Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi,
When I wrote previously about suppliers not knowing the difference between sheep breeds and the put-up (roving, batt, sliver - SLY ver) it's the same as saying 'a horse won the Kentucky Derby. Tennessee Walking Horse? Morgan? Clydesdale? A huge difference in abilities, based on their physical features. So, NZ Wool means nothing.

Seeds still stuck in it? That's vm - vegetable matter: bits of straw/hay, feed, etc. Does the fiber smell clean? Does it feel clean? If not, I'd clean it again before use, as critters will be attracted to the dirt in it, eating through the fiber to get to the good stuff!

Great, reliable sources of fiber can be found everywhere. There is a huge number of very reliable flock owners that will supply great value, and you'll know exactly what breed the sheep are. The band extending 100s of miles each side of the US/Canadian border from BC/Washington to PEI/Maine, has more suppliers than you'll ever need. Google 'felting and or wool suppliers' and request a sample, which will tell you a wealth of info about how they treat their sheep & the fiber produced. Mention that you're a needle or 'dry' felter. Many still do not realize tghe specific ramifications of this as opposed to traditional wet felting and for spoinning & knitting but some will.

Please write off-list for needle prices, I carry the largest # of sizes/styles and have special pricing for fellow listees! Not sure it's allowed to self-promote so contact me privately.

This is prime shearing time Mar - June and it's the best time to get supplies from shepards! Some of my favorite fiber suppliers are as follows:

On using Roving: the fiber put-up I use is really batt. My NZ Romney kit wool comes from Wilde Yarns in Philadelphia. I don't have room to store inventory so I pass on the names of my sources, as I've found them all to be very reliable.

http://www.wildeyarns.com/history_of_wilde_yarns.htm
Click on Products>Yarns & Fibers>Carded Roving>Natural/Dyed

They also maintain an eBay store, which is handled by Rachel Fawley:
Rachel Fawley (RABF1012@aol.com)
Again, very fast shipping.
Yarns & wools batt available

http://stores.ebay.com/Wilde-Yarns_W0QQ … esstQQtZkm

~~~~~~

The following is from the online class:

Hi all - you have been working with NZ Romney wool in this class. It's
considered a medium grade fiber, neither very soft nor too coarse. But
being this 'size/grade' of fiber, it's next to impossible to make very
tiny creations or to make a totally smooth surface or one that shows no
needle marks. By the same token, using the finer wools & exotics, even
NFing these as firmly as possible, they'll never be a 'hard' as Romney
will get.

There are other choices and I'd like to share these with you. My Polar
Bear kits include a packet of Cormo wool, to give customers the
opportunity to experience another type of fiber that has proven how &
why certain fibers work better than others for particular places and
uses.

These are my 3 favorite fine fibers and the 3 shepherds I order from. Their
wool is very clean, and reasonably priced.
If I had to rate them in very detailed gradings, the 1st is 'thicker'
(a relative term for micron comparison amongst these 3).
Polworth is second and
Cormo has the smallest micron size. 
Cormo is also the one that can easily be
over-worked/over-needled so I'd advise you to try both or one of the
others first.

Merino x Rambouillet fiber (Ram - Bow - LAY)
Marr Haven Farms - MI
Barbara Marr
http://www.marrhaven.com/

Polworth Fiber
Linden Lane Farm - MI
Liz Cowdery
http://www.fibersofmichigan.com/

Cormo
Elizabeth Ferraro
Apple Rose Farm
Wrightstown, NJ
www.applerose.com
Cormo was the first fiber I found that had the fineness of merino, but shorter so more easily worked, with
so much crimp that it practically felts itself. In fact, you can felt
it simply by rubbing it between your fingers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a recent post from Elizabeth on a wool group list:

"I love Cormo batts or Cormo roving for felting either dry felting or wet
felting. I just returned from Felters' Fling in MA where I had classes
with Chad Hagen in Hat Making and Pat Spark in felting use roving the way she
water color paints. We learned many many new techniques in an exciting week".

Cormo roving does everything that Merino does, but is a shorter fiber, making it easier to work into miniature sculptures.  It is strong, soft, has excellent memory and makes great wall hangings, wearables etc.   It is also loved by hand spinners; being a 'fine' fiber - it's very soft & non-itchy against the skin.
