Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Burlison BearsIs Helmbold mohair just as good as Schulte mohair?
I was just looking at the small cuts of Helmbold mohair here at Intercal.
I love Schulte mohair which never sheds like other cheap mohairs I used when I first started making bears...and Schulte has such a very thick cotton backing...I almost never have to use fray check.
I'm getting bored with the selection of Schulte mohairs at other sites (since I can only use short pile for my minis...I need some good new colors in small cuts cause that's the only way I can afford to buy mohair. I thought the Helmbold pieces I saw looked pretty....but how do they compare to Schulte? Do you guys like Helmbold? Be honest. And keep in mind that I can only use 4mm-10mm pile for my miniatures.
-Eliza
Posts: 8,574Well, I'll wade in,
, I think Helmbold, is every bit as good and except for one style in 3" it is the only mohair I use. And this Hembold loyalty started long before I joined the other HA's. 
I have a 3" Schulte that does shed. So who's to say. 
Why don't you do yourself and your bank account a favor and just give the Helmbold a try-try one of the specials or even an end-of-bolt-piece and see what you think. You wont know otherwise, no matter how many of us reply to your posting. Give it a try and then let us know.
And you couldn't have a nicer company to deal with either, Johnna is a dear and will always go the extra mile on our orders.
dilu
Posts: 1,836I make mini's and biggies and I love what I've used from Hembold and Norton so far. I haven't tried Schulte yet. I bought the swatches...I just can't seem to pick one.
Maybe try something from the small cuts or bargain list and see what you think. Either way, if you're bored with colors, try buying white or cream in the brand you find you like the best and dye yourself. I just started doing it and I love the results so far. I should have tried it way earlier but I was afraid of the whole process. It's a total snap and gives you lots of options for colors.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Little Bear GuyHmmmm I think I hear Daphne coming to chime in on this one :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: . I have used both and I do like Schulte but not all of it. I use Hembold as well as Norton and I like both of them just as much, I make small bears and have never had to use fray check on them. Now remember some mohairs just naturally have a very loose backing, I have had problems with mohair fraying even on big bears.
I also agree, buy some white or cream and try dying it yourself, we do that all the time because we love the brighter wilder colours and you just can't find that colour selection in mohair. It's so much fun doing the dying and it's actually very easy to do.
I think you should try some of the end pieces or smaller cuts, they are a good price and you can get a few mini's out of some of those pieces.
big hugs
Shane
Kiprie BearsI use Schulte mohair ,Helmbold mohair and Norton mohair and love them all. 
Good luck on your first Helmbold !!
Eliza, how well a mohair works for you probably depends in large part what look you're after. I find some mohair lengths/densities/finishes/brands work better for certain bears, and other lengths/densities/finishes/brands work better for other bears. It all depends on the look I'm after.
I've used Helmbold, Norton, and Schulte of various types and have never had a problem with the mohair shedding on any of those mohairs. However, some types do have a tighter backweave than others, although I don't think that's necessarily related to the brand as much as the particular quality of mohair in question. The tightness of the weave has never been a problem for me with my work even when it's been on the looser size. I don't make ultra minis where a reliably tight, small weave is probably more important, but I have made quite a few bears in the 10" and under size which is fairly small, and I've not had to fray check all my edge pieces even on the looser weave mohairs. I do double stitch my seams since 2006 which adds some extra insurance, though.
bears by beesley TM:hug: You know, personaly I cannot see any difference between the two. We now order 99% of our mohair from Intercal (who I must add are the best prices, service and quality anywhere that we have found) and I see no difference.
Intercal is the best out there truly! (No they do not pay me to say that) I am saying this from my heart of hearts. I do wish they would bring in ultra suede and copic markers and then I would have everything in one shop! Anyhoo, there is no difference except that maybe Schulte is more highly thought of as a product. I have no idea why! Both Schulte and Helmbold rock as far as Garnet and I are concerned. I do not hesitate to use either. Don't think twice about a Helmbold product.
Hugs Louise
Burlison BearsThanks everyone!
I will have to get some small cut sizes of Helmbold now. I had seen such lovely colors that they have on the bargain pages and I was really wondering if they would be suitable for my miniatures. I like a longer pile on my miniatures than most. 4mm-10mm. I almost never use mini mohair. I like it either a fuzzy 4-5mm for my whimsicals or long and wispy for my traditionals.
