Friday, August 3, 2012

Baa Baa Black Sheep.... 小黑呀 小黑....

" Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full ........" 
This lullaby I used to sing with my girl by the bedside.  She loves it.   .
These are just shorn wool from Bordeleria sheep in Dominio Vale do Mondego where I learnt the wool felt in June.  The sheep herd are the best to make the sheep cheese.  Their wool are also best for felting.
Instructor Nicola Brown was opening the fleece for our choice to make a rug. 
Before doing the rug I felted a flat sheet for eco print but not very bold with the local chestnut and oak leaves.  Only patches of light brown.
When I back from the trip I tried again with some eucalyptus leaves.
After steamed the bundle for 45-min.
Two different sorts of euc leaves are seen.  Red are of eucalyptus cinerea. 
I call this " Dating sheep  in the poppies field".
Compare before and after.
Fluffy look of the dark sheep
Have also done again another piece with onion shell.
Wool gets fast color with onion shell. Firm and bright.
Experimentation of two pieces.  What to do with them?
Mogi finds it comfortable.  "It's my territory".
Having a sweet dream......
"Huummm... I'm sweet.. "
My good memory of the great workshop in Faia Dominio Vale do Mondego!
This is the rug I made with half the sheep fleece.  Since I can't handle the whole big piece I just used the lower part of the body. It's wonderful to know the skills of making a rug with raw fleece.  In this way only shorn fleece are used.  That means a sheep's life can provide a few more pieces of rug fleece.  Far more friendly just to kill a sheep to get only one skin.
My classmate Heather's rug is gorgeous.  She's mighty.  See how she made it Part 1, Part 2.

 Thanks for stopping by.

10 comments:

  1. Hi Terri, and thanks for dropping by my blog. i dropped into a felting workshop today and they were making panels for felted dresses. I immediately thought of some of the beautiful work that you do. i will be attending another one next month where we will be taught to use eucalyptus leaves for dyeing and I am looking forward to playing! I love the colours the onions give, and your cat obviously loves them too. :-) Julie
    Julie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well done - although it's certainly a waste of that lovely pattern to have it covered by a dozing cat, however enchanting the cat may be!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks like you need to make Mogi a pillow to curl up on. Sweet black sheep and I agree, the onion skin colors are quite nice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the effect you got from the 2nd dyeing with the euc leaves.. it makes a perfect poppy field for your sheep, with the long leaves becoming distant trees.. Better on your wall than under lovely Mogi :)
    Gorgeous shaggy rugs too!
    x

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like the fluffy texture of the sheep, and apparently so does Mogi! The rugs are a fun accessory, too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Terriea--I love how you will re-work a piece until you are satisfied and adore your 'Portuguese sheep in love' wallhanging!
    The onion and eucalyptus dyeing made SUCH a difference in the overall appearance of your finished felt. It's so much richer
    and more interesting post-dyeing.
    Could you stitch them into a tote bag? I made a disastrous top recently that I knew I would never wear, so I shrunk it waaaay down in the washer and dryer, and now I'm going to stitch it up with another WIP for use as a purse (what else?) Giggle XXO-

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wool felting is such a good process and versatile with the outcome. If not satisfied we can make us of it to fit other purpose. The nuno felt top I made in Portugal is too big. Will repropose it. Your idea of stitching on a tote bag of the flat sheet is great. Expecting to see how you modify your failed top to something. Love & hugs.

      Delete
  7. These came out very nice... I really like your two little black sheep. The rugs look perfect for curling up next to a warm fire or relaxing, stretched out to read a book! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you all for your sweet comments. Wool felt and eco print are great fun.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I laugh when I see Mogg for I think to myself Terrie will make her rug and Mogi will be her tester to see if it is okay for in the house. Looks like you have his seal of approval and now you will have to make another for yourself because he seems to have claimed it for his own. Sweet kitty. You sheep picture is good, looks like they are in a meadow.
    (((HUGS))) Susanne :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...