By Linda Klapwyk
Materials Used
Wool
Using various types of dyed wool and blending wool fibres together provides a colorful and
textured palette to work with. Merino wool is exceptionally soft and fine and has the ability to
migrate well into silks and other fabrics. I buy my wool from Canadian suppliers and use
everything from washed fleece, yarn, Corriedale wool, and merino batting and roving. Roving is
unspun carded wool fibres that hang in long and narrow bundles.
Silk
I use silk fibres to enhance texture and luster in my projects. Pulled silk, silk cord, hand-dyed
margilan silk, mulberry roving, recycled sari ribbon and fabrics, silk chiffon, gauze, habotai, and
pongee are all able to be worked into wool. Most of my silk is sourced from Uzbekistan, India,
and Vietnam.
Other Fibres
Other fibres can be felted into wool and silk. My favorites are bamboo, banana silk, cotton
tops, viscose, and angelina fibres. These are especially good for added sparkle and light
reflection.