. (Thread is not included. You will need to supply the DMC floss.) _________________________________________________________ Please note: This Penny Pin design calls for a heavier Pin and is generally not suitable for delicate fabric. Works well with most heavier coats/jackets or canvas tote bags, etc. ________________________________________________________ Completed Wool Penny Pin measures approximately 4 inches x 3.5 inches. A 'Resource Paper' is included with order, to help source supplies.) ~ This project is all hand work. No sewing machine needed. ~ Rose Clay retains all copyrights of her designs, photographs and content. Copyright 2016 Rose Clay All Rights Reserved.
Our friend Jen showed us a new way to play with wool - yipeeee!! Really. If you are at all into making things with wool, you need to try this. I have no idea what to call it - I've been googling all kinds of descriptions just to see what all a person could do with this, but I'm not coming up with anything! (ok, I just went and looked again. For a long time. Nothing.) I took pictures as she made a few pieces, and then Eliza got excited about making a photo tutorial, so here is a combination of the two for you! You will need: wool roving (the carded, unfelted "loose" wool - it's still recognizable, though sometimes dyed, as coming from the sheep. The wool we used for this all came from my friend Emma's beautiful Jacob's sheep, and are all naturally dyed.) wooden skewer - you could also use a pencil or a chopstick, but the skewer makes for a nice, tight roll, and is long, which is good for the twisting part. A foam block helps, but if you don't have one already for needle felting, don't worry about it; a table top will do. Wool, skewer, and foam block - check! Lay out a piece of roving about 2 inches by 3 inches in size. Lay the skewer along the side closest to you, on top of the edge of roving. You are basically going to roll the piece of roving like you would a roll of sushi, up and over the skewer, tucking in tight as you go. Eliza style - preparing to roll Jen starting to roll After the initial tuck and roll, you can use one hand to slowly twirl the skewer away from you while maintaining tension with the fingers of the other hand, continuing to coax the wool around the skewer, and to keep it even. What is hard to show in a photo is how much tension there is in the fingers that are riding the roll. One hand twirling the skewer away from you, the other providing tension Eliza's trying to keep an even tension here, and doing a great job, though her hands are smaller. Twirling... When you've twisted the whole piece of roving, and it's nice and tight, you can slip it off the end of the skewer, and voila! A worm! Someone has a more elegant name for what you have, but that wouldn't be me. Now what can you do with your worm?? Aha...well, it could become a mustache, non? It has a nice elasticity to it, and can actually be bent into all kind of shapes, and needle-felted in place. In the photo below, Jen has figured out how to add another color by layering another piece of wool roving over the end of the first worm, once it has been slid almost all of the way off the skewer. She's brilliant that way. One loooooong worm We've been spiraling them into these wonderful little pieces. Once they're spiraled (and they kind of stick together), you can use a felting needle to secure them, poking from the outside toward the center of the circle. We've also put a backing on, which you could make from a felted sweater (just needle felt the whole thing right onto a cut circle of felted sweater!) or could needle felt a circle of roving quickly, attaching it by, you guessed it, needle felting. Shoo, articulate, aren't I? Simple needle-felted backing Well, I hope you can figure this out, that you are as excited by wool worms as I am, and that you let me know if you've ever heard of this before! Jen learned it from an artist who creates whole creatures and hats and such from pieces like this...we'll share what else comes from this inspiration in the coming weeks, 'cause we can't seem to stop... Eliza's rose Ani's spiral A collaborative spiral Shared on The Magic Onions for their Friday's Nature Table round-up. Check it out!
I went to a class last night at A Stitch in Time in Howell taught by Annette Shaffer from Annie's Wool Works and created this beautiful quilled wool Christmas wreath. It was a lot of fun to make, despite all the hot glue burns, lol. The wreath is 6 inches round. You roll the wool quills by hand then hot glue them down on your base. My friend Amy also took the class but she made a stand up Christmas tree. The great thing about the class is Annette has already cut all the quilling strips so you just grab them and start rolling. A fun holiday project that was a hit with everyone in the class.
I remember when I started to learn to spin those lumpy, bumpy, wonderful art yarns I was always terrified of not doing justice to the fibre. I've taken that worry away with great value beginner yarns that are nice and grippy (handle) and with long staple lengths, whilst you learn to draft and control the twist of the fibre. Plus they're pretty colours to feed your soul at a price you'll be happy to practice on. The Suffolk sheep is a British breed and is classified as a dense short wool. The fleece is suited to knitwear (possibly not next to skin) and any other item where a good bulk is required. I love the way the grey tones take on the dyes. Perfect for hand spinning or hand felting. Micron 35-40 Staple 75-80mm Hand dyed by me as shown. Read more
Discover the therapeutic craft of needle felting with this modern craft kit. If you’ve never picked up a felting needle before, let the detailed step-by-step instructions guide you, showing you how to turn the loose fluffy wool into a sculpture you can be proud of. This kit will take the average beginner 2-4 hours to make, offering a wonderful way to relax after a long day. Each kit contains: Wool in a variety of breeds & colours, 2x felting needles in a secure holder, detailed instructions with step-by-step photos, beautiful gift box. Designer Stephanie has chosen the perfect wools for felting including British wool wherever possible. Every kit includes 2x stainless steel German made felting needles in a secure holder to keep them safe from small hands or pets. Gift the complete kit to a craft-loving friend, or wrap up your own finished piece as a lovingly handmade present. Adult supervision recommended due to sharp needles.
