I always admire these neighboring fields with sheep grazing, scattered like cottony clouds every time I look through the window.
It was blustery this morning as I walked past it. My eyes caught on a soft white strand stuck on the wire fence, fluttering gently in the breeze, almost glowing against the weathered grass and metal.
Without thinking, I reached out and picked it up and realized that it was sheep wool, snagging as they brushed past.
Then I realized there are plenty of them!
So, I thought of creating something out of it. It caught my interest in playing with raw wool, which I had not tried before!
I picked a few to play with, though I didn’t know if it would work.
I was home and checked it. I knew I had to work to get it nice, and it would be a bit of a process.
Knowing that raw wool has lanolin (natural oil), dirt, and plant matter, it needs to be washed carefully but gently without damaging the wool.
I soaked them in hot water with a little detergent for at least 20 minutes. I repeated it three times as they had lots of debris in them. I rinsed it with plain hot water a few times.
Being inexperienced, I must have overdone it as some of the wool shrunk and felted. I was a little disappointed, but I thought I would know better next time.
Upon checking, some of them were still okay, and I tried picking those pieces and carding them manually by pulling them apart
And fluffing them up.
Oops! This kitty loves wool, rubbing his nose on them.
I managed to collect a few and thinned them out to my desired thickness for spinning.
I manually spun the yarn using my traditional cordage technique, and surprisingly it worked so well.
The good thing about the wool is that they stick together; they have tiny overlapping scales. When the scales catch, they lock together, making it easier to add length to the yarn.
I also found that the thin area could be patched with extra fibers to even up the thickness.
I was really enjoying experimenting with them; they are an amazing material to work with.
I managed to spin 2 meters of yarn.
I tidied up the protruding fleecy bits.
I like how it looks, it is soft and delicate but strong!
Now, what to make?
I want something that shows the twists and the soft beauty of the wool.
I decided on a bracelet. The yarn was thick for crochet, and I would not have enough length, so I used macramé.
I used square knots and added pink beads to pair with the soft wool.
I left a hoop on one end and added a big pink pearl on the other end as a lock.
I was pleased with the result.
(Hello, sheep!) appreciating and admiring these sheep even more!
It is amazing how we can create something we thought was useless. This experience has inspired me to keep exploring what I can make with natural materials.
And I think owning a wooly pet sheep in the future would be a lovely idea! :)
Domesticated sheep, especially those bred for wool like Merino sheep, need to have their wool trimmed through a process called shearing. If not trimmed, their wool will continue to grow indefinitely, leading to health problems such as overheating. It is a great idea to repurpose wool for sustainable, eco-friendly resources.
Happy needleworking Monday, everyone.
Mariah 💗😊