Elizabeth raises Cormo Sheep and has her current shearing of Cormo fleeces as well as batts and roving for sale
on her site. You can also learn more about the sheep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All 3 of these ladies are excellent to work with, very caring &
sharing. If you contact them to try out their fibers, tell them Bobbie
sent you: I love supporting small, family, farm businesses!

Hope there aren't too many typos here. I've been away for a week and just had to click out this Reply before heading out for or appt with the tax accountant.

Bobbie

Thx Shelli, One would never believe that I've been de-stashing for about 5 years.... These were all different things that just sort of came together.  The pattern is one I developed for a 1.75" kit in vintage cashmere - Harrington - and challenged myself to do it in bristley mohair.
I love how her 'look' changes, from sweet Miss Spring to  "This is VERY serious work!' on her auction page.

B

WHEW! I can't believe it finally 'took'! This is my 2" Sweetie - Miss Spring!

And frustration takes all editing skills away too!!!!!!

Accckkkk - technology!! This !@#$%^&*() feature does not like me!!!

Let's try Miss Spring again...

Nope, it's not gonns play nice...

She's traveling to eBay tomorrw.

Bobbie

I wanna play!! I wanna play!!!

Bunnies aremultiplying like.. well, Rabbits, these days!

Here're my 2:
Miss Spring - all 2" of her.  And Debonare Hare, the model for one of my discontinued kits.

Hokey Smokes!! Your arm is going to be killing you - trying to thrust that many needles in at once!!!

Easy in the beginning with nice fluffy carded fiber; as it becomes denser, well, your arm is going to be killing you....

Bobbie

No fears, Matilda!!! Commercially processed wool is perfectly safe!! I was addressing those that 'grow' their own supplies, and someone's prior comment on using grease wool (raw, non-cleaned) just as it came from shearing.

Commercial wool has been carbonized and is 'almost' impervious to critter attraction. The few wools/yarns with lanolin left in, that is meant for moisture resistance, when creating garments fall within this. Most of the stuff that attracts bugs has been eliminated but if you use fiber like this, you'd want to occasionally protect it as you would an expensive sweater - wrapping in plastic and tucking into a freezer for a week or so will not hurt but rather help any article that you suspect might have been a moth attractant. This is more effective than storing in a cedar closet or using the naptha crystals.

The wool sold commercially as 'core' wool is great. It is formulated from a variety of breeds' fiber that are known for their ease of compacting and sold in batt form. It usually will needle faster than batt or roving. There is a vast variety of Cores available. It is a 'put-up' of fiber rather than a description of it's quality. 'Beast' wool also falls into this category. I personally wouldn't use that, as it's basically scrap fiber; full of just about everything that's gone through the mill. And some of what's on the floor.... It does needle "OK" but needles have been broken hitting some of the stuff included in it and it's sometimes hard to get some of the more uncooperative fibers to bind.

The only problem that I find with Core batt is that the breeds are unnamed. As I explained, I have hundreds of different breed samples here for inclusion in the new book; each having its own inherent qualities that make it a better or worse choice for NFing. I explain what they are and why. If you cannot find out which breeds are in the mix, it's impossible to identify ones that work best for your style of NFing: softly, medium, very firm. 

The type/breed of fiber will certainly make a difference, as some will certainly never felt firmly no matter how long you needle it. But you have to know the difference in this to be able to match the fiber with the project. That's half the battle won! Additionally, the style of construction (I named mine the Patch© method as opposed to the usually-taught Wrap style) and the number of hours spent needling will all add up to a successful end result.

One last point and a personal pet peeve: (and I'm probably preaching to the choir here....) I read every single NFing text on eBay and websites - the notion that this is an age-old process. Traditional felted fabric is rooted in the mists of time, but somehow that has become mixed up with NFing. The needles & commercial dry felting were certainly not available before the industrial revolution, and this is newer than that. They were developed about 50 years ago and only 2 decades ago put individually into the hands of spinners and wet felters, as an embellishing tool. 

Off my soapbox & back to work... Thx for asking!

Bobbie

And OH, Yes!!   Take a look at this!

Someone on another list pointed out that her 12 yo son exclaimed, while
watching The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit movie, that Mrs. Tottington's
ginger hair is NEEDLE FELTED! (Clever boy!!)

WE'VE HIT MAINSTREAM!!!!!!

http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/ … re_rabbit/
index_np.html

I saw a 'The Making of....' film short on Nick Parks' work and they showed a scene as this movie was being staged and filmed. Her 'wig' was about 4' across.
