Fiber Fanatics

I've met another fiber enthusiast. We got together with the kids today to share knowledge about wool, felt, spinning and such. I was really intrigued by needle felting and added some designs to my felted slippers. Erin, who is almost 10, was also interested but I'm a little concerned that she might hurt herself with those sharp needles. We'll have to see on that one. All the kids tried spinning on the wheel, some with more success than others. They didn't really have the patience to keep working at it long enough to "get it". I think I'll keep trying the "learn to ply first" tactic that I started with Erin. Not so much to think about and relatively hard to mess up, but you still get the feel of the wheel. Nancy (the other mom) picked it up quite readily.

Nancy had brought some small felted animals and doll that she had needle felted. They were very interesting. She first makes a form with wire and then stuffs it with wool and then needle felts on top of that. The other thing she brought was a felt picture her daughter Megan had done. Essential you rough-up a piece of felt and then drag different colors of loose felt over it. Some stick and some don't and you make a picture. You could then needle felt after that to make it more secure.

Earlier in the morning I had kool-aid and food color dyed some wool. I got a yellow, a purple and a blue. Not too bad. Sadie thought it was funny that I "cooked" the wool in the oven. (The dye works a little faster when it is warm, one set of directions I read said to put the bowl with the dye and wool in the oven at 150 degrees.) I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow.