Traditional Crafts from George Weil

Flippin' Books!

2012-05-25T11:57:00.000+01:00

We're delighted to provide you with our latest online version of the George Weil catalogue.

You can now browse through the pages of the catalogue at your leisure, and if you click on the corners of the pages they will turn, as though you are actually leafing through a paper book.

The search box in the top right hand corner means you can enter text and in moments the search results are displayed in the left hand column and clearly highlighted in yellow. When you arrive at a section that interests you, there are links saying 'see on website' which link directly to the relevant section of the website

Lastly the zoom facility means no more squinting when you can't find your specs. There is a magnifying glass in the bottom bar which zooms in closely and you can adjust this by using the - and + signs. If you hover your cursor over the page and then hold your mouse button down, you can 'grab' the page and move it up and down so that you can read the contents of the page.

See the new online George Weil catalogue now >

Please let us know if you encounter any problems.

...don't be slow

2012-05-17T15:16:00.000+01:00

Our little team works hard to get your orders to you as soon as possible.

We aim to dispatch all orders received by 2pm on the same day we receive them, but this is not a guarantee. The order needs to be picked, paperwork processed, payment details confirmed and the goods packed - and all before we hand your parcel over to the postman.

If your package is large and bulky or if it weighs more than 3kg, we ask our courier to deliver it to you. Any other orders we send to our customers by 1st class Royal Mail.

We do generally succeed in getting your parcels to you within 24 hours although as hard as we try, some of these parcels do go astray. We hand over your parcels to the delivery service in good faith and 1st class Royal Mail really does try to be 'what it says on the tin'.

For those few parcels that remain lost in transit, we suggest you first contact your local sorting office as delivery may have been attempted and a card not left to advise you. Unfortunately Royal Mail do not consider packages to be lost unless they have been missing for 10 working days, we are therefore unable to follow these up until then.

The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers

2012-05-09T13:13:00.000+01:00

We are often asked advice about the crafts advertised on our website, and whilst we have a good knowledge of most of the techniques, we cannot always claim to be experts.

The traditional crafts of weaving, spinning and dyeing are championed by The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. The objectives of this Association are 'the preservation and improvement of the craftsmanship in hand weaving, spinning and dyeing for the benefit of the public and the promotion of public education in such craftsmanship'.

The Association comprises of non commercial guilds located across the British Isles (see map), where members can follow the ethos of the Association.

Members of the Association who wish to further their skills and knowledge can study for a Certificate of Achievement. The certificate (find out more) is offered separately in the four disciplines of weaving, tapestry weaving, spinning and dyeing and assessment is conducted by those leading in the field. A diploma, Certificate in Advanced Textile Studies, can be achieved by candidates whose work has reached a standard of excellence and would normally follow the successful completion of the Certificate of Achievement. It is awarded in acknowledgement of personal development and study in weaving, spinning or dyeing.

If you would like to find out more about the Association, their National Exhibition will be held from Monday 16th July through to the Sunday 27th July 2012 at the Weald and Downland Museum in Sussex, and exhibits will include Guild members work from across the Association.

Hand Spinning on a Spindle

2012-05-03T15:15:00.001+01:00

Hand spindles are an economical alternative to a spinning wheel and can create a passion for spinning in their own right. With a small amount of practice, the twisting of the fibre can create a beautiful, hand spun yarn. As the spindle is so portable you can practice your handspinning very easily whenever you have a spare minute.

Tahkli Spindle

We offer a variety of spindles on the George Weil website, each offering the handspinner a different method of producing a yarn. The tiny Tahkli support spindle is used to spin short fibres, such as cotton, into a very fine yarn. This Tahkli has a brass shaft with a hook at the end and a hard maple pear-shaped whorl and weighs just 30g.

Low Whorl Spindle

With the Low Whorl spindle (also known as the Drop Spindle) the whorl sits near the bottom of the shaft and the spun yarn is wound around the shaft. The whorl on the High Whorl spindle (also known as Top Whorl Spindle) is attached to the top of the shaft and has a hook screwed into it which is used to secure the developing yarn. The yarn is then wound around the shaft.