Now that took some time to needle!

Bobbie

>>>statements like 'long staple'.
>>> they are referring to the wool underneath?   
Long staple - fiber between 4/5" & 8"  in length.
The fiber in the undercoat gets Combed out and is drum carded for woolen purposes. The put-up can be batt, roving, sliver.

If it's shiny and rope-like, it's Top - Best for spinning. Not the best/easiest-to-work-with for NFing.
If it's fuzzy and matte looking, it's excellent for NFing. 

Suppliers: I kit with NZ Romney from Wilde Bros in Philadelphia. It's considered a medium grade wool, but gives excellent results for beginners as well as those with more experience. It will needle to rock hardness as well as soft; the degree of firmness should be governed by the end use of your work. 

Will it be a seasonal, decorative piece? Not on display for long or handled much? Then a rolled up and quickly needled piece with only a few needle sizes/styles fills the bill.

Want it to never change shape unless it falls in a fire ir the dog steals it? Use a fiber that's firmer and go through the range of 6 - 7 needle sizes/styles as I do.
Most of my work 2" - 3" and larger is Wilde fiber, with or w/o a final coating of the 3 wools listed at the bottom.. 
http://www.wildeyarns.com/history_of_wilde_yarns.htm
For quickest delivery of smaller amounts, 4 oz and up, use their eBay store
Seller ID: wildewools

We are so lucky here in the States; within a 100 mile band both above and below the border with our neighbor to the north, there is a high concentration of shepards & flocks of most known breeds. I've collected 300+ samples of fibers to be photographed & processed for the new book, to let ppl know that there's more easily available than just Merino and 'Wool'. 

Google is our friend!! Writing and asking for a small sample is an excellent way to find out about more breeds. It will also tell you much about how there sheep are handled - e.g., is there a lot of vm (vegetable matter) in the fiber from sheep that are un-coated or fed from above.
These are my 3 favorite fibers and the 3 shepherds I order from. Their
wool is clean and reasonably priced.
If I had to rate them in very detailed gradings, the 1st has larger/thicker micron count
(a relative term for comparison amongst these 3). 
Polworth is second and Cormo the finest.   
Cormo is also one that can easily be
over-worked/over-needled. Tell them Bobbie sent you!

Merino x Rambouillet fiber (RAM - bow - lay)
Marr Haven Farms - MI
Barbara Marr
http://www.marrhaven.com/
The 3x Intn'l award winner - Stalking - over there in my avatar is Marr Haven's. 
He's 2.50" long x 1.75" tall 
I could never have produced something so small with all of the detail it has without using a very fine micron size.

Polworth Fiber
Linden Lane Farm - MI
Liz Cowdery
http://www.fibersofmichigan.com/

Cormo
Elizabeth Ferraro
Apple Rose Farm
Wrightstown, NJ
www.applerose.com

Cormo was the first fiber I found that had the fineness of Merino, but
shorter and with so much crimp that it practically felts itself. In fact, you can felt
it simply by rubbing it between your fingers.

All 3 of these ladies are excellent to work with, very caring &
sharing. If you contact them to try out their fibers, tell them Bobbie
sent you: I love supporting small, family, farm businesses!

Bobbie

I realize that this is an old topic, but thought I'd jump in with what I've found.

Many of the more commonly found breeds/fleeces are what could be called double-coated (most have at least 3 types of fiber, but that's a whole other chapter...), a longer fiber and a shorter under-coat. 
Taking this from a spinner's viewpoint, the staple, or 'lock', will be pulled through a 'comb' to separate out the shorter fibers. What's left are the longer smoother fibers: the put-up is called Top. 
Don't be seduced by the shiny, lustrous ropes of fiber sold - many if not most suppliers are still not knowledgeable enough about NFing to be able to recommend which fiber NEEDLE felts better/best. What works for spinning & NFing isn't always best for us NFers.

Top spins and wet felts wonderfully but is "usually" not the best choice for NFing. If & when it felts, much more labor has gone into getting there. As NFing already doubles & triples the length of time spent over sewing, most ppl would avoid this extra time if they could.
 
Also, the end result of using Top does not look any different from carded fiber so the choice of time-spent is one of the largest differences. The other is that, due to the nature of the fiber, Top is smoother & slicker and takes longer to NF.

