Sunday, February 23, 2014

Working with Wool ~

I love 
W O O L

I love the way it looks, feels 
...and yes
the way it even smells ~

'1863 sheep' ©Notforgotten Farm

I love my sheep, and the gentle manner they have.
...not to mention that they gift me with plenty of ~
W O O L


 our gentle ram, Bobby ~ (baaaa-bee…get it?)

I have worked with wool
in it's many forms
for many years ~

I hook with it
I appliqué with it
I felt it….


some of my wools and their snippets in glass jars

I dye it
rip & strip it
and collect every last scrap of it ~




I don't usually work with worsted wool ~
(wool that has been dyed & spun into yarn)
unless I'm doing needlepoint or crewel embroidery….


so pretty

We carry the complete line of Waverly Woolen yarn in the shop ~
a mesmerizing rainbow of colors that I never even knew existed.

the yarns are 3-ply and come in 55 inch lengths…







my binder of wool yarn sampler with their corresponding color charting numbers

Always looking for something new to try or do,
my thoughts turned to what I was doing at the moment, 
which was needle punching…

 so While Joan & I were in the shop yesterday,
I did this:


I separated the 3 ply yarn into one strand and threaded my medium Cameo needle with it….

 I was a bit worried that it would be too bulky for my needle, 
but I went ahead and threaded it.


Below is a closeup of what the yarn looks like vs. 6 strands of DMC cotton floss:


looks a lot bigger than the floss
BUT it really isn't!   it's just fluffier :)

 So I plunged my needle down into my weavers cloth ~
I already had been working on my Hookinpunch© frame 
...and had some designs already drawn up on my cloth.

I started punching a little red house with the wool yarn!!


this is the back ~ see how the fluffier wool yarn bulks up quickly and fills in nicely?
I think I might be loving this….


 Here is a rabbit I punched with 6 strands of DMC cotton floss:
the rabbit was punched on the #1 setting on my medium needle,
 his tail was punched on the #6 setting for dimension….

he looks a little 'skimpy'
meaning, the DMC isn't quite 'filling' up the motif ~
But then again, this is what I am used to…


bunny boy


 and below is the little red house punched using one ply of the wool yarn, 
set on the #2 setting on my medium punch needle ~

a lot 'bulkier' and less 'sheen' than the DMC floss….
and I think it resembles a miniature hooked wool rug better than the floss!
(although I will continue use floss in my work, but now I will use that wool yarn too!)


little red house


we calculated this:
Wool Yarn: 1 ply @ 110 inches = 1 square inch covered area
DMC Floss: 6 strands @ 175 inches = 1 square inch covered area

We sell the Wool yarn for .50 cents = (3 ply) x 55" length.
and since the Wool yarn 'fulls' nicely on the front of the project side, 
...it really is a good amount of coverage for the money (for wool that is ~)


back of 1x1 sq. inch punched on #2 setting using 6 strands of DMC floss


front of same above


back of 1x1 sq. inch punched on #2 setting using 1 ply Wool yarn


front of same above


...can you tell I'm a little excited?
yeah, I know ~
it's those 'little things', right?
LOL


my Hookinpunch© Frame all set up for me ~


and did I mention that my hubby is a genius?
(thank you Peter for designing this awesome frame for me (us!)

If you are one of our customers that pre-ordered one of our
Hookinpunch© Adjustable Frames, they are beginning to ship 
(in the order that they were purchased)
YAY!!!!
{{The recent storms have slowed us up a bit here, 
so please know we are working hard everyday to get yours to you asap :)}}
** ~ thanks in advance for your patience my Friends ~ **


now ~ back to work!

So tell me ~
have any of you tried needle punching with wool yarn?
(since it's new for me, I'd love to hear your experience with this, if any)
I'm not talking about wool floss (such as Gentle Art), 
nor am I referring to Valdani or any other perle cotton or worsted cotton..

I would love to know your thoughts about this and if you would be interested in 
using beautiful, 100% Wool yarn in your punching projects?

should i design some new punch needle patterns that call for/use this Wool yarn instead of cotton floss?

...would you like me to offer kits for my punch needle designs using this Wool yarn?
OR
how about another club?
this one would be exclusive to punch needle only…hmmmm?


have you any wool (yarn?)

Lots of things to think about here ~
please do let me hear from you…
I value your opinions and thoughts, 
and as a needlewoman/designer I know I just can't get enough input!!!

Happy Sunday my Friends ~ thanks for visiting &...

* Blessed be * 
Lori

29 comments:

Joni of Fully Wooly Primitives said...

Hi Lori, I have been using my own hand dyed wool for years now doing punch needle. I import the undyed wool from France and dye it myself..It is the size of the cotton floss..you are right it looks like a miniature hooked rug and that is probably why I like it so much..

kaniki's said...