High Whorl Spindle

The High or Low Whorl spindle can be used to spin most fibres and the thickness of the yarn will be determined by the weight of the spindle, the amount of twist and the feed of the fibre. Our Low Whorl spindle weighs 70g and produces a medium to thick yarn, while the High Whorl spindle, which spins slightly faster, weighs just 60g and produces a fine to medium yarn.

Turkish Drop Spindle

The 60g Turkish drop spindle is a fun and practical way to make a perfect ball of handspun yarn. As you spin, wind the spun yarn around the crossbars until you have a full ball and then simply slide away the crossbars to leave the ball of yarn intact.

Possibly the most fascinating of them all is the Navajo spindle which is traditionally used by Navajo and Pueblo indians. This spindle has been designed so that the spinner can sit and the bottom part of the shaft rests on the floor while the top is spun along the length of the thigh to create the twist in the fibre. This Navajo spindle has a 12cm diameter whorl and a 76cm long shaft.

Schacht Navajo Spindle

To learn more about hand spinning, there are a number of books on the website which provide step-by-step instruction and the Fibrecrafts Hand Spinning Explorer Pack provides a spindle, fibre and instruction to get you started.

The website for The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers provides links to information about local guilds, their Summer School, exhibitions and more.

Browse the Spinning section of the website >

The Schacht End-Delivery Shuttle

2012-04-24T19:52:00.001+01:00

The Schacht End-Delivery Shuttles are designed especially and precisely for handweavers. They are lightweight, comfortable to throw and catch, adjustable to a variety of yarns, and easy to thread.

The shuttle has a pirn which remains stationary, instead of a free-spinning bobbin. The weft yarn unwinds off the pirn’s tip when the shuttle is in motion and stops unwinding when the shuttle stops. The yarn comes off the pirn and goes through a set of tension pads and comes out of the shuttle at a constant tension.

The shuttle minus its loaded pirn

This even delivery of weft causes less draw-in, which in turn makes better selvedges. The weaver should resist the temptation to handle the weft yarn at all. Simply adjust the tension to suit the yarn and allow the shuttle to do the work.

Hand crafted wooden pirns

Visit the website to view the full range of weaving shuttles.

Weaving Looms from GAV Glimarkra AB

2012-04-20T15:33:00.001+01:00

We source a huge range of craft materials and equipment from manufacturers across the world.

Our selection of weaving looms and tools are chosen from three main suppliers, the Schacht Spindle Company, Inc. in the USA, Louët in The Netherlands, and GAV Glimarkra AB in Sweden.

Formerly known as AB Gunnar Anderssons Vävskedsfabrik, GAV Glimarkra AB started out making reeds for weaving looms in 1926. Over the years, production expanded to include high quality looms and weaving equipment.

Ian at the Standard Weaving Loom

The Standard Floor Loom from GAV Glimarkra AB is particularly valuable for weaving high quality rugs where a linen warp is used, as the loom is capable of taking the very high tension involved in opening the shed. The image above shows Ian Bowers (owner of George Weil & Sons Ltd) at the loom when the business was still called Fibrecrafts and run from his cottage and barn in Godalming.

GAV Glimarkra AB supply George Weil with tapestry equipment, temples, weaving shuttles, reeds and many other weaving tools. You can browse the range of products from GAV Glimarkra AB on our website. Their selection of quality weaving tools is so extensive that we are unable to keep the full range in stock but we do invite enquiries about special orders for items not listed on our website. Please email our sales department for further information.

Weaving tools from GAV Glimarkra AB

Making Canes from Extruded Polymer Clay

2012-04-18T18:24:00.000+01:00

You can use the Makin's extruder to create consistently sized and shaped polymer clay 'logs' for making canes to decorate beads etc. The extruded polymer clay shapes below were pushed together to make a three coloured cane, see our Fact File page Making a Polymer Clay Cane Using an Extruder.

