Felting process
FELT
Contents Abstract
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Hainsworth
2
Carding
3
Spinning
4
Weaving
5
Felting
6
Dyeing
7
British wool
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Woollen stool
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Felting the Woollen stool
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Abstract Being able to see the production of felt right through from its raw state as wool to the finished material is really fascinating. Traditionally done by hand, the felting process has changed very little since it first came about. Although these days it can be done on a much larger scale. This booklet shows both of these methods; A visit to one of the oldest textile mills in England showing an insight into felt production on an industrial scale. The traditional woven process, known as pressing, which is used to make the Woollen stool. . 1
Hainsworth Hainsworth textile mill has been producing quality felt since 1783. Supplying to an array of different areas of expertise, from the fabrics used to cover pool tables to the jackets worn by the queens guards. The felt they produce differs from the traditional pressed felt, as the fibres are woven to create the felt. Taking a journey through the factory shows the production on an industrial scale
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Carding Carding is a mechanical process that uses large rollers covered with wire pins. These rollers separate the fibres, combing through any clumps to straighten them. All fibres become uniformly straight and facing the same direction.. As Hainsworth produces woven felt, after the carding process the wool is then separated and rolled onto bobbins to become slubbing.
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Spinning The rolls of slubbing are then taken from the carding machine to be spun into yarn. The bobbins move side to side spinning the cloth tightly, this creates the yarn. This yarn then needs to be moved from the smaller bobbins and spun around the larger wheel which is known as a beam. Many bobbins will make up one beam.
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Weaving These large beams are then placed onto the machines which weave the cloth, known as looms. The cloth passes from the beam, the yarn is kept separate by hundreds of needles. It is then weaved, this is done by a needle taking one strand of wool across the width of the beam, which is then pulled down to create a horizontal fibre. Any excess along the sides of the newly woven cloth is cut off as the rolls of wool are received by a beam at the other side. The woven cloth is then stored, waiting to be felted.
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Felting The woven cloth is now ready to be felted. As the sheets of woven wool are so long when they are placed into the felting vessels, a rope is created by stitching the ends together. The sheets are then wrapped around a few times and the felting process begins. The wool is washed in warm soapy water which makes the woollen fibres shrink and bond together, creating a strong tightly woven piece of felt. The felt is then spun to get rid of excess water and dried.
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Dyeing The felt can then go on to be dyed. The long rope of felt is wrapped around the dye vessels and spun in baths of dye. After the felt has been fully saturated it is then taken to the drying machines, these machines also press the felt to give it a perfect finish.
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British wool Hainsworth uses a variety of sheep’s wool within the factory. One specific area sources only British wool; this is the woollen coffins, new to Hainsworths. With the carbon footprint playing such a large part in out sourced wool, and British farmers getting little income for the by-products of their sheep, it is important to support them where possible by buying into locally sourced produce.
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Woollen Stool This British wool is used to make the Woollen stool, it is taken from Hainsworth textile mill at the very early stages, before any felting begins. In contrast to the woven process used within the factory, the traditional method of pressing is used. A non-woven process done by hand, that felts the wool to create the unique three dimensional pod shape.
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Felting Before the felting process begins the wool fibres are cleaned and separated. These fibres are then laid onto a circular resist (a circular disk which holds the shape). As its a three dimensional shape being created, only one layer of wool is applied at first. The fibres are laid so that they are half on and half off the resist, and finished with smaller fibres applied to cover the middle. Usually the wool would be layered until the desired thickness is achieved.
Pictures taken from; National Design museum, Fashioning Felt.
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Felting Soap and warm water is then added to the woollen fibres and massaged slightly in order to irritate the wool. This process encourages the fibres to begin bonding to one another.
Pictures taken from; National Design museum, Fashioning Felt.
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Felting The resist is then flipped onto the other side, and the over hanging wool is brought back onto the resist. The process then begins again, until roughly four layers of wool is covering each side of the resist.
Pictures taken from; National Design museum, Fashioning Felt.
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Felting Once the layers are completed, the felt is massaged further between two pieces of bubble wrap. It is then wrapped up in a bamboo mat and rolled until the resist begins to buckle.
Pictures taken from; National Design museum, Fashioning Felt.
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Felting A small incision is then made in the felt to remove the resist. The felt is then rolled again until the wool feels properly felted.
Pictures taken from; National Design museum, Fashioning Felt.
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Felting The now felted pod can then be rinsed out to remove the excess soap and left to dry.
Pictures taken from; http://janesdailyblah.blogspot.co.uk/2008_04_01_archive.html http://thestationspin.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/felt.html
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Felting; process Becky Taylor