Awesome!!! I had been eyeballing wool yarn while doing searches for different techniques used for both punching and hooking.. And Finally- you cover this in yet another use- and for doing punch- which I love to do....

Thanks for sharing!!!!
Blessings
Niki

Tina McFadden said...

Lori, that is an awesome idea! I would love to try using the wool. Having it in a kit form would be a wonderful way to try it. Tina

Simply Quaint said...

I have never used the yarn but sure like how it fills in more....would you consider selling on etsy? I notice you dont have any listed....love what you have come up with.....love your stitching station too.....still saving up the funds for the hooking frame, bug dental bill tomorrow, urgh...hopefully soon.....will Peter be making them for awhile?

Blessings
Rhonda

1890* said...

Oh oh YES!
C*L*U*B PLEASE!!
K*I*T*S TOO!
& Of course NEW PATTERNS!
XO Misi

Val Reaves said...

Don't you just love where our creative curiosity leads us? I love your woolly discovery! Thank you for sharing all your information...such generosity! The effect is just charming!
Thanks again,
Val in Kansas

WoolenSails said...

I interchange wool with my floss, fun for sheep and animals. I think any design you do in wool can be done as is or with floss, and that way rug punches can use it too.

Debbie

Susan said...

Yes, puh-leeease. Especially kits and yarn.

Jean Bee said...

Do you sell the "raw wool"? I have some in baskets that was shorn and then sold that way. Makes for a very prim vignette.

NMK said...

Love the look of the yarn when punched ! Yes....a kit would be great way to try it !!! You are just so darn clever !!!!

Priscilla said...

I'm so excited to read this today..just started with needlepunch and really like it alot and have been thinking about using wool yard to do larger designs like rug size. Love your site...new follower.

lms said...

I love the way you get so excited....I think I would also love the wool punch....I need a threader for my punch needle....when I pulled it out a few weeks ago...i realized my threader was not in there...it has been lost.....do you sell any of these....thanks...

Maria said...

I absolutely love the way it looks. It would be great if you prepared a kit for all of us wanting to try the wool. That way we would know whether we want to jump in and buy lots of it! :) Maria

Colleen said...

I love the fullness of the wool. It would make splendid fall patterns in rich autumnal tones -- designed by you of course. I've been thinking of trying punching, and this might just put me "over the edge" so to speak. Thanks for sharing your great ideas.
Colleen

Anonymous said...

Would love to be able to buy wool yarn for your existing punchneedle patterns. "Wool EWE be mine" would be a great one to start with...I bought your pattern and these wools would sooo compliment it !

janeks said...

The colors of the wool yarns are so wonderful. Thanks for the pic. I am a wool appliquer. Guess that is not a real word. :-)

Donna Munson said...

Hi Lori...I share your exuberance for punching with wool yarns. I am a vendor in the Round Top TX/Hodges Farm Antiques shows and I sell my punch needle designs at a few of the locations. I buy my wool yarns from women in the show with me, who use the wool from TX sheep and spin the yarn by hand for me. What beautiful colors I get to use for my creations!

Unknown said...

It sounds like something I would like to try...the only problem I see is having to buy it on line if you need more, where with floss you can just run to the craft store...would the patterns have the cross reference for dmc floss as well as the yarn?
XXOO
Martha

acorn hollow said...

I am just learning to punch needle with floss I for some reason am having a hard time getting in the rhythm of it I will go along for awhile and then I lose my loop. I like the look of the punched wool
Cathy

must love junk said...

I love the little red house! And the pics of your sheep are so cute! (Oh, and love your fun green table :)
Susan

jennifer768 said...

I love the colors of the wool yarn.I have used wool yarn in my punch needle and love the look of it.Blessings,Jen

Ronda said...

Love the wool yarn punching Lori! I have experimented before, love your selection of Waverly yarns..

susan hemann said...

I love to work with wool! Learning to spin right now. I have been nervous to try punch needle, not sure why, but would love to try it in wool!

eileen said...

Something new to try! Punch Needle club with kits... Oh, yes!

Trace4J said...

What a wonderful post.
I love wool.
I mean love.
I love your Bobby too.
And your dear little red house.
Woolie Blessings

Kimberly said...

I love working with wool too. I like how it looks with needlepunch too, FUN! New patterns are always a blessing :) Enjoy Your Day! ~My Best, Kimberly

barb said...

Yes, yes and yes. I would love to see some patterns, kits or whatever and try the wool yarn. I did not know that Waverly made wool yarn. Would there be a color card to choose from for a nominal fee? I don't know how you come up with all of these great ideas, but keep them coming. You are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you.

jerilanders said...

I like the look of the wool, but have only used floss thus far for the punch needle. However, I have a lot of yarn I could put to use in this manner and may give it a try. Then, I may have a better opinion to offer. The colors hanging there in your shop are simply gorgeous to look at, probably even nicer to touch!

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