Slices of the cane were placed on the surface of the bead and rolled until the slice became merged with the clay of the bead, below.

Cane slices add colour to the simple handmade bead and give a different appearance depending on what colour background is used.

A spiral patterned cane was used to decorate the beads above, visit the Fact File to see Sue Heaser's instructions for creating this spiral shaped polymer clay cane.

Hazel Hampshire's accomplished millefiori beads were created from a complex polymer clay cane. Our Fact File page Millefiori cane flower explains the basics of this decorative technique.

George Weil sells a large selection modelling tools for clays and there are also a choice of extruders and disc sets.

Colour and Texture in Paper Making

2012-04-13T14:59:00.004+01:00

George Weil sells a number of additives for the paper maker to use in their papermaking. Here is an overview of their use:

Pigments & Dyes
A pigment can be added to the pulp and the Cationic Retention Aid will help to bind it to the fibres (see Selectasine pigments in dispersion). Pulp can also be coloured using natural dyes, Deka L Direct dyes or Procion MX Fibre Reactive Dyes.

Natural Dyes were sprinkled into the pulp for this
Handmade cotton, find out more...

Cationic Retention Aid
The Cationic Retention Aid helps to bind pigments, dyes and other additives to the fibres in the pulp.

CMC (Carboxymethyl cellulose) powder granules
CMC offers a versatile acid free adhesive which can be added to the pulp to promote fibre to fibre bonding. It gives strength to paper castings and makes the surface of finished art pieces more durable.

Soda Ash
Soda Ash dissolves out the non-cellulose parts of materials such as onion skins, corn husks and bark to be used for handmade paper. Add 250g to each kg of fibre and boil in a stainless steel or enamel pan (not aluminum) for 2-4 hours depending on the fibre.

Titanium Dioxide
This strong white pigment acts as a filler and makes paper whiter and more opaque, giving a smoother surface with less “pick”. Although the filling effect is much stronger than with calcium carbonate, Titanium Dioxide does not have the ability to neutralise acids in the same way.

China Clay
China clay (opal gamma kaolin) is a fine white powder, which is used to make paper more opaque and smooth and reduce shrinkage. It is especially useful in paper casting and will appeal to papermakers and model makers alike.

Calcium Carbonate
Calcium carbonate provides an alkaline reserve in paper which promotes acid-free archival qualities. It retards shrinkage in paper castings and makes for a smoother surface. In paper sheets it improves opacity and whiteness.

Paper Sizing
Add Paper Sizing to pulp at anytime during the process, to make paper less absorbent so that ink or paint does not run or feather. It improves paper stiffness and helps protects the fibre from oily media as well as dirt and pollution. This alkyl ketene dimer emulsion has a neutral pH and meets archival standards. It is essential if you intend to use your paper for screen printing or artwork.

Visit the Paper Crafts section of the George Weil website to browse the range of materials and equipment for paper making.

Check this out!

2012-04-05T14:40:00.000+01:00

Unless you have ordered from the George Weil website, you may not be aware of the Saved Shopping Basket or Check Out options.

Before you arrive at the Check Out, you can add a separate delivery address to the billing address you use to register with us, this is very convenient if you prefer your order to be delivered to where you work, or if you want to send something as a gift.

When you arrive at the Check Out, we want you to feel happy that your details are safe. Your credit card information is gathered at our secure checkout via Sage Pay. Sage Pay is level 1 PCI DSS compliant and are active members of the PCI SSC (Security Standards Council). Sage Pay has multiple private links into the banking network that are completely separate from the Internet and which do not cross any publicly accessible networks. Any cardholder information sent to the banks and any authorisation message coming back is secure and cannot be tampered with, the information remains with the bank and George Weil & Sons Ltd have no access to this sensitive data.

If however, you still don't want to pay online, we provide you with 2 alternative methods of payment. You can choose to pay later with a credit/debit card (your order will be electronically sent to us and you can telephone through your payment details quoting the order number given), or you can choose to pay later by sending us a cheque.