A 'Penny' refers to a round circle of wool, traditionally cut using coins or a 'Penny' as a template. These circles were a wonderful way to use scraps of wool to "make something from nothing". Pennies cut in this fashion have slight variations, which add to their charm. The Wool Penny Pin is an original design by Rose Clay / Three Sheep Studio. This listing is for the "Wool Penny Pin" Pattern Pattern will include easy to understand, step by step directions, with thumbnail photographs, for making a Penny Pin and penny templates. Instructions with diagram for the Blanket Stitch are also included. (Thread is not included. You will need to supply the DMC floss.) _________________________________________________________ Please note: This Penny Pin design calls for a heavier Pin and is generally not suitable for delicate fabric. Works well with most heavier coats/jackets or canvas tote bags, etc. ________________________________________________________ Completed Wool Penny Pin measures approximately 4 inches x 3.5 inches. A 'Resource Paper' is included with order, to help source supplies.) ~ This project is all hand work. No sewing machine needed. ~ Rose Clay retains all copyrights of her designs, photographs and content. Copyright 2016 Rose Clay All Rights Reserved.
This post was last updated November 2021. A few years ago I invited a group…
Versatile wool can be used in a variety of projects, including penny rugs (made with circles the size of coins) and pillows. It also can be fashioned into embellishments for quilts, garments, wall hangings, and bags.
Hand painting wool tops is fun. You can create very beautiful and unique yarn with dyeing wool this way. A step-by-step tutorial on hand painting wool.
You guys, if you live anywhere close to where I live (Chicago), you know that it’s cold out there. We need to go somewhere warm. No, I’m not talking about Waikiki (although I’m def willing to consider it). I’m talking about wool.Over here in the cold white north, we could use a lot more woolContinue Reading...
The Good Yarn supplies you with the very best knitting, spinning, weaving, crochet equipment as well as quality yarns and fibres
Discover how to select the perfect wool for your wet felting projects with this detailed guide. Learn about different wool types, from coarse to fine, and how fiber choice impacts the texture and durability of your felted creations. Ideal for crafters seeking to achieve specific outcomes in their wet felting endeavors.
Our Felted Wool Patchwork Quillow has been a favorite Bee project ever since we posted…
Teach yourself the calming craft of needle felting with our Tortoise needle felting kit. If you’re a needle felting beginner, let our detailed step-by-step instructions guide you, showing you how to turn the fluffy British wool into a wool sculpture you can be proud of. This kit will take the average beginner about 6 hours to make, offering a wonderful way to relax over a rainy weekend or each evening on the sofa. Once you’ve completed one of our needle felting kits, you will have all the basic techniques and skills needed to continue with this therapeutic craft. - All our kits are carefully packed by hand in our Dorset studio, supporting a small female-led business. - Designer Stephanie has chosen the perfect British wools for felting. - Step-by-step photo instructions guide you from start to finish, and our video tutorials offer additional insights into the basic techniques for all our kits. - Every kit includes 2x stainless steel German made felting needles in a secure holder to keep them safe from small hands or pets. - Add a foam block to give you the ideal working surface for needle felting, protecting the needles and your table or lap. One foam block will last for at least 40 smaller projects. (NB. The foam is an optional add on when ordering and orders with foam added will come in a larger A4 size box) - Gift the complete kit to a craft-loving friend, or wrap up your own finished piece as a lovingly handmade present. - We recommend adult supervision for anyone under the age of 12 due to the sharp needles included. Every kit contains: British wool in a variety of breeds and colours 2x felting needles in a secure holder Detailed instructions with step by step photos Beautiful gift box You will also need: Foam block working surface (optional extra to add when ordering) Tea and biscuits (optional!) Dimensions: - Box: A5 (no foam block) 21x15x5cm / A4 (including foam block) 30x21x5cm - Finished design: Approximately 15cm long
Posies in all colors! Very easy to make…I cut three circles in graduated sizes. I picked out a vintage button or two for the center of each one. Then I cut a wire twice the length of the stem, fold it in half, and thread it onto the button and through the layers of the stacked felt circles. For the leaves I cut a small leaf, and a 4 inch piece of wire. The stem and the leaf wire I covered in florist tape, adding the leaf stem as I covered the stem. The flowers can be any color, the more the merrier! And the center buttons don’t have to be a matching color… The vase is made from a mason jar and a sleeve from a felted wool sweater. I moistened the sleeve as it was rather tight on the jar and then just worked it down over the jar. This grey plaid wool was a great cover for the chipped mason jar. I may be linking to these great parties!
