Where to Buy Bulk Wool and Silk for Dyeing, Handspun Yarn and Feltmaking

Want to know where to get great deals on bulk quantities of wool and silk for your fiber arts? 

Check out these sources and suppliers for your handmade fiber crafts!

I've been doing fiber crafts since about 2005 when I caught the feltmaking bug after taking a college fiber arts course. That obsession quickly turned into a small business which I playfully named "The Funky Felter" and opened an Etsy shop as well as started selling at craft shows across the Midwestern United States.

How to Make Felt Wool Balls

Felted Wool Balls or Beads DIY Craft Tutorial 

easily create homemade wool dryer balls or felted beads for decoration

Like many of you who have been wet felting or needle felted for a while, wool balls or beads are probably one of the first things you tried making. Me too! I have been creating handmade felted wool balls in all shapes, colors and sizes for several years now. I have used them mainly in making felted jewelry and also as embellishments for fiber art pieces. 

You can see many examples of what I've done with my own felt wool beads at my Flickr gallery. I still have shoes boxes full of all sorts of colors that I keep on hand for future projects. Honestly, I just find them fun and so easy to make that I use up my scraps on them. My five year old also likes making them with me as they are a very kid-friendly felting project.

How to Needle Felt an Owl Craft Tutorial

Fall Owl Needle Felting Craft Tutorial

an easy fiber craft for beginners using cookie cutters, wool roving & felting needles

As a long-time fiber crafter, I started out wet felting and later learned to needle felt. Cookie cutters were part of my first experiences with felting needles. I've used them often over the years as a guide for molding the wool. This felt craft tutorial involves various size and shapes of cookie cutters for the little owl above. It is easy for beginners but good for all stages of learners' skills. This is also a great way to introduce older kids to the craft of needle felting - just be sure there is adult supervision as those needles are very sharp!

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FELT OWL MATERIALS LIST:

• Dense foam for felting on (3 inches thick or more works best!)
• Medium gauge felting needles and/or a multi-needle felting tool (I used both.)
• Small amounts of beige, orange, white, black and olive green wool roving or batting (or whatever wool colors you want to use for your owl - scraps work well!)
• Cookie cutters for shaping: a 3 inch wide circle for the body, a 2 inch wide circle for the wings and chest, a 3/4 inch wide circle for the eyes and a 1 inch square for the beak 

NEEDLE FELTING CRAFT TIPS:

If you don't have a big variety of cookie cutters, you can always freehand form the shapes in place and felt them as you go. Or, use varying different size cookie cutters according to what you already have. (You can also use a permanent marker to draw a circular outline on your foam pad to use as a guide for felting inside of for the owl body - this works well for all sorts of flat shapes for an on-the-spot, easy solution.) The cookie cutters just make it easier to keep the wool in a confined area as you shape it and helps save a little time. Just go for it and felt with whatever you have on hand!

NEEDLE FELT OWL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the largest circle cookie cutter on your dense foam pad. Fill it with 3 to 4 crisscrossing layers of beige (or your choice of color) wool roving or batting. It will look like a fluffy hairball at first and that's okay. Start poking at it repeatedly with your felting needle or multi-needle tool as in my photo below. Felt up and down at a straight angle. And, it is okay to felt deeply hitting the foam beneath. 

Continue using your felting needle, poking up and down, until your wool resembles the matted circle in the photo above. The fibers should be stuck together, but still a bit spongy to the touch. Once it is like this, you can remove it from the cookie cutter. (It may be stuck to the foam - just pry it up, no problem!) Then flip it over and felt the other side until your wool feels like a firm disc. If needed, flip back and forth a few times.

Once the felted disc is  firm to the touch and all fibers are matted well, use a single needle to gently felt any loose fibers around the edges forming a smooth circular shape.

2. For the chest area, use the slightly smaller circle cookie cutter. Lay it centered toward the bottom of the beige disc that you just felted. Again fill with a few crisscrossing layers of wool roving or batting. This time I used an olive green color. 

As before, poke repeatedly, up and down at a straight angle to felt the bushy fibers in place. You won't need to flip it though since you are dealing with felting fibers onto the surface of your body disc. Keep felting until the fibers are firmly felted onto the body as in the photo below.

3. For the wings, use the same circle cookie cutter as you did for the chest area. Except you will only overlap a moon-shaped portion of the cutter to make each wing. Fill with a few layers of crisscrossing orange wool roving or batting just at the edge of your chest area on each side. 

