I’m working on some new needle felting kits and I’m in love with “curly locks.” These locks, come from Blue-faced Leicester sheep and they have the cutest, tiniest curls I’ve ever seen. Right now the locks come, as they are, white with a little sand. Although, they have been washed, they are not overly processed, because this would destroy their curls. I am told by professional needle felters that, and I quote, “curly locks always come this way (sandy). It’s part of their charm.”
White curly locks worked for a few of my new kits, however, I needed, to add a little colour for a few more, so I dyed up some of the locks. First, I needed yellow for a lion’s mane. I started with Turmeric. Wow, what a blast!! Who would have thought that something as basic as Turmeric could turn wool a neon yellow!!
Fortunately, the soothing nature of tea brought the colour down to a nice ochre. I soaked the yellow locks in a strong bath (3 bags) of orange pekoe and Voila! – a mellower yellow, just perfect for a friendly lion’s mane.
The kits, I’m preparing will be a set of 12. So far I have put together 6 kits. I have another 6 to go.
Can you guess the theme?