NeedleCraft Plus/needlecraftplusvolume1.iso/misc/mohair/mohair.thd

Text File | 1997-01-06 | 19KB | 650 lines

CompuServe Crafts Forum

kid mohair washing
S 3 / Spinning

Date Range: 09-Jan-92 to 14-Jan-92



#32807
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 09-Jan-92

Well, when I would drain each sinkload, the mohair would hold on to most of
the yukky water (I mean, this was DIRTY mohair) so I'd squish it.  Okay, so I
probably shouldn't have, but that yukky water.  I bet I rinsed it 30 times
before just stopping.  The rinse water wasn't absolutely clear, but I could
see the plug in the bottom of the sink at least, and I decided that the rest
of the dirt could wash out of the yarn more easily.  (I wash after spinning
and plying anyway.)

The mohair didn't reek, but it wasn't the (I think) pleasant sheepy smell of
wool.  The stuff that I didn't fluff up enough afterwards is now becoming
slightly moldy probably.  I keep a box of it next to the TV so that I fluff
each time I sit down there.  Once fluffed, it's amazingly white and very soft,
but until fluffed, it's tattletale grey (well, almost battleship grey).  I'm
trusting Larry who says it can be spun from this fluff state. It looks like
milkweed down about now.

Live and learn!

Laura




#32842 reply to #32807
Fm: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 09-Jan-92

I have carded kid mohair and it spins up very fine.  But, if you spin it as it
comes off the fleece, it has much more personality.  I have some mohair/merino
blend (Gaywool) sliver that is quite exquisite and spins up beautifully.

Some people use harsh detergents to wash mohair and do it on the stove,
keeping the water very, very hot.




#32879 reply to #32842
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
Dt: 10-Jan-92

Okay, spin for personality.  I'd like to try it.  The kid mohair is VERY soft,
so it might be quite special if it doesn't just wad up.  <g>

Laura




#32975 reply to #32807
Fm: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 10-Jan-92

I'm sure Larry gave you good advice there!  Of course you can still use it.
Can you spread it out someplace, on a table or some such, to dry?  If you can
it will dry quicker even with a few matts; and that should help avoid mold.  I
dry my wet fleeces in the basement, with a dehumidifier running, and spread
the wool out on towels draped over two 2x4's laid over the resident saw
horses.

Just plain squeezing the stuff shouldn't hurt it.  Actually, a spin cycle on
the washer compresses it rather a lot...probably more than we can by hand!

Colleen


#33015 reply to #32975
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 10-Jan-92

Oh, I have it spread out on my screen door (laid across the back of two chairs
in the living room) to dry, and today I noticed that even that which I haven't
fluffed yet is actually drying. I was afraid it would mildew because it was SO
wet!   I couldn't spin it dry as long as I wanted because the washing machine
kept screaming that it was unbalanced.  Now I think I should have thrown a
towel in to balance it, but I didn't do that at the time.

It looks nice when people come to visit to see piles of wet fleece in the
living room.  <grin>

Laura




#33026 reply to #33015
Fm: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 10-Jan-92

Aw, everybody should keep a damp sheep in their living room.  Adds something,
don't you think?  I've been known to have LIVE damp sheep in the living room.
(Now that makes sense, doesn't it?)

If you turn the mohair "pile" over in a day or two, it will dry faster.

Colleen


#33880 reply to #33015
Fm: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 14-Jan-92

I had the mildew problem a couple of times.  Rinsing it with a little vinegar
in the rinse bath seemed to prevent mildew a little.  I also spin-dry my
mohair.  I haven't found that is matts any more than  just letting the stuff
drip.  My experience is that matting is usually a function of the fleece
itself.




#33946 reply to #33880
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
Dt: 14-Jan-92

You know, vinegar has been mentioned for rinsing with hard water several
times, and I have hard water.  I should probably be using a bit of that all
the time.  Thanks for the reminder!