If you're undecided, there is also be the option to save your basket for later. The contents of the shopping basket will be saved for 7 days and you can add or remove items at any time.

You don't have to buy anything to register on the George Weil website, simply click on the link 'Login/Register >' which is in the top right hand corner and complete the details, choosing to subscribe to our newsletter if you like to be kept informed of Special Offers and What's New?

Tried & Tested: Natural Dyes

2012-03-30T16:51:00.000+01:00

On this fabulous sunny day, I stained my fingers with Logwood Chips in an effort to produce some lovely samples for the website and instead became enamoured with the craft of dyeing using plants.

Top left to bottom right, samples included Merino wool prefelt, cotton fabric,
silk fabric, Mohair yarn, 80% wool / 20% nylon yarn, and paper yarn

Fustic Chips and Logwood Chips

The different fibre content absorbed the colours in different ways. The purple of the Logwood Chips was quite consistent while the colour from the Fustic Chips ranged from creamy yellow to mustard.

The dyed swatches of materials

Visit our Fact File page on the website to find out more about this Natural Dyeing experiment - and learn from my mistakes!

The Tool Kit: getting started with tapestry weaving

2012-03-26T13:26:00.002+01:00

Tapestry weaving is an art form. Pattern, symbols and pictures can be built up in the weave to create decorative wall hangings, rugs or cushion covers.

A yarn (which is called the warp) is wrapped around a simple sturdy frame and tied in place.

The warp threads wrapped onto the frame.

A (weft) yarn is then woven under and over the warp yarn using a tapestry bobbin. Each row of weft yarn is pushed down with the point of the bobbin until the warp is completely covered to create a 'weft-faced' fabric.

Tapestry Weaving on a simple frame

Our Tapestry Fact File page shows how to arrive at this stage through step-by-step instructions.

A variety of materials can be woven into the warp. Beads and feathers will add decoration, while strips of plastic bag or paper yarns will add excitement and texture.

When the tapestry is complete, the ends can be cut and tied-off or they can be tied onto a wooden dowel at the top and bottom so that the tapestry can be wall mounted. Another method of finishing off the tapestry is to thread the warp ends with beads.

Felix and his Knitted Farmyard

2012-03-22T12:07:00.004Z

When this charming book The Knitted Farmyard, written by Hannelore Wernhard was first published, the business Fibrecrafts (now George Weil) was still in its infancy.

Denise Kitchin was commissioned to knit the farm as a promotion for the outlet in Dartington and the book flew off the shelves. This popular and successful book, which contains a collection of patterns designed to create a whole farm, has now been reprinted.

Nearly 30 years on, the knitted farmyard still exists and continues to be played with by members of the Bowers' family.

Felix Bowers plays with animals knitted from the original publication
of the book The Knitted Farmyard

The Knitted Farmyard is amongst a number of new books which have just arrived, visit the What's New? section of the website to view.

Canvas Bag painted with Deka Permanent

2012-03-21T19:31:00.000Z

There are a number of 'bags for life' being offered at super markets, but if you want to create a unique and personal design, our canvas bag can be painted with fabric paints. This is my latest attempt which you can read more about in the Fact File page, the simple design has been painted using Deka Permanent Fabric Paints.

A canvas bag painted with Deka Permanent fabric paint

The paints are available in a large selection of opaque colours which can be used on white and light coloured natural fabrics such as cotton, canvas and silk. Their consistency is quite thick which means that the flow can be controlled quite easily and they do not flood the fabric. Adding water will make the paint both thinner and transparent, or there is a paint extender which can be combined with the paint to make pastel shades without thinning it. Deka Permanent fabric paints are set by ironing the fabric on the reverse which makes the paint washable to 60°C.

A cushion cover painted with Deka Permanent fabric paint

I painted the cushion cover above with the same paints. The paints went on to the finely woven cotton much more smoothly than on the coarser canvas fabric. The bag below was painted with Jacquard Lumiere fabric paints, see our Fact File page to see how it was designed, or browse the George Weil range of fabric paints.