The shorter fibers pulled out in the combing process (though not all breeds need both combing & carding), and uniform length fleeces can go directly to carding.
http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/hand-carding.html
These partially align the fibers, leaving them in  a more random pattern within the mass. I've written chapters on this (for a new, comprehensive book) - why & how carded fibers NF better, but know that they come in contact with each other much quicker.  The put-up of carded fibers can be as roving, sliver (SLY ver) or batt,  which all work equally well for NFing.

The difference in the use of combed and carded fiber goes back to their original purposes: Combed makes Worsted ply (smooth, tight twist, little loft in the ply), Carded makes Woolen (fuzzier surface, less twist, loftier ply). An Italian suit that's hand/drape feels weightless & super thin compared to a soft, thick sweater: worsted vs. woolen.

All that being said, some breeds' fiber also practically felt themselves. They are usually the finest micron fiber breeds; simply over-handling them will felt them in your fingers.

I would not recommend polyfil for just what Judi said - slick, spongey and not a solid core. If you're making a seasonal decorative piece that will not be handled much and on disp[lay for short periods, then you could use it, though I appreciate the integrity of all wool. 

I also highly recommend against using raw fiber, core or covering. The moths will get to it, chewing through the fiber to get to the 'dirt' they love.

Bobbie

Another thought, Amelia, on your front seam sts showing through on the front: have you considered the direction of the nap? It looks as if it's running straight on the grain but it's difficult to tell...
The few horizontal sts that I can see (or what looks like thread sts) in the upper chest area suggest to me sts that aren't pulled snugly and sts that aren't placed close enough together.  I used tohave time to take part in round robin, shared  swaps  and challenges. I was appalled at the great galloping sts that some of the best bearmakers use. And 2 of our best known kit designers take fast - quick & dirty - sts to sew up the 1 model of the kit that they need for the kit's outside cover.
It was drilled into me ad infinitum, ad nauseum, by my Mom & GrM: "It's GOT to look as good on the inside as it does on the outside."

Some bear makers advise stitching into every one of the little squares of the backing grid. That's too many - it'll cause some areas to actually flare out like the stretched edges of crepe paper ribbon. But sts should never cross over more than about 2 of the squares, as the skipped one will be picked up in the next half of the backstitch. Mine were pretty consistently 20 sts per inch. Even on the skimpiest nap they didn't show. But they all must be smoothly and constantly pulled snug, after each half of the backst.

By sealing the edges of fabric with Aleene's Stop Fraying (NOT Fray Check!!!) or OK To Wash It, blotting & allowing to dry before cutting out, I stitched right at the edge and never had a seam pop. I stuff hard too.

Bobbie

>>>>>>best luck with quilting thread

Quilting thread is cotton, and it does deteriorate over time.. :o(  So does silk. 

Mettler's Metrosene Plus is about the strongest, thinnest thread - all polyester. It used to be Swiss-made. The spools were so shiny (a very tight twist!) they glowed like silk! But now it's made in Germany and the quality has suffered. It's fuzzier, which means it's more like to abrade and break. 

Next choice it terms of tight twist/more resistance is Guttermann, which was a bit fuzzier and originated in Germany but is now from Mexico. Can you see a trend here? Each time it goes to a cheaper labor market, the quality suffers. 

The smoother the surface, the easier the thread slides through the fabric, the less breakage. Mettler's will hardly even form that bend at the needle's eye, where it always frays out on all-purpose thread, especially the cotton-covered polyester core type. Minis made with 20 sts per inch need a very fray resistant thread.

Google Mettler's and buy it on eBay (I had over 400 spools at one point) and inquire if the spool says Swiss-made or Made in Germany.

Bobbie

>>>I have noticed a few people on Ebay say their TRADEMARK look...

Exactly, Lisa - TY! What they mean to infer is a 'Signature' look.

I'd be interested in seeing your country's slant on ™, ® and ©. I too am writing an article on the US law as it applies to the work we do.

A quick reference:
© (Copyright) is automatic protection on anything once it's in 'print' form: your beginning sketches to a completed written set of instructions. On paper is the key to its application. You can file for official status for $30, but it must be on each product (i.e., each kit your design) for a legal back-up.

™ (Trademark) means an application has been filed with the USPTO (Patent & Trademark Office), is not to be used until a Serial # has been assigned and keeps that designation until it becomes Registered... or becomes Dead. Which is the opposite of a 'Live' (current) application. It is used to identify a company name.