As before, poke repeatedly to mat the fibers onto the base and felt them into place.

4. For each eye, use very small circle cookie cutters and white wool roving. As before, layer the wool crisscrossing and felt into place. Put the eyeballs centered between the top edges of the wings.

For the beak, use the pointed corner of a square cookie cutter to form the triangular shape. I used orange wool roving and placed the beak centered just below the eyeballs.

For the black center dots on the eyeballs, pinch a small amount of wool roving and roll it in a ball between your finger tips. Then place it centered on the white and carefully use a single needle to felt into place.

5. As a finishing touch, I added a sprig of hair to the top of my little owl's head between the eyes. I used a long pinch of olive green wool roving, balled one end and felted it into place while leaving the other end long and wispy with fibers.

For wool roving, spinning fiber and equipment, hand spun yarns, and classes in the Kansas City area, check out the Woolgathering in Lexington, Missouri

Even though I live near Kansas City, it is still difficult to find local sources of wool roving, spinning equipment, and fiber classes.  There are several yarn shops and chain hobby stores that carry a wide variety of ready-made yarns, but there are very, very few places to find actual wool roving and spinning supplies as well as classes.

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 On facebook the other day, I happened upon just such a shop in Lexington, Missouri, called Woolgathering.  My husband was very sweet to take me and the baby girl for a little Saturday afternoon drive to check it out.  I was extremely happy with what I found.  It is an awesome fiber shop!  The shop carries all kinds of fiber arts supplies and equipment and even offers classes on spinning, knitting, and crochet.   It also has very reasonable prices.  I left there with a bag full of roving and know that I'll be back for more.  Also, Lexington is really a sweet little town with oodles of charm.  I could see making a day trip of it to explore the downtown area and eat there.  (Although, it isn't too far for a quick trip for supplies either.)  When you get the chance, I highly recommend that you go check out Woolgathering for yourself.  If you are a fiber artist or fiber junkie of any kind local to the Kansas City area, I think it is well worth your drive time.

What's your dye method? The process of hand dyeing wool, silk, and other natural fibers with professional acid dyes or whatever you prefer!

I must admit that the majority of fibers that I've used for felting thus far has been professionally pre-dyed. I just recently started having an interest in taking the next step to dye most of my own fibers. In the past, I have dyed quite a lot of silk as well as some wool roving. In doing so, I ordinarily use the kettle dyeing method with Cushing's Perfection Dyes, professional acid dyes for wool where you just add white vinegar to the mix. This process of just mixing everything in a large simmering pot has worked very well so far. Recently I have been thinking about switching to Jacquard Acid Dyes as it seems to be a favorite among spinners and other fiber artists. From what I understand, it is also a professional acid dye where you just add vinegar to the mix. I like the ease of this dyeing method and have found it to be difficult to really mess things up in this process. (Although, you do have to be careful with your wool roving because it will felt with too much agitation.) I have used other dyes previously on silk such as Pro MX Reactive Dyes, but there are more steps involved as well as the use of salt and soda ash. The results were good, but I found myself always having to refer to the directions to complete the process which slows down everything. Since I have several jars of this kind of dye left, I may try to use it up eventually. I think that I have spoiled myself though with the "just add vinegar" method of professional acid dyes.

This brings me to my questions for you......... What's your dye method? What type of dye do your prefer? And, do you like to kettle dye or hand paint your roving, or perhaps you have a different method all-together?

I also wanted to share with you this wonderful blog post by Inger (ingermaaike on Etsy). It is a tutorial on how to dye very fine wool. One of my fears with dyeing wool roving is that it will felt in the process because you are applying heat to the fiber. I have had that happen only once that I remember, and it was very frustrating and disappointing. Inger's wonderful blog post details how to dye your delicate wool without having those awful issues of it felting in the process. And, her blog is full of informational posts about feltmaking, spinning, and more.

Also, the image is a screen shot of some of the acid dyes available on Etsy. As you can see, windrose and Maryjanesattic both offer a nice variety of Jacquard Acid Dyes. You can also find professional acid dyes on sites like The Dharma Trading Company and The Bellwether.

Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what dye method you prefer! I learn so much when my readers share their techniques, resources, and personal experiences. I thoroughly enjoy your comments and appreciate them too! Thank you in advance!

Buying Wool Roving and Locks in Bulk and other Fiber Art Supplies at Good Prices!