A canvas bag painted with Jacquard Lumiere fabric paint

by Allison Holland

Spring coloured Wool Tops for Making Felt

2012-03-19T11:45:00.003Z

When I walked into the warehouse this morning with Sharon's cup of tea, I couldn't resist coming back with the camera to photograph this assortment of wool tops.

6 of the 9 colours of Wool tops waiting to be bagged up

Sharon was in the process of collating together the wool tops into a 1kg mixed bag of light colours. There are nine colours in this selection and I was struck at how Spring-like the colour combination is. These 1kg mixed bags are also available in a selection of mid tone colours and a selection of the dark colours, making them an economical way of sampling the entire colour range.

If you haven't yet had a go at felt making, these lovely pastel shades may tempt you, and we hope our Fact File pages on felt making will give you enough information to get you started.

Sharon in full swing

by Allison Holland

Rug Yarn for Weaving

2012-03-16T15:30:00.004Z

You may not have come across this product on our website as we recommend a sample card or a visit to the showroom to help you with your choice. The colours are generally non-repeatable but we do hold reasonably large volumes in stock, we therefore suggest enough yarn is ordered so that you can complete your project. Here is just a small selection of the colours currently in stock.

80% wool, 20% nylon rug yarn

The yarn is 80% wool and 20% nylon, approximately 810m/kg (400yds/lb) 2.50 Dewsbury.

If you would like to see what we currently have available, please order a sample card, specifying the colours you would like to see in the notes section at the checkout, and we will make up a card to your requirements. Alternatively you are welcome to give us a ring during office hours on 01483 565800.

Cone of rug yarns

Paper Yarn

2012-03-14T16:24:00.004Z

The Journal, Spring 2012

We were really excited to see the latest cover of The Journal magazine. Belinda Rose's colourful and innovative three dimensional weavings shows the versatility of these paper yarns.

Allison took this image (below) of the George Weil corded paper yarns in 2005. It shows how the ends have been untwisted. In this cover image featuring Belinda's weaving, the yarn has been untwisted at intervals along its length.

Paper yarn can be dyed to any colour using Procion MX dyes or coloured using fabric paints such as Jacquard Dye-na-Flow.

Corded & Shifu paper yarn

The ends of the corded yarn untwisted

The image above left, shows two samples of paper yarn. The sample on the left shows a corded yarn which means the paper has been twisted (or spun) to create a very strong yarn. The corded paper yarn needs to be dampened with water to make it flexible enough for weaving or knitting. The sample on the right is Shifu paper. Shifu or folded paper yarn is very flexible but not as strong as the corded yarn.

Paper yarn knitted

Paper yarn woven

The image above shows examples of paper yarn knitted. The white knitting is the fine loosely spun yarn and was knitted using large knitting needles, the brown knitting was created using a folded yarn. The image above right shows a woven folded yarn. The fabric is very flexible and ideal for making hats and bags. The image right shows the corded paper yarn woven into a braid.

Applying Gutta Outliner

2012-03-09T16:07:00.001Z

The purpose of outliner or gutta resist, is to create a boundary around part of an image or pattern so that silk paint or dye does not run beyond that boundary.

Painting on silk fabric using outliner and Deka Silk Paints

A number of interlocking squares were drawn onto the silk fabric using a black outliner. The outline of each element is completed so that the paint will not seep out through any gaps and it is important to ensure that the outliner has fully penetrated through the silk fabric to create a complete barrier.

Outliner can be used to great effect in silk painting, here it is used to outline the leaf design so that two wet paints can be applied and blended.

Visit the website to see the George Weil Fact File page Using outliner or gutta in Silk Painting

Polymer Clay: Embellishment and Inclusions

2012-03-06T14:21:00.006Z

Most polymer clay manufacturers offer effects clays such as pearlescent, glitter and transluscent. There are also a number of materials which can be used to add effects to the clays including foils, mica powders such as Jacquard Pearl-Ex, resins and liquid clays.