This scrumptiously soft and wonderfully cosy chunky shawl has been knitted by hand. The 'entrelac' pattern gives the shawl a woven appearance. An ideal addition to your autumn/winter wardrobe to keep you snuggly warm. The soft green and purples of this shawl is a colour way reminiscent of a heather covered meadow. When not being worn this shawl would make an unusual and beautiful throw over a chair. Made from: 70% acrylic and 30%wool Care: machine wash at 30c, dry flat and pull into shape. Dimensions: Length (tip to tip of triangle): 37.5" or 95cm. Width (widest part): 76" or 191cm Read more
SUPPLY LIST 4mm hook Any Category 3 yarn (Used: Bernat Softee Baby in the color Flannel) Approximate Yardage: XS 800Y/731M, S 950Y/868M, M 1000Y/914M, L 1200Y/1097M, XL 1400Y/1280M, 2XL 1650/1508M, 3XL 1750Y/1600M, 4XL 1850/1691M, 5XL 1950Y/1783M Stitch Markers Scissors Tapestry Needle FINISHED MEASUREMENTS ** This crochet crochet bardot sweater is meant to be slightly loose but also has quite about of stretch (due to the mesh stitch), up to 6” of negative ease. XS: 30” circumference S: 32.5” circumference M: 36” circumference L: 40” circumference XL: 44” circumference 2XL: 48” circumference 3XL: 51” circumference 4XL: 53” circumference 5XL: 56” circumference PATTERN AND SIZING NOTES For this crochet bardot sweater, you must have knowledge of: working in the BB of the foundation chain, slip stitch, skipping stitches, double crochet, double crochet Moss Stitch and working ribbing on to a piece. This crochet off the shoulder top is made as one piece for the body (creating a neck hole as you go) and the sleeves are worked on to the sides. At the end, the ribbed cuffs, bottom hem and neck ribbing is worked directly on to the piece. The double crochet Moss Stitch is just like the regular Moss Stitch (also knows as Linen Stitch or Granite Stitch) except, instead of using single crochet, you use double crochet. So you skip a stitch and chain 1, then place a DC in the next ST, then skip a stitch and chain 1 and place a DC in the next ST and continue this across the row. The pattern for this crochet Bardot sweater is given for XS with all respective counts given in parentheses ( ) after the XS count. Turning CH’s do NOT count as stitches. To easily count your ST’s in a row to make sure you’re on track, just skip count by 2’s at each DC (not including the turning chain) The stitch count is given in parentheses ( ) at the end of each row.
It's the question I get asked over and over: where can I get wool for my appliqué ? Many people ask me about finding quality supplies for their hand-stitching projects. To help answer those questions, I am starting this blog series, In Search of Supplies. Today I’m covering the search for wool to use in your next applique project, with a focus on new wool. (Look for a post about vintage wool in the future.) In the meantime, I want to take you through the main kinds of wool that I use in my work,
A quick overview of the various types of wool. Perfect for anyone new to upcycling this fantastic, natural material.
Needlebooks come in quite handy for keeping track of your pins and needles (and make a charming addition to any sewing basket). DIY Tutorial
I was fortunate enough to take a vacation to Ireland about a year ago. The landscape was beautiful and we saw many historical and natural sites. Along the way we saw sheep...not a few sheep...easily thousands of sheep along our journey around the southern half of Ireland. It was winter so they all had full puffy woollen coats...I feel in love with them...so cute! This little fella was inspired by my trip. I hand embroidered him with DMC Floss onto muslin and Warm & Natural batting. I carefully selected dozens of VINTAGE BUTTONS (see photos for a detailed look) and hand sewed each one to make his VERY full coat. I selected a beautiful green, brown, and turquoise striped fabric with lovely gold details for the backing (it would look lovely in any decor), stuffed it with new Poly-fil, and added a Brown grosgrain ribbon for a hanger. Approximately 8" x 5.75" plus hanger. This item would be a wonderful addition to your decor and would make a great gift for an Irish friend, sheep collector or baby’s room! It looks fabulous hanging on a hook, peg, door knob, wooden chair, even in your office cubicle!
I often get asked how I get my white rugs so clean so I thought it might be helpful to all you woolly crafters out there, if I shared my hints and tips with you. Most of the rugs I make come from Scotch Mule fleeces. The Scotch Mule is traditionally creamy-white in colour with […]
Our friend Jen showed us a new way to play with wool - yipeeee!! Really. If you are at all into making things with wool, you need to try...
You guys, if you live anywhere close to where I live (Chicago), you know that it’s cold out there. We need to go somewhere warm. No, I’m not talking about Waikiki (although I’m def willing to consider it). I’m talking about wool.Over here in the cold white north, we could use a lot more woolContinue Reading...