Bulk Wool Sources and Suppliers for hand dyeing, feltmaking and spinning yarn

Since I decided to eventually start selling some handcrafted fiber supplies (like dyed rovings, fiber batts, kits, etc.), I've been trolling the internet to find the best sources to buy fiber art supplies in bulk. I've researched many fiber art forums as well as done a lot of Google searches. In the past, I haven't shared a lot of my supply sources, and there's still things that I like to be my little secret, but today I'm feeling generous so I thought that I'd give you a heads up to some good fiber art supply sources online.

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Maybe you fiber art enthusiasts out there - you knitters, spinners, dyers, felters, crocheters, etc., etc. - have some sources that you'd like to add. Please do!! I encourage you to leave a comment with a link to your favorite online source for great fiber art supplies whether it be roving, dyes, yarns, silks, or whatever. Share! Share! Share! Share! Share! (You get the idea!)

Now on to my little list of fiber art supply sources - yes, it is just a little list, but I'm in the process of researching still so it may grow and grow and grow - well, that's the goal at least!

Wool Roving and Fibers in Bulk:
The Sheep Shed Studio - rovings, yarn, and fibers in bulk quantities at great prices
R.H. Lindsay Company - fleece, sliver, top, and more available in large quantities

Other Fiber Suppliers:
Outback Fibers - prefelts, dyed wool, kits, and a lot more
Brown Sheep Company - yarns, yarns, and more yarns, oh, and patterns too
Halcyon Yarn - fiber supplies for every type of fiber art

Dyes, Silks, and Misc. Supplies:
Dharma Trading Company - all kinds of dyes and a variety of silk fabrics too
Thai Silks - silks galore from fabric to artist's items, and they even give an artist's discount


So there's my little list. I hope that someone out there finds it to be helpful. If you have experience with these supply sources, want to add to the list, or just want to express your thoughts, please leave a comment. I really appreciate my readers' insights and experiences.

I also wanted to say that I really appreciate all the comments on a post that I made about buying a drum carder a while back. Your personal experiences have been very helpful. I'm about half way to my funds goal so that I can purchase a drum carder, and I'm so excited!! It shouldn't be much longer now until I can buy one. I can't wait to get one and start making some fiber batts!

A Great Store for Yarn, Wool Roving, and other Fiber Supplies in Minneapolis, Minnesota - The Fiber Studio

Well, I'm finally back from a short vacation to the North Shore area in Minnesota. It is beautiful there this time of year with their spectacular Fall foliage. I hope to have some photos to post of my mini vacation next week, but for today, I wanted to share a wonderful new store that I discovered in Minneapolis - The Fiber Studio!

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I actually came across their website while searching online for fiber supply places to visit while on my vacation. I always try to stop into to two or three local shops whenever I'm traveling. This time, I feel like I really hit the jackpot with The Fiber Studio. It has a wide variety of roving in a rainbow of colors. You will find merino roving, corriedale roving, harrisville fleece, and more. They also carry a lot of other fiber related supplies such as dyes, silks, yarns, and many, many other things big and small. It is a quaint shop in a very neat area of town. If you are traveling to Minneapolis or live anywhere near there, I highly recommend that you stop into The Fiber Studio and browse. Also, the owner is a super sweet and knowledgeable lady to talk with, and her prices are very reasonable. I ended up with two large bags of roving that weighed just under four pounds! I plan to go back there when I'm up that way again in December as a vendor at the No Coast Craft-o-rama. I can't wait to browse and buy some more!

Also, The Fiber Studio has an Etsy shop so stop in there and browse. It will be worth your time!

A little peak at my home based fiber art studio and some organization tips for your own arts and crafts work space

I thought it would be interesting to share this photo today. It is of my wool stash along with some of my other felting supplies. It is just a portion of one of my walls in my home-based fiber art studio. Last December, my parents helped my husband and I renovate our basement into a work area for my felting obsession. (All paid for by my Etsy shop earnings! Yay!) We converted about one-third of our basement area into a comfortable space for all my fiber art and other craft supplies. I also have plenty of room to create and leave ongoing projects out as I work on them. Before I had my basement studio, I used a tiny dining room area on our main level. Needless to say, I feel very blessed to have a much larger space now with room for everything and room to work too.

In the photo, you can see how I've organized most of my wool roving and yarns. I actually use closet organizers that hang from a rod which is fastened to the ceiling. The square bin closet organizers float freely a few feet away from a side wall. This way, there is room behind them to walk, clean, and store other things. Also, I think using the cloth and plastic closet organizers are ideal for storing roving and yarn as well as other lightweight arts and crafts supplies. I can easily see what colors and kinds of wool that I have in stock, and I can clean and rearrange very easily with the open faced cubbies.