Sue Heaser's polymer clay necklace

Sue Heaser's necklace (above) was made by first rolling out black clay and placing a layer of metal leaf onto the clay before rolling the clay again to fracture the metal leaf. A leaf shaped cutter was then used to cut out the decorative beads. When the beads had been baked, a coat of varnish was applied over the foil to seal it and make the jewellery more durable. Lisa Pavelka's Magic-Glos is very effective for this purpose as it dries clear and glossy but can also be used to create raised patterns such as water droplets. The Magic-Glos can be applied in layers and built up to create a lens. It is crystal clear and dries very hard once exposed to sunshine or a UV light source.

Here we show how some of the Jacquard Pearl-Ex colours are very effective when use on the surface of clay. Three of the interference colours have been brushed over the surface of the black polymer clay. When baked, the Pearl-Ex is made permanent with a coat of varnish or Magic-Glos.

The translucent clays can be used to create faux effects. These simple beads were created by combining a white translucent clay with two other colours (see more about how these were made from our Fact File page).

The liquid polymer clays which include FIMO Liquid clay and Translucent Liquid Sculpey can be used for image transfer or there are Lisa Pavelka's waterslide transfer sheets which come either blank for home printing or with a selection of images such as the one featured in this necklace designed by Lisa.

Lisa Pavelka's pendant created using a Waterslide Transfer Sheet

For other ways of decorating or colouring clays, experiment with anything that will withstand the temperature of your oven at 130°C. Use tea leaves, dried herbs, or sand but take care not to add anything that will give out toxic fumes.

There are a selection of glues, resins, varnishes, foils, metal leaf and metallic powders available from the George Weil website.

The Tool Kit: getting started with inkle weaving

2012-02-28T15:24:00.003Z

The Schacht Inkle Loom

An inkle loom is ideal for learning about the technique of weaving. You can weave long strips of fabric which can be used as straps, belts, and decorative edgings.

This is my first encounter with weaving since the days of shoeboxes and string and I was a little nervous about warping up. In woven fabrics, two sets of yarns cross perpendicular to one another. One set, known as the warp, is held taut on the loom while the weft set is woven over and under the suspended warp. Weaving with an inkle loom creates a warp-faced weave which means that the warp threads will show on the woven fabric, this is why three colours of warp yarn have been chosen.

I used the video Weaving on the Schacht Inkle Loom with Jane Patrick (click link to view) which is from the Schacht website. Jane explains the process simply and thoroughly and I was surprised at how easily I was able to understand.

A close-up of the warp and heddles

The warp is wrapped around all the pegs in a zig-zag, missing the top peg in every other circuit. A heddle (which is the knotted white yarn shown here in a near vertical position) is hooked over the first warp thread and then every other until all the warp is wound onto the loom. In this instance, the colour of warp is changed to another colour on every fourth pass.

The shed created by pushing the lower warp threads downwards

The shed created by pushing the lower warp threads upwards

The two photographs above illustrate the purpose of the heddles. The heddles separate every other warp thread and when the warp is pushed downwards or upwards a space, called the shed, is created. The shed is the space in which the shuttle passes taking the weft thread perpendicular to the warp threads.

A beginners weaving on the Schacht inkle loom

My first attempt at weaving on the loom! It took me about 8 rows to work out how to get the edge straight and this 10cm length of weaving was achieved in a matter of minutes. The belt shuttle has been loaded with yarn on its narrow side in a figure of eight. The figure of eight unwinds easily once you get used to crossing from left to right though the shed. The wide, blade shaped side of the shuttle is used to beat the weft down and compact the weaving.

Once the accessible warp has been woven, the tension peg is loosened off and the continuous warp is moved forward. The woven fabric is taken around under the peg and out of the way.

Visit the website at http://www.georgeweil.com/ to view the range of braiding equipment and yarns which include inkle looms, Marudai for kumihimo braids, Ziggy Rytka's Luceting kit, and tablet weaving cards.

