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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
MerBear OriginalsI was making a Bramblebear pattern recently and she advised to wash the mohair first in warm water (no soap) and hang to dry. There would be some shrinkage but it would stuff better. I did not do this but am curious about it. Has anyone tried this? I imagine it would make the mohair more flexible?
Just curious,
Marion
Matilda Huggington-beareWhen I have dyed my fabrics of course they end up getting rinsed out. Believe it or not I personally have found no difference.Other than the fact that the edges where cut were weaker. Horse's for course's in my book. Do it if you like it , don't if you don't like it. As a rule I dont.
:(If you suffer allegies I would advise a wash. Because the fabric has had a chemical spray. It's in order to keep the bugs away while in storage and container ships.
You'll wash now won't you?:)
Posts: 8,574we have had several discussions here re: this subject, and you might be able to pick up some of them by doing a search. I put my mohair, as soon as I get it in a sink of warm water and squirt hair conditioner all over it, squish it through, lightly rinse and hang to dry. It drys quickly, smells great, is fabulously soft and on really small pieces, mini legs etc., it turns quite easily. Not my idea, was taught this by a friend who learned from a pro.
I have left one or two pieces un-done to see what they were like, in the mini bear area pieces were much harder to turn. And I felt the mohair wasn't as lush, luxuerious etc.
You could try a small piece and see what you think, if you are unsure.
When we dye our own it shrinks, prob. because the water is so hot. I have been known to throw it in the dryer as well....the only adverse effect I found was an a wonderful piece from Intrercal that had a long length and a great finish, kind of like layered curls.....the layered curls went away. ( Hows that for saying I ruined it?) I think it is through trial and error that you learn what works for you and what doesn't.
I still do the hair conditioner- it really makes it nice.
Dilu
MerBear Originals"It's in order to keep the bugs away while in storage and container ships.
You'll wash now won't you"
aaack. yuck. ptooey.
I brought a couple of pieces to a friends this w/e to show her. I just recd them in the mail from Germany. After I put them back in the bag we found several maggots on her table. WE shook out everything else on the table, including the new towels she had just brought. I finally figured they must have been in the shopping bag I'd put the mohair in cause I'd stored the bags (empty) for awhile. We do have more flies than most people cause we keep some pigs, etc. I thoroughly shook out all the mohair when I got home and didn't find anymore but yuck - to think it cd be in my mohair!
I have all my mohair in a sealed container - maybe I'll spray it and close it up to kill anything that cd be in there.
yuck yuck yuck.
Marion
Kim-Bee BearsEWWWIE!!!! that is yucky!
Winneybears and FriendsI did not know they sprayed the mohair for shipping against bugs!
A lot of people have allergies and some bears are made for children.
Now, I really think ALL mohair should be washed...not necessarly in hot water but in soap and water ..then rinsed well.....Winney
Flying Fur StudiosGood to know Marion. I always get my mohair and start running my fingers through it right away. Maybe now I"ll look at it 1st.
YUCK!
Heather
Country BearsEeew, bugs:mad: It's getting colder over here as we approach Autumn and we've seen some LARGE/HUGE/EEEEENORMOUS spiders which I'm terrified of!!! HATE HATE HATE Sept for this reason!!!!! Don't mind anything else although not to keen on earwigs, do you get those???
Anyway, onto nicer things...........MOHAIR...............I have to be honest I don't ever wash it, it just gets stashed away, and for all I know could be getting eaten away as I speak!!:/ What can I protect it with, thinking of those Moths........
I always think of Dilu washing hers and conditioning it, but I never 'get round' to it , oh I'm so bad, no I just don't get time...........No I am bad, I was awake all night on Friday because I had missed the cut off for ordering my little son's school milk, he ALWAYS has milk at school, and I'd FORGOTTON - what a TERRIBLE mother!!! As it was I PLEADED on Monday and it was no problem and I wasn't the only one - Oooooh if I had known!!!!!!:rolleyes: they just ordered as if nothing was wrong!!! Scare mongerers!!!!!
I could spend less time here, but I NEED to socialise:lol:
Posts: 8,574If you spent less time here we wouldn't have the pleasure of your company....hmmmm....not a very good idea, I'm thinking
Glad the little guy got his milk 
Oh I remember those days.....hang in there
Posts: 8,574By the way, i have never had bugs in my mohair from Intercal. :D
Baird'sBearsI think mohair has to be stored for some time before it gets buggy.
First you need moths, then moths laying eggs, then eggs hatching into maggots, then maggots eating your mohair. They're not likely to touch the backing, fortunately.
Trust me--I'd never had a moth problem until we moved to Toronto, where the wretched critters ate a few of John's suits and winter scarves before I realized what was going on. Of course, being an American with a vintage 1970s wardrobe, I didn't own that much pure wool. Even a hint of polyester seems to discourage them, the little snobs!
Cedar keeps them away, as do bay leaves, which I use in bulk. I've also discovered that Febreeze kills them pretty efficiently (and offs whiteflies without hurting your plants).
Eileen
MerBear OriginalsI'm fairly sure the bugs were not in the mohair but had bred in the plastic bag that I used to bring the fur to my friends. I've never before noticed bugs in my mohair but I do think that I'll put a piece of cedar into my mohair stash to discourage them.
Marion
Pandy Potter BearsI'm all itchy now I've read this. My mohair got a 'mouldy' smell as I used to store it above a cellar. The building was really old and had no heating (it was a shop not my house!) so good idea to condition it.
In my day we used to have the milk for free. I think Margaret Thatcher stopped it. Clare you are a very bad mother.;) I confess my bad mother bit was last week. I knew about the harvest festival hampers in advance but still forgot and had to go rooting through the cupboard for tins of beans etc. Hardly like the ones being carried to school the next day! Are'nt teachers scarey now. I know a few and they are lovely, its just Amy must pass the vibes on about hers!
Nova Scotia,CanadaHey,I'm not scary (please insert one of those new dancing ,scary looking emoticons here) You should meet some of the parents
BEAR ME SHOOTKAI always wash mohair in a cold water with conditioner. It gives smoothes to the fur itself and a good smell. When I bought mohair last time it smelled not really "fresh". Probably it stored in a dark cool place.
Hugs, Julia
Baird'sBears
I wonder why it is, Shari, that the nice teachers always get stuck with the parents from hell, and the harridans get to bully the nice parents?
Eileen
Country BearsAmanda, I made a bear that looked like Margaret Thatcher!!! Seriously, she was one of my disasters I posted on the forum once,:lol: HONESTLY, whenever I say to people, they don't see it at first, then it's - 'Yeah..............':o and then they run off in fright!!!:lol::lol:
I still have her here, I've nick named her Lady Maggie and she keeps the other bears in order!!!
I'm sure Dilu might have suggested this in the first instance actually, but maybe in another forum, what a laugh, Dilu you're so funny, and thanks, I got away with the 'milk thing' by the skin of my teeth, (I begged loads!!):D Phew!!
Baird'sBears
I wanna see Maggie!
Eileen
Past Time BearsMe too, me too!!
Country Bears:lol: Honestly, you've seen her before!!! It was Dilu who started it but she is sooooooo right!!! I've had my PC rebuilt since I posted her photo before so I'll have to take another - watch this space!!!;)
