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Whether you are a dying pro or
colour-lusting newbie, Landscape dyes are great!
If you haven't tried much dying before we have dye starter
kits with
everything you need except the pot! For dyers who know what they want,
we stock the complete range of
100gm dyes in both
the Landcape and the
Elements range. Also check out the tips and tricks page for handy hints
and interesting techniques.
You will find natural yarns from almost all the yarns we stock -
including those wonderful
fancy yarns! They are all natural or bleached white, perfect for
hand-dying to create your own one-off pieces and also for
the soft
neutral look.
These yarns are available for a Bulk Discount.
We have been stockists of Ashford products for nearly 20 years and
have always regarded them to be of the highest quality. Ashford
equipment includes spinning wheels, looms, felting equipment and much
more!
Rainbow
Wools
Colour
is magic! Rainbow Wools encompasses a wide range of textile materials,
with fascination for colour
and the tactile sensations of working with yarns made from natural
fibres.
What's New ...
14th October, 2008
Felting How-to - Felt Balls for
kids, pets and all!
These felt balls are fun to make, and a
great present coming up to Christmas.
What you need -
- A few colours of tops (either 30micron Corriedale or 20micron Merino are good but it's best not
to mix them - 50gms will make a couple of balls, depending on how many
layers, or how thick you make the felt)
- a tennis ball
- a bucket with warm water
- a kettle
- detergent (dish washing is fine)
optional
- a large bell
- a sharp retractable knife
Step 1
Take a handful each of two or three colours of tops. Mix the
colours together by gently pulling them apart and teasing them together
Step 2
Mix some of the detergent in the bucket
with warm water. Take your dry, mixed fibre and gently dip it into the
water. Take it out and gently squeeze some of the water out. Wrap the
fibre around the tennis ball until you can't see anymore of the ball.
You can add extra fibre to cover any bare patches.
Step 3
Cup the ball in your hands and gently roll the ball. This is the
felting process - it will start quickly but can take up to 15mins of
rolling to finish it.
You may need to add more fibre to cover bare patches, or you may wish
to build up the colours or make the ball bigger. Be sure to add the
fibre before the felting process has gone too far or the fibre will
have difficulty bonding. Every few minutes you can poor boiled water
over the ball and add a drop of detergent to the ball to help felting.
Just keep playing until you have what you want.
If you want to add more to your ball, very carefully cut a slot into
the tennis ball (be very, very careful, as it is quite tough and can
slip!) and insert a bell, before felting
4th July, 2008.
We love handmaking!
Isn't it wonderful when you can wear a jumper that has been lovingly
hand-made or walk on a rug that has been hand woven? These are the
little treasures of day to day living that we feel a little glow from.
The Arts and Crafts Movement in the late 19th and early 20th century
renewed the appreciation for hand crafted everyday objects. In the 21th
century, we can take advantage of modern technology as it compliments
and enhances still held values of handcrafts. If we like dying,
weaving, (the above images of Pebbles in Popcorn,
and weaving a rug
with Rug Wool), knitting, crochet, felting
and more, we can call on
innovations in yarn making and equipment so we can immediately be
enraptured in our own passions!
26th April, 2008.
To market to market!
As some of you might have seen, we have begun Winter by taking our
treasures to the Old Bus Depot Markets in Canberra. Since our temporary
relocation, we decided that we've been too long indoors and it's time
to get out!
We had a splendid day in Robertson last weekend at the annual Black and
Coloured Sheep Breeders' Day. So many friendly faces - some familiar,
some new, but all enjoying the wonderful day!
We are looking forward to the Tallong Apple Day next weekend, and then
we will have a permanent stand every Sunday at the Old Bus Depot
Markets.
Hope to see you there!
--Carol and Mel