The Tool Kit: getting started with polymer clay

2012-02-22T15:28:00.002Z

The tools you will need for working with polymer clay are determined by what you want to make with it. If you're on a budget, and just want to try the clays out, many of the tools can be found around the house. Once tools have been used with polymer clay they should not be used for preparing food.

When the polymer clay first comes out of the packet it can be quite hard. Warming the clay will soften it and the easiest way to do this is to wrap it in cling film and wear it your pocket for 20-30 mins. Take care not to overheat the clay (such as leaving in direct sunshine) as it will begin to cure (harden) and become unusable. Some clay manufacturers have made softeners to blend with the clays and liquid polymer clays will do the same job.

A Non-porous Surface

Most importantly you will need a non-porous surface, such as a ceramic tile, on which to work. Polymer clay will not adhere itself to the surface of the tile and modelled items can be left in situ while they are baked in the low temperature of the oven.

Rolling Clay

A rolling pin is essential and a suitable option may be difficult to find in the home. The smooth, none porous material of acrylic is ideal for the purpose, do not use wood as clay will stick to it.

If you are going to do a lot of work with polymer clay, a most valuable tool is a pasta machine. Feeding the softened clay through the pasta machine ensures evenly rolled sheets of clay which can be used to create blends or to make canes (find out more about these techniques from the Fact File). The pasta machine makes light work of conditioning clay for detailed modelling.

A Sharp Blade

When working with canes and millefiori, it is very important to have a sharp knife with a fine blade so that you can make clean cuts without dragging the clay out of shape.

Adding Detail

Detailed modelling can be achieved with the point of a darning needle or a thin knitting needle. The needle can also be used to pierce the hole in beads (see how to make a simple polymer clay bead from our Fact File).

Do not use a sharp ended needle or pin as they will tear the clay rather than smooth and shape it.

Felt Beads made from Merino Wool Tops

2012-02-19T18:02:00.003Z

Felt beads or balls can be used for making jewellery, as embellishments for clothes and accessories, or for making simple toys such as our Caterpillar which you can see in the Fact File.

The trick to making a regularly shaped ball or bead is how you start it. I used a bowl of hot water with a good squirt of washing up liquid. Pull wisps of wool out from the top and loosely shape them in your hands. If you're trying to get the beads all the same size it is better to underestimate how much you need, as more can be felted onto the ball if necessary.

Cup the fibre ball in your hands (one hand on top and the other below) and briefly submerge into the soapy water.

Begin to rotate the ball loosely between your cupped palms and the ball of fibre will begin to shrink and tighten in the soap suds. If you work the fibres together too quickly, cracks may appear in the surface of the bead.

To repair irregularities, pull out a few wisps from the wool top and wrap them around the outside. Submerge in the soapy water, lift out, and begin rotating the bead between your palms until the new layer has felted over the original bead.

When you are happy with the shape and size of the bead, rinse it in hot water and roll it for about 30 seconds onto a dish cloth or, as in this case, onto a bamboo felting mat. This will help to compact the ball and harden the surface. Leave the beads to dry out before threading with a needle and stringing them together.

Merino wool tops and felting tools, such as the bamboo mat, can be ordered from the Felt Making section at http://www.georgeweil.com/.

Merino Wool and Silk Blended Top - FELTED

2012-02-15T14:18:00.003Z

You may remember our item about Felt Wrapped Soap and the lovely Merino wool and silk blend we used. Impatient as always, I decided to unwrap the soap before it had all been used.

After carefully cutting open the package at one end I found that the fibre had not felted quite as much as I had expected. As the package was still soapy, I rolled up a handful of carriers bags, pushed them inside the orifice and dampened it with hot water before working up a lather. More soap and hot water was added while I worked the piece into shape.

A felted vessel that started out as felt wrapped soap.

It didn't take too much effort for the fibres to felt together and tranform into this organic shaped vessel.

Here are examples of how the Merino wool and silk blend looks when flat felted. The highlights of white silk glisten against the subtle blend of tan through to dark brown.

