Tuesday, June 5, 2007
How Do I Tell if Roving has Felted?
Forgive me, I'm not a spinner and I've dyed some Roving today - I'm pleased with the colours but not sure how I tell if it's felted slightly. Most of the way through the lengths I can see the vertical fibres are vertical but at the ends it's more difficult. It doesn't feel matted and in the washing water it all fluffed out. How would I know if it's fellted then? I want it to be good stuff for my partner!!
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4 comments:
Try holding the roving in one hand, about six inches from the end, then pull some fibers out of the end with the other hand. If the fibers come apart easily, then you haven't felted it. If they "stick" together and make a tearing sound when you pull the bits out on the end, then you've probably felted it.
What kind of wool is it?
Hello I've done what you suggested and on some lengths the fibres come off really easily and others not so easily. The problem seems to be only at the last inch or so - further up the length everything is fine. If I cut the bad inch off will the lengths still be OK for spinning? It's good quality BFL by the way.
I would say don't cut off the ends, just tug them off. If you cut them, you'll end up with short bits of fiber, which won't spin up well into an even yarn. Just tug the end till it comes off :-)
BFL shouldn't felt that easily, but you're right, you can just pull off the felted ends. Maybe during the dyeing process you mucked with the ends more than the rest. Tug them off and pretend like you meant to do it ;-)
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