Laura




#33879 reply to #32807
Fm: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Spinners have devised all sorts of Draconian measure to scour mohair.  Hold
your breath.  Here are a couple. 1. Put the stuff in a pot with detergent and
bring it just below boiling. Repeat.

or

2. Use Spic And Span for the first wash. Neutralize with vinegar.

or

3. Hire someone else to wash it.

I occassionally use #2 if the stuff is really disgusting.  Works like a charm
as long as the water is rubber-glove-hot.  No perceptable damage to the fiber.




#33945 reply to #33879
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Wow, spic and span?  I like option #3, have someone else wash it. <grin>

The only pot I have that I'd put goat hair into is a designated dye pot.  I
might actually try that next time.

Thanks!




#32808
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 09-Jan-92

What if I warp with wool and use the mohair as weft?  That way, it shouldn't
matter that they take up differently, right???  (I'm really asking, not
challenging!)

Laura




#32841 reply to #32808
Fm: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 09-Jan-92

I have used wool in my warp and mohair in the weft.  I have also used a
combination of wool, silk, mohair, camel for warp and angora singles for weft.
Both of those combinations worked well.  But, I used a very open warp and weft
(in my case 8 epi and about 4 ppi.  I machine soaked and spun for a few
minutes to "full" them.




#32878 reply to #32841
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
Dt: 10-Jan-92

Thanks, Susan, I've saved your message for planning stage.  <g>

Laura




#32977 reply to #32808
Fm: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 10-Jan-92

That is, IMO, the surest way to use the two fibers together; excepting, of
course, carding them together and spinning a blended yarn.

I'm sure, with proper planning, mohair and wool could be alternated in the
warp; but I'd try samples first.  My "truly ugly" item turned "waffley".  This
tendency could probably be used artistically for a "collapse" effect with
proper planning. I can safely say, however, it is NOT a good way to make a
bright plaid! <g>

Colleen


#33083 reply to #32977
Fm: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 10-Jan-92

A friend is currently weaving a blended mohair and corriedale yarn.  She is
raving about it - she carded the two on her carder, spun and is weaving with
it now.  I will let you know what happens to her finished piece - but she has
done lots of blending with mohair (she raises the goats) and hasn't reported
any problems.




#33561 reply to #33083
Fm: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
To: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I wouldn't suspect the blended yarn would present any problem.

We should pass around my terminally ugly scarf as a lesson against using 8
ends of mohair, 8 ends of wool, etc. in a project.  (Although I must admit
using bright gold mohair and black wool didn't help a lot.)  The thing looks
like an angry bumblebee and is every bit as appealing.

Colleen


#33669 reply to #33561
Fm: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 13-Jan-92

Take a picture of it, in color, and send it to Kathy or Susan - they will take
care of getting in online for the rest of us to see <g> - unless, of course,
you don't REALLY want us to see it.  Besides, angry bumblebees are very pretty
- if not appealing!




#33699 reply to #33669
Fm: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
To: Susan Vazquez/NY[Staff] 70611,3045
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I think I may have insulted the bees! <g>  Somehow a photo wouldn't quite get
the effect across...you'd need a hologram to see the strange surface texture!
(Especially my photographs, which always resemble a shot of a dark something
taken on a dark day in a dark place with no flash during an eclipse.)

Colleen


#33753 reply to #33699
Fm: Debbie Rindfleisch(VA) 70540,22
To: Colleen Kozlowski(Staff) 72437,1507
Dt: 13-Jan-92

We could always send things round-robin style amongst the guild
participants...





#33327 reply to #32808
Fm: Julia Benson 74756,3552
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 11-Jan-92

Laura, I used a commercial mohair blend (I forget the exact
composition/proportions, but it was lovely, shiny, fuzzy yarn) for both warp
and weft ONCE.  It took me an entire day just to wind the ten-yard warp onto
the back beam.  I'd wind a foot and then spend ten minutes detangling it, wind
a foot and then.... I knew enough to use an open sett (6 epi) and wove at
about 6 ppi, but the only way to get a shed was to use a direct tie-up and
stomp (I do mean STOMP) each of the two treadles separately.  The whole
project took over three months, and although I ended up with four absolutely
gorgeous shawls, and I proved to myself that it could be done, I will NEVER do
it again! Two of the three remaining shawls (one went to my sister) are going
into exhibits next month; both are entitled "Patience is a Virtue."