A dense felt with highlights of silk

The Merino wool and silk blend top was spilt lengthways and loosely woven, over and under before felting in bubble wrap and a bamboo felting mat. It took a fair amount of elbow grease to achieve this dense felt but was well worth the effort.

The Merino wool and silk blend can be found on our website, as can a selection of Felt Making books and felt making tools, including the bamboo felting mat and bubble wrap.

Soya Beans

2012-02-14T13:09:00.001Z

If Jack had brought home Soya Beans, we're sure his mother would never have thrown them out of the window.

This magical bean is a valued source of protein and a healthier alternative to meat. It can lower cholesterol and blood pressure and aid weight loss. Classified as an oilseed rather than as a pulse, the bean can be used to produce oil, flour, and milk and is used extensively in the food industry.

Our customers value the soya bean for the very soft fibre that is produced from it. It has a delicate shine and a creamy yellow colour and is very similar to tussah silk - making it a silk for vegans.

It is usual for plant fibres, which are cellulose, to be dyed using fibre reactive dyes but as the soya bean is protein, acid dyes are used to produce the best colours.

Our photograph shows the fibre before and after it is spun. Yarns spun from soya bean give fabric a fluid drape, and the woven or knitted fabric is breathable and soft.

Another product derived from soy bean is soy wax. This wax can be used to make candles and gives a cleaner, longer lasting burn than paraffin wax.

The wax is also used for the dye technique Batik and as the wax has a lower melting point than traditional waxes, produces no fumes and can be washed out with hot water and soap, it is a safer choice for teaching in classrooms and workshops.

If either of these products interest you, they can be bought from the website at www.georgeweil.com: Soy Bean Fibre or Soy Wax

Light Reflective Yarn - Highlighting Lace

2012-02-08T12:34:00.006Z

photos: Ewan Mathers / Louise West

A response to our email asking for your opinions about printing a catalogue this year, gave us this very pleasant response from lace maker and jewellery maker, Louise West.

'I personally like to be able to hold the catalogue and browse through it. It is my first port of call if I want something.

The main problem with the website, is very often you have to know what something is called or know what you want before you look for it, you don't browse it the same as you do with the catalogue.

It was a typical example of the light reflective thread, I was looking through printed materials, not really looking for anything in particular but just browsing when I saw this and I didn't even know I wanted it, but ended up using it on an MA piece of work, which is currently in the Bowes Museum exhibition 'Study, Design and Create'. It was just what I needed but had never come across before, so I could not have searched on the website for it.'

The light reflective yarn is a 1mm wide PVC plastic strip coated with reflective material on both sides. It is strong enough to stitch with and can be used in both warp and weft. This interesting yarn which presents as a pale grey and reflects to a silver white, can be ironed with a cool iron and will shrink when a hot iron is applied. The shrinkage does not affect the reflective quality and can be used to create special weaving effects.

Louise also said about the yarn 'It was really good to use, and gave me the effect I wanted to highlight it, I knew it was being submitted to the Bowes for possible selection, and that the lighting in there was low level, so I needed something to catch peoples eye. (I had previously considered fibre optics but didnt want it to look like a Christmas tree!!) This fitted the bill but I think it needs careful use.'

We recommend a visit to Louise's website to see her other beautiful designs.

Hat Shapers formers for making felt hats

2012-02-05T13:45:00.001Z

Oval Dome Hat Shaper

Hat Shapers are designed for shaping and blocking felt hats. They are made from strong, recycled plastic and are lightweight and washable. The plastic is strong and durable enough to withstand the hot steam used to finish off the felt.

These hats were felted by Susan Litton and Monica Traub using Merino wool. Susan's hat has a hand-dyed silk hanky felted into the surface, and Monica's hat (which is made from undyed Merino wool) has woollen yarn felted into the surface.

We keep a selection of Hat Shaper hat shapes in stock and can order in any of the other Hat Shaper hat shapes you may require. Visit the Hat Shapers website to choose from their extensive range and contact us to find out how to order.

Our Fact File page Felted Hats with Hat Shapers includes instructions on how to get started by Wanda Tate