Be sure to check out www.slvfest.com  for info on the San Luis Valley Folk Arts and Fiber Festival–July 10-12 in Monte Vista!

Also, if you’re near…Canyon City Farmers’ Market: every Wednesday from 7-1pm…great produce, and of course Real Yarn handspun yarn, roving, knitted cool stuff, and fresh alpaca fleece for your spinning and weaving projects!

Spinning Real Yarn on a Country Craftsman spinning wheel

2009 lambs: Utah, Chocolate, and ever-so-chatty Nevada

New life and dreams of lamb-soft yarns to come…

What have we been doing?  Enjoying spring…4 lambs; 3 milk goat kids; 2 pygmy goat kids; and one little filly.  Llamas will follow suit in a couple of months!

More baby pictures to come…

1. Keep the fiber at a consistent temperature
2. Avoid agitation. This includes, rubbing, scrubbing, pulling, or twisting.  When wet, each individual fiber is relaxed and likely to stretch and lock with other fibers in the washing process..and we all know that felting can be the undesired result.  So…

To avoid felting or shrinking follow these simple steps:

1. Fill two basins with lukewarm water.  Add a mild soap, such as “Wash” (from Kookaburraco.com); the other basin will be your rinse water.  We’re filling both sinks at the same time to keep the temperatures consistent.
2. Place the garment in the wash basin, gently pushing it to the bottom.  Keep this action to a minimum: a couple of times is all that you need (remember–no agitation).  Let it soak for 10 minutes or so.
3. Now, we’re going to scoop and hold the garment to one side of the sink and let the water drain out; when the sink is empty, gently push/press out extra water from your item.
4. Now gently scoop up your whole garment in both hands (remember, we are trying not to stretch it out) and put it in the rinse water.  Push down once.  Let it soak for 10 minutes or so.
5. Again, scoop and hold to one side of the sink and let the water drain out between your fingers.  Gently push/press extra water out.  With both hands, lift and squeeze (no twisting or stretching).  Lay it flat on a fresh dry bath towel.  Loosely, roll the garment up in the towel. Softly, push and press the towel roll to remove extra water (again, no twisting).
6. Unroll the towel and carefully lay out your garment on another dry towel.  Gently reshape the item to desired shape and size.  Allow it to air-dry.

Remember the two keys and delight in your handmade natural fiber items!

Knitted, crocheted or woven projects can be used regularly and enjoyed for years.

]]> http://www.realyarn.com/2009/03/how-do-i-wash-my-natural-fiber-garment/feed/ 0 http://www.realyarn.com/2009/03/my-natural-fiber-outpost/ http://www.realyarn.com/2009/03/my-natural-fiber-outpost/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:48:44 +0000 Angela http://www.realyarn.com/?p=28 Hi, Thanks for stopping in at Real Yarn.  I AM catching up with the 21st century and am excited to start this website for fiber enthusiasts. My goal here is to create a resource for natural yarn and batts for my fellow fiber artists. Whether you knit, crochet, spin, felt, needle-felt or weave, I have a special handspun yarn for you.

I focus on creating yarns and batts from our herd of hand raised, naturally-colored animals: angora rabbits, cashmere goats, llamas, guanaco-crosses, various sheep, and our friends’ alpacas and even the occassional camel.

I spin a variety of yarns–everything from lace-weight angora, to super thick, or unique & textural, dyed & bead-bedecked artyarns. After sheering time this spring, I will also offer a variety of freshly carded batts for you spinners out there.

Check in often and see what’s new!

-Angela

I’m just getting the site going so please be patient with me.

In the mean time check out my About page.