Felted Rugs Made From Fleeces

Felted fleeces can be used for rugs, blankets, mats, dog beds, seat pads and cushions.

Paton and Daughter felted fleeces do not have skin.

They are 100% wool. https://patonanddaughter.co.uk/product/handmade-brown-felted-shetland-rug/

Where do the fleeces come from?

The fleece is locally grown on small farms in Sussex and Kent. Sheep are shorn for their wellbeing. The sheep walk in their field to munch grass and raise their lambs. Without the heavy fleece they can trot off to be with the rest of the flock and feel like lambs again . The fleeces often come from small flocks; some are kept as pets. The smallholders who own just a few sheep regard them as pets and give them names such as Socks and Vest (makes sense to me). I know of one owner who can recognise all thirty of her sheep and can name each one! They behave more like dogs around her and are only wary of strangers. It is a joy to behold how they react to her. We often pass a field of sheep; they all look the same, heads down, munching., however, they all have their own personalities.

How do you choose a fleece?

Each fleece is different. Fleeces not only vary from breed to breed, they vary within breeds and within flocks. A fleece from a sheep can have a long, strong staple, (measurement from where the fibre was cut to the tip) have a regular crimp, (waves in the fibre), and be consistent throughout the fleece. However, if that same sheep, during the next year of fleece growth suffers an illness or stress, it affects the fleece; just like human hair. It can have weak spots in the staple and break which is impossible to hand spin and It can be very rough to the touch.

What is the first step when making a felted rug?

We collect fleece from the farmer/smallholder and inspect it for quality. The fleece needs to be free from excessive straw and mud. It needs to have been professionally shorn in one piece on a clean surface and rolled to keep each fleece separate from other fleeces.

Back at the workshop the fleeces are unrolled and shaken to remove any surface vegetable matter. It is then laid out with the cut side down on a flat clean surface to be skirted. This involves removing muck, mud and vegetable matter (VM) from the edge of the fleece particularly from the back end. The fleece is then turned over so that the cut side is uppermost. Now layers of soft carded fleece are placed on the cut side of the whole fleece. It is placed to that the fibre lays in one direction over the whole surface. Next, another layer is applied but at a 90 deg. angle and so on until the thickness of the combined layers is approximately 30cm or more, depending upon the breed of sheep.

How do you wet felt the fleece?

Wet felting requires hot water, soap and agitation. I use a simple basic soap or washing-up liquid. The soap and water is applied gently and the thickness of the fleece is reduced. The fleece is patted down which reduces the height. When the fibres are close and the water has penetrated the fibre it can be lightly smoothed. This continues until the fleece can be safely rolled. Rolling is where the hard work begins. To roll the fleece it requires a wooden pole or drainpipe to wrap around. Once wrapped and secured, the rolling can begin. Each breed requires subtly different handling and timing. After half an hour the fleece is unrolled and re-rolled in a different direction. This is repeated several times until the fleece has shrunk and has become solid felt.

How long does it take to make a fleece?

It can take many hours of rolling. I have seen videos of several men making a felted carpet. They use their feet and hands in the initial rolling process and then a camel and then a horse to pull the rolled fibre at a gallop across the prairie. However, I don’t live on a prairie and I don’t have a camel. It does depend on how much energy you have, if you have help, the temperature outside etc., etc.. If all goes well, I would say three days. You also need to factor in drying time which could take a while in the UK!

Can I wash a rug made from a felted fleece?

You can. Bear in mind that a wet felted rug is very, very heavy and being full of water needs to be lifted as a whole and not from the edges as there is a danger of pulling it apart. Place the dry fleece in a shower or bath. Now, think of crushing grapes to make wine! Gentle movements, washing-up liquid and lots of rinsing water. Fold and squeeze as much water out of the wool as possible. Dry flat on a warm day outside.

Voila!

Basket (£20.00)