Babydoll Fiber
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Babydoll Fiber |
            
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Babydoll wool is one of the finest wools of all the British breeds. It is short (about 2 inches) and springy, soft and bouncy, with a surprisingly strong underlying disposition. The micron count typically ranges from 24 to 29. It is very easy to spin and produces a very strong yet "fluffy" yarn. Since it has more barbs per inch than other wool types, it is also ideal to blend with angora or other slick fibers since it clings so well. Its ability to felt is very low. Of course, I will always recommend handwashing any wool item in cool water, then air drying. But here...the socks I've made from 100% Babydoll wool get thrown in the washer and dryer with the other laundry. They maintain their elasticity and character well without shrinking. (I wash with warm water and rinse with cool. Hot water may produce different results.) The main thing to remember when working with any wool is to not change the temperature of the water quickly from hot to cold. These are some of the items made with the wool from my Babydolls.
You can click on each one to see more, or visit them all at My Etsy Shop The sheep are sheared in the spring, and when the weather turns hot, their fleeces are soaked and washed in tubs outside until clean. Then the wool is dried in the shade.
After the wool is thoroughly dry, it is picked, picked and picked some more. This is very time-consuming and tedious since the sheep accumulate a fair amount of vegetable matter in their fleeces. Then the wool is carded which opens up (fluffs apart) the fleece. If I dye the wool, that is the next step. As I was learning and experimenting with various colors, I used Kool-Aid with a little vinegar in the water to dye! Here is a "sampler" I made using the various colors. Even though the color range was very limited, it was a lot of fun and the results proved to be quite permanent. This sampler is still lying in a west windowsill, and continues to prove the results remain light-fast.
It bothered me that so many of the professional dyes can be harmful, so I was hesitant to move beyond Kool-Aid. But the range of shades was so limited. Then I discovered a product for dyeing wool that is very friendly to both the environment and people. This is what Greener Shades website states:
Needless to say, I am thrilled to have a whole spectrum of mixable, beautiful colors opened up to me--without the risk. The possibilities will keep me experimenting with new color combinations for years! After the wool is dyed, the roving is spun into a "single" on my spinning wheel.
Then the singles are plied together, also using the spinning wheel. So spinning a 2-ply yarn actually involves 3 separate procedures--spinning each of the two singles, then plying them together. Then the yarn is wrapped on a niddy-noddy, which helps with measuring how long the yarn is, and also creates the skein. This is tied in 4 places to keep the yarn organized, rinsed to set the yarn, and hung to dry. Then, for knitting or crocheting, it can be wound in a ball, or for weaving can be wound on a shuttle.
Here are some pictures of ways my daughter and I have been using Babydoll yarn so far: Natural Colored
Dyed Babydoll Wool
This shawl was woven on a rigid heddle loom by our daughter, using Babydoll wool that she had spun and plied at various thicknesses using a drop spindle:
As you can see, we're having a fun time learning how versatile Babydoll Southdown wool can be. If you would like to spin, knit, crochet, or weave with it too, I have roving and yarn for sale on my Etsy shop. Thanks for looking! I'm also starting a page for others to show what they've made with the yarn or roving made with wool from My Little Sheep. So let me know if you have something to share! Handmade Creations by Other Artisans
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