You can't really see it very well in the photo, but I have a four foot work table sitting in front of the right two closet organizers. This way, I can sit and work on designs with ready access to all my roving choices. Behind the work table, I have shelving to store beads, jewelry findings, tools, etc., that I need access to easily when creating. With my roving storage, work table, and additional shelving all in one central location, I have access to almost everything that I need when designing and creating. As a feltmaker, you do need a water area as well. For this, I have a wet area set up in a separate section of my basement studio along with a large six foot table to work on. I keep my wet felting area apart from my dry studio area, but it is just on the other side of a wall so it is not very far to go. I also have one other sectioned off area for picture taking and storage. Technically, my studio space has three segments, each with walls separating them. There are still many things that I'd like to do for my work area to be completely to my satisfaction, but I am very thankful to have a nice area of my very own to work and conduct business.

Perhaps you also have a well organized area for your arts and crafts endeavors. Or, maybe your "studio" space is merely the kitchen table or a desk with some storage space. I think the key to utilizing and enjoying your work space is in organization. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping it clean and tidy, but rather setting it up in a systematic way for your purposes. Below are some (hopefully) helpful tips to get you on the right path to organization for your work space.

Organizing Your Studio Space

1. Keep in mind what your purpose is. When designing the layout for your arts and crafts work area, no matter what its size, always remember your purpose. Hopefully, your purpose is to create. With this in mind, think about the placement of your most important supplies and tools. Can you easily access them? Are they where you can see your choices of materials?

2. Make all things important easily accessible. You must admit that there are some supplies, tools, etc., that just aren't as important as others. Perhaps there are supplies that you don't need access to every day, but there are going to be supplies that you do need access to on a daily basis or each time you create. Be sure to make these supplies clearly available to you. It will save you time and effort searching for them later.

3. Be sure to have a clear work space. When my work space was our tiny dining room area, I never seemed to have one open place to work. All the table tops and shelving were full of stuff. I often times ended up taking my project to our living room and taking over in there as well. Now that I have definite clear work table, I see its great value! Don't set up an obstacle for your creativity by not having an open place to comfortably create. Even if your space is terribly limited, make it a priority to have a small area that is always clear and open for you to begin a new project or continue an old one. Designate a work space area for yourself.

4. Store your supplies with care and thoughtfulness. My mother is an extremely organized and clean person. She always taught me to care for my belongings so that they would last a life time. I hope that I've taken this attitude into my crafting as well. Many of you, as I do myself, spend quite a lot on supplies and tools for your arts and crafts. Therefore, it is important to store and care for you supplies properly. Choose the right type of storage for your chosen art or craft. Then regularly check on your supplies to clean, organize, and care for them.

5. Put a personal touch on your studio. Regardless of how well organized your work space is, if it doesn't feel like your little artistic safe haven where you can be free to create, then you will probably not accomplish much. This is why you should put a personal touch on it! In my own studio space, I have things that make it feel comfortable and inspirational. For instance, I keep a rocking chair in it. It is not just any rocking chair, but it is the 30+ year old rocking chair that my mom and dad rocked me in as a baby. I know it is very sentimental, but it is really the only very personal item that I have in my studio space. I like to sit in it and rock when I'm feeling uninspired.

Do you need some visual motivation and ideas for your studio?
Visit these Flickr groups for photos of craft rooms and studio spaces:
Craft Rooms
My Crafting Room (private - must join to see photos)
Art Studio
Artist's Studios

Gorgeous wool roving from Etsy seller Copperpot Woolies and my felted purse creations!

I bought two balls, four ounces each, of wool roving from Etsy seller Copperpot Woolies, a.k.a. TJ Fitz, back in December. I've always been tempted by her lovely color combinations in wool roving. Before I purchased my little balls of roving, I had visited her Etsy shop often to drool over the beautiful hand dyed and hand carded wool. I finally invested in some and was so very pleased with it! It turned out to be some of the softest wool roving that I've ever used. It also smelled wonderful and felted like a dream.

In the photo, you can see two purses that I made from Copperpot Woolies roving. The one on the left was made from the roving called "Inferno" while the one on the right was made from the roving called "Cherry Baby." I have been meaning to share my creations and recommend Copperpot Woolies for a while now, but I just now had the time to snap a few photos. If you love great color combinations and fine quality wool, you will be very pleased with any of Copperpot's wool roving.