#33342 reply to #33327
Fm: char brown 76104,2275
To: Julia Benson 74756,3552
Dt: 12-Jan-92

Sectional beaming... the only way to go.... get the AVL sectional tension box,
it has the capability of creating a cross... then you can warp a big long warp
in half an hour




#33530 reply to #33342
Fm: Margaret Copeland 76702,1746
To: char brown 76104,2275
Dt: 12-Jan-92

Char, if you have the AVL section box like I do then you need to hoof it to
the stationary store and buy a box of 1" split rings (binder rings) like you'd
use with a three ring binder. Use them to make your lease! - *BIG* savings in
time. They also slide, no more tying off the lease after you've raised the
heddles in the box. Only way to go :').


#33680 reply to #33530
Fm: char brown 76104,2275
To: Margaret Copeland 76702,1746
Dt: 13-Jan-92

what a great idea margaret... thank you... i will do so




#33692 reply to #33680
Fm: Margaret Copeland 76702,1746
To: char brown 76104,2275
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I actually wrote a little article-tip thingie for the AVL newsletter. It was
in there. One of my workshop peeps thought of it, we bought out the San Jose
Student Union - no more split rings left!. You can get'm by the box if you go
to a *real* office supply. Good luck.


#33726 reply to #33692
Fm: char brown 76104,2275
To: Margaret Copeland 76702,1746
Dt: 13-Jan-92

hmmm I don't get the AVL newsletter, since the only thing i've purchased from
them was the AVL sectional device, though I postively LUSt after an AVL the
equivalent size of my Macomber.  I have to go to the Office Club Wednesday for
a toner cartridge and some misc.  will buy a box of the split rings there (You
must put them through the X like this:  ->X<-   right? (one per cross... I can
think of another way to do it but that's the obvious way)




#33711 reply to #33530
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Margaret Copeland 76702,1746
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I use the same rings on the lease sticks.  It keeps them separated and you
don't need to worry about them coming apart.

Larry




#33727 reply to #33711
Fm: char brown 76104,2275
To: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
Dt: 13-Jan-92

arrrrrgggghhhh another split ring idea I will adoptk thank you larry B. though
yours takes bigger split rings... well, maybe not i'll go look at my lease
sticks... great idea!




#33931 reply to #33727
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: char brown 76104,2275
Dt: 14-Jan-92

The rings I use are 1.5".

Larry




#33792 reply to #33342
Fm: Julia Benson 74756,3552
To: char brown 76104,2275
Dt: 13-Jan-92

Sectional beaming.  Hmmm, yes, that IS on the agenda one of these years, esp.
as I do a good bit of work with fine cotton. Still, I'm not sure ANYTHING
would have helped that wretched warp!


#33825 reply to #33792
Fm: char brown 76104,2275
To: Julia Benson 74756,3552
Dt: 13-Jan-92

secitonal beaming... move it to the TOP of your list.. I use a lot of fine
cotten to at setts 24 and up... sectional beaming INVALUABLE




#33408 reply to #33327
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Julia Benson 74756,3552
Dt: 12-Jan-92

Patience is a Virtue!!!  I love it.  <grin>  It sounds like it was a REAL
project all the way through.  I don't think I'd have your patience at all, so
I'm glad to have the warning.  I wish I could see them though.  They sound
wonderful!!!

Laura


#33712 reply to #33408
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I've never seen handspun mohair get as wildly hairy as commercial.  I've used
handspun mohair and mohair wool blends in several project without any problems
at all.

