Caring for your Fibre

 

When you buy fibre from me at Sara's Texture Crafts you will receive it in a sealed plastic bag inside the main packaging. This is so that I can secure your fibre from any atmospheric damage while on route; whether it is UK weather (heat, rain or snow), or if you buy from overseas, the in-flight condensation in the airplane's hull. I will also carefully fold the fibres into balls, or coils so as to preserve roving forms during transport.

 

When you receive your fibre, here are some tips for storage and aftercare that may help you make the most of your crafts.

 

In raw fibre, yarn or finished garment form animal and plant fibres can be very delicate products to look after. Here are some of my top tips for looking after your fibre;

 

Fibre/rovings/tops/felt form

·       Store away from direct sunlight, as colours will bleach.

·       Store in paper bagging if you intend to hold your fibre for some time, especially animal fibres. The paper will allow the fibre to breathe. It is also a good idea if you do intend to store for a length of time to leave some of the natural lanoline on the fibre, so consider buying fleece form as well as fully mill finished rovings. Otherwise when you return your fibre maybe too dry and brittle to use. It is important to mention that you can hold fibre in plastic bags, but do make sure to pop a few holes in it or to fold over the top without sealing as air tight. Sealing plastic bags can cause 'sweating' in warmer conditions, which could destroy your fibres.

·       Separate your fibres. It is always worth keeping different fibres in different containers, for example don't keep angora next to your Merino. When you come back to the bag you will find that the fine Angora has shed itself allover your neat balls of Merino fibre, making them impossible to defluff.

·       Think about the form you bought your fibre in when storing. Fibre in batt form is very delicate so should be stored carefully, flat or lightly folded. Rovings and tops can be easily rolled into light ball shapes and fabric felt should be stored flat to avoid creasing which may affect your work.

·       Store away from Moths and in a cool temperature.

·       Wash gently by hand in luke warm water, but do not agitate the fibres to avoid felting.

·       Avoid washing fibres with acidic based soaps and detergents, these will strip colours to varying degrees and are particularly noticeable on stronger, darker colours. Always use the mildest of detergents and soaps.

·       Dry flat and ideally on a drying rack, to allow air to circulate and dry the fibres evenly.

 

These tips should keep your fibre looking and feeling good for a longer period of time, before and after you come to spin or felt with it.

 

Yarn
Most of the above will apply to animal and plant fibres in yarn form too, so do think about your final projects and how they maybe effected, especially if you intend to sell them. I would also suggest;

·       Skeining or winding your yarn into balls. This will avoid tangling and breaking the most delicate spun yarn gauges while you start to knit/crochet or weave.

·       If you do intend to skein your yarn, don't over pull it and be careful to loosely tie the yarn in four places. This will avoid tangling.

 

Cared for wool yarn is a joy to work with and can be kept for a number of years in yarn form if stored correctly.

 

Garments and other 'washable' accessories
Again most of the above principles apply here too, washing on cool washes (ideally hand wash) to avoid further felting or shrinking, wash with mild detergents and no conditioners, dry flat so as to avoid stretching and store away from sunlight, moths and in cooler temperatures. However, my main tips here are;

 

·       Follow washing instructions for your machine to the letter, your machine's manufacturer may have specific directions for delicate and wool items. In some cases wool and silk garments can be dry cleaned, so it is always worth checking with your local store.

·       It is also true that most wool garments should not be tumbled dry. So check if your garment is 100% wool before you throw it in the machine, if it is then dry flat, avoid the tumbler! Heat and moisture will felt and shrink the wool.

·       Don't store your garments in direct contact with moth balls, or perfumed sachets, as these may destroy the wool fibre over time. However, they can of course be close by.

·       I recommend most wool knitted garments be stored folded flat in a drawer. Hangers can stretch necklines and shoulders.

These steps should give your favourite wool garment a much longer life.

 

'Non-washable' Pieces

If you plan to keep your work on show around your home, then do consider avoiding direct sunlight and close proximity to heat sources (such as fire places and radiators). When cleaning your piece I would recommend a feather duster, it will pick off surface dust without destroying the surface of your work.