® (Registered) is the official seal of approval, given by the PTO after the process of TM examination by the PTO determines that this is a registerable name for a company. Sole proprietor through Fortune 500 - they all go through the same process.

A Patent is approval for a 'Process' for creating something: a composition of materials for a nose, Lisa's application of oils and sealers for her masterpiece series of bear bodies, etc.   

Many more ramifications, but that's the gist.

Bobbie

Do any of you remember Lisa Vollrath - a bearmaker in the SW in the 80s? I would see her at the Jenks/Tulsa show.

She's branched out from that - a very arsty gal. I subscribe to her monthly N/L and she's given permission to forward today's links to friends. What caught my eye was her book on ATC - on sale.

--------------------------------------
What's New at Ten Two Studios
--------------------------------------
My former publisher made some shipping errors over the holidays---and
as a result, I have WAY too many books on my shelves. To make room
for the new books currently on the drawing board, I've marked down
the prices of these titles:
http://www.lisavollrath.com/pages/60

Berta Hesen-Minten has also been nonimated and won a TOBY Industry's Choice award in the new category of special category for Needle Felting.

Berta! Post your tiny Teddy's picture!!!!

I'm very new here and the thing that most impresses me is the level of organization! 

I'm on over 100 yahoo lists (moderate/own 2 and co- on 2 others, a sort of She Who Must Be Obeyed to keep them on bearmaking and not chat). OK, call me a dilitente.....  This list mixes both but scrolling through is quick & easy.

Topics are sub-headed under Index and broken down further from there. 

It becomes so easy to find the latest posts - because they're at the top of the listings and not the bottom - and go to any subjects one is interested in from there.

I'm so glad I found you!
Bobbie

I once ran a Messiest Workroom Contest (and I sure hope none of the ppl that saw the images is on this list...) because I'd be embarrassed to tell you who won. 
I think it was the person who torqued her new knee today trying to get to the mailing Customs labels.....
Unsigned

Isn't there anyone here as old as I am??!!

In the 50s & 60s we made dresses with spaghetti straps, which are just longer mouse tails!

As in making cording or piping, they are literally sewn over a string.

Cut out your tail fabric.
Lay right-side up.
Tie a 'wadded up' knot in a single length of heavy duty upholstery thread like Conso or Mastex, near one end.
Lay the thread down the center of the tail fabric, knot hanging out beyond the fabric..
Fold one narrow end over as if to sew - make sure the knot is still sticking out the end.

Hand or machine sew the 1 - 3 sts it takes to close the tip of a mini's tail.
Turn the corner and stitch the long seam down about an inch.
Keep a narrow seam allowance so you don't have a lot of fabric to pull into the tail's interior.
Dampen your thumb & fingertips for friction and hold the sewn inch between them.

With your other hand, Gently...gently... begin to draw the knot inside the 'tube'.
Continue sewing the long/side seam - don't catch the thread inside!! - while pulling through after every inch or so.

By the time you reach the base of the tail, the tip is right there ready to be pulled out!

Cut off the thread at the tip; the knot will stay inside the tip.
Insert a chenille stem or floral wire (end doubled & taped to keep smooth) for posability.

Your turning tool is literally the thickness of a thread!!!

This is an excellent way to turn other long narrow ears like bunnies'.
After sewing one side seam to the tip, insert knotted thread at the tip.
After sewing a little way down away from the tip, begin to invert.

IF the thread should pull out, it teaches you:
1 - to make a bigger knot next time!, and
2 - that you can re-knot the thread and re-insert it through the tip and into the tube with a doll needle.

It takes a certain amount of dexterity to work with a stick, a needle, fabric and the ladder st, which still gives some ppl a lot of trouble. This is much easier!

Bobbie

I'd enjoy almost everything in our Lounge (Brit for 'living room', which knocks it down a peg or 2...)    but,  where's the massage bench?

Bobbie

Do any of you remember Lisa Vollrath from the Southwest a decade ago? Google her: she's involved in almost every art form there is. I mostly followed AB - Altered Books - because a miniaturist-loving GrDau & I like to create them, but Lisa has ties to ATC, AD - Altered Dominoes (Exquisite little palettes these make!) and so many more things. She is so giving - there are links on her sites to so very many different art media formats. Check her out!
Bobbie