Larry




#33780 reply to #33712
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
Dt: 13-Jan-92

Mabel Ross showed us a way of making our mohair hairier.  She pinched out a
little bit on each treadle.  It worked in the 18" sample I made at the time. I
must go back and dig that up!

Laura




#33710 reply to #33327
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Julia Benson 74756,3552
Dt: 13-Jan-92

If you try it again you might think about putting each warp thread through a
plastic drinking straw.  It takes awhile but it keeps the warp hairs from
grabbing onto each other.

Larry




#33805 reply to #33710
Fm: Julia Benson 74756,3552
To: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
Dt: 13-Jan-92

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!!!!  Do you mind if I put this in the local guilds'
newsletters?


#33930 reply to #33805
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Julia Benson 74756,3552
Dt: 14-Jan-92

No, don't mind.  I'm not sure where the idea originated.  I saw a mohair loom
warped that way once and thought it was a good idea.

Larry




#32934
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 10-Jan-92

No problem...Hope it helps.  I wouldn't try to blend the mohair with wool at
this point.  If you don't want as much loft them ply it with a wool single. It
should work great with knitting I just tend to think of everything on terms of
weaving it...my knitting is not real good.  Actually as you handle it knitting
it will probably fluff more.  I don't think plying it with wool will help the
elasticity of the finished yarn.  I think the mohair will hold back the wool
ply.  I spun some adult mohair ONCE too...I felt my stuff was more useful for
a tow rope than anything else.

Know what you are doing before you start...NONSENSE <g>.  You just have to
stay flexable when you are working with something new.  Keep working on it I
bet you will be happy with the results.

Larry




#32970 reply to #32934
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
Dt: 10-Jan-92

Okay, I'm finding quite a few second cuts it seems.  Should I keep them for
more "texture" or do I pitch them as I do when I find them in wool?  Can they
be used?  Should they be used.  <grin>

Laura




#33702 reply to #32970
Fm: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 13-Jan-92

I'd pitch em they way you would for wool or save them for later and card them
in with some wool to add some sparkle.  Problem is you have got to be careful
or the short stuff will come out, even if its with wool.

Larry




#33781 reply to #33702
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Larry Burditt (OK) 70243,1751
Dt: 13-Jan-92

Okay, pitch the second cuts.

Laura




#33878 reply to #32970
Fm: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Mohair second cuts just make lumps and then fall out if they are washed a lot.




#33877
Fm: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
To: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Mohair is the pits to wash.  Can't think of anything else quite as vile.

My favorite spinning blend is 25% corriedale/75% kid mohair.  The wool gives
the stuff just enough loft.  I will admit that the last batch was sent to the
Woolery and blended 50/50 (that's as much mohair as their machinery will
handle).  Then I blended in another 25% when they shipped it back to me.




#33918 reply to #33877
Fm: Jessica Ostrow-TX/Staff 76702,514
To: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Cynthia:

Where is the Woolery? (Guess I ought to find someplace closer to me that might
be able to fix up my fleece?)

               Jess





#33944 reply to #33877
Fm: Laura Sawyer (Staff) PA 76702,1702
To: Cynthia de Figueiredo NY 70031,3556
Dt: 14-Jan-92

Oh, I'm so glad to hear that others find kid mohair difficult too.  <grin>
Misery loves company.  75% mohair, huh.  I'll try some like that too.  This is
lovely all fluffed, but I'm not sure it will card out now that I've fluffed
it.  Some is still in the mats which might be easier to work with.

I don't think it actually did mildew/mold, but it seemed like it might not dry
before it did.  That stuff really sucks up the water and holds on.

I did put it in the washing machine to spin dry, but it was so heavy with
water (it was only 2.5 lbs dry) that the machine kept unbalancing.  Then, to
tell the truth here, I tried to spread it out more within the mesh bag and
dumped the whole bag's worth into the machine in the process.  I spent the
next few minutes making sure I got it all out so we wouldn't all have hair
shirts the next time I did laundry.  That's when it got moved to the screen
over two chairs in the living room.  <g>

Laura