I have some fray check that seems to work really well so I guess that won't be a problem. I just want to make sure all the fur will not come out. My first bear ever I used a mohair (from a certain company I will not name) and the fur came out in patches and left me with a bald patchy bear...and this was before I was into distressing my bears! 
And no it was not Schulte mohair or Helmbold or Norton. I've never used Helmbold or Norton, but am certainly willing to give it a try! And those prices can't be beat on the smaller cuts. I only need pieces that are at least 9x9. It doesn't even take that much for my whimsicals.
And as for dying...I do dye a lot of my fabrics for more non-traditional colors. But I'm also looking for more natural colors in the right pile length, which I don't have enough selection from where I normally shop. Whenever I try to dye mohair a natural color like brown or black it turns out to have either a reddish or purple shade! That's why I still have to buy colored mohairs from the experts! I want bears that look good and are the intended color I meant them to be!
Um, also I have a question for those of you who are good with math...feel like a dummy ...it's been too long since I converted inches into millimeters. I'm used to picking out fabrics by millimeters and Helmbold is all in inches. Can someone tell me what is the equivalents for 4mm? How about 6 or 7mm? Those are the pile lengths I most typically use.
Thanks a bunch!
-Eliza
Hi Eliza,
I use this online converter for lots of different measurements. http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm
It saves having to try to remember how to do the conversions. 
Laurie Lou BearsI too had the same problem as you Eliza when I made my first few bears.I bought some fur and as I stuffed the bear it came off in my hand so from then I have mostly used schulte as I like the quality of it.Helmbold is on my to do list when I get around to sending off for some samples from Intercal so let us know how you get on.I have used helmbold a few times and the backing is thinner than schulte on the ones I used but they still made up very nice bears.It is nice to have a good selection though to give you variety.
Laurie :hug:
Wild Thyme OriginalsI like 'em all! There have been a couple of times that I wasn't crazy about the finish of a particular mohair.... not a quality issue or anything, just wanted it fluffier, or a different color or something....
When you are dyeing or looking to play around with the finish of a mohair and you give it a nice bath in HOT water, the backing often shrinks a bit... sometimes up to a couple of inches in both directions for a fat quarter.... sometimes not at all... but it does seem to tighten up the weave of the backing quite a bit.
Now.... obviously, hot water can really change the hair quite a bit.... so DON'T do it unless you'd welcome the possibility of loosing some curl, or taking the "distress" out of the distressed fabrics..... But if you are looking to play around, or tighten up a more loosely woven backing you might want to try a nice hot water bath.
Kim Basta
Melbourne, AustraliaEliza I have used Helmbold, Schulte and Norton and find them equally as good as each other.
But like people, you find some good and some not so good in each of them ... the best way to find out is to try some for yourself ... what appeals to me, may not necessarily appeal to you.
Bargain pieces are definately the way to try out something new and as said before Johnna is a wonderful and helpful person.
Have Fun! :dance:
The raw material is all coming from the same source, it how the manufacture takes it and "puts" it all together that counts.
Things that will count when purchasing fabric is the quality & price,
the choice, and most importantly the service the shop offers you.
The name brand, well its like anything, do you buy a Chanel handbag or a Dior handbag,?
Lynette
Burlison BearsThanks Lynette!
Makes sense.
And um...as for the Chanel or Dior handbag...neither.
I carry a Mickey Mouse handbag... :redface:
-Eliza 
Posts: 3,540And um...as for the Chanel or Dior handbag...neither.
I carry a Mickey Mouse handbag... :redface:-Eliza ;)
A gal after my own heart!!
I've only been able to try just a little bit from Intercal and someone shoot me, because I cannot remember the name, I just remember it being a 300 and s/c :doh: Unfortunately for me, I quickly discovered my hands were allergic to the mohair (much like the synthetics), so I wasn't able to use any of it. But one of the best things I did, was buy samples of the mohairs available from Intercal. Then I scattered them out, basically closed my eyes and let my fingers do the walking. I made piles based on what my hands liked the feel of most of all.....and almost all of them ended up being the s/c finish! Not the easiest mohair for a 'beginner' to have, but I just love the curls!
I do have some Schulte that I've yet to tie into, but someone remind me.....is Norton still going? Or did it actually close? It was the english mohair mill, wasn't it?
