Hello to One and All! For a source for wool blankets look at army/navy surplus stores. You can get wool blankets there. I one that I use alot is: http://www.majorsurplus.com/Default.aspx But look online for one in your area. Susie Rose Up in the mountains outside of Las Vegas Prayers, love and hugs go out to all who are in need. My online store: http://SusieRose.blujay.com My Space: http://www.myspace.com/susie2roses Mom for UFO 12 for 12; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UFO12for12/ Mom for Death by Socks: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DeathbySocks
--- On Sun, 10/5/08, Clay Blackwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Clay Blackwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [lace] Re: Felt Padding for any Lace Pillow To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected] Date: Sunday, October 5, 2008, 9:08 AM There is no argument at all from this corner! However, finding the old wool blankets and pure wool felt is rather difficult. And if we're covering foam for pillow blocks, and that foam is going to have moisture-holding properties, it seems rather futile to go to any great length to fine good wool. Rather like casting pearls before swine. So, given that we're working with a less than perfect pillow, it makes sense to keep your work progressing so that pins don't have to stay in place for months at a time!! That's a good excuse to work at your lace every day! Jeri's wise observations about the inherent drawbacks of our inexpensive "make-do" pillows point out why our "good" pillows cost so much - and are worth it. Clay [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Dear Lacemakers, > > Thirty years ago, I was taught to use wool - not a synthetic - for > padding lace pillows. Reason is that wool breathes and releases > moisture through evaporation. Foam and synthetics hold moisture long > enough to damage pins. You do not want rusted pins in your lace > pillows. Many of us keep pins and lace on pillows a lot longer than > did lacemakers of old, who were intent on selling lace. > > **We are an international list, and many lacemakers on Arachne live in > damp climates, or they use humidifiers in dry houses in heating > seasons, or boil liquids that create in-home steam!!** > > Look for old camp blankets and khaki-colored wool army blankets at > flea markets and places that sell used household goods. It does not > matter if they have small holes, as long as you layer the padding so > holes are not one above the other. > > Wash in machine at hottest water setting. Rinse to get out as much > lanolin and soap as possible. Make there are no fugitive dyes. Dry > in very hot dryer, which will collect fuzz that may be a concern to > those who are allergic. All this will make clean felted wool ideal > for padding lace pillows. > > If you like the advice above, you could go begging for old wool > blankets. Put a note in your local lace club's newsletter. Ask > people to check the trunks in their attics (or the attics of elderly > relatives) for old wool blankets that you can felt and use. You can > also felt old wool clothing, such as sweaters and skirts. Search for > felting instructions on-line. > > If there is an argument against using wool felt padding on lace > pillows, I would like to learn about it. > > Jeri Ames > Lace and Embroidery Resource Center > > In a message dated 10/2/2008 3:57:34 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Hi Susie - > > I definitely would have used wool if I could have gotten it. But the > felt I used was a "blend"... probably more acrylic than wool, but > enough wool to make it feel like "real" felt. The felt "dampens" the > harsh feel and sound you get on bare foam, and gives the "feel" of > working on a wool pillow. The foam that Ken sells doesn't grip > the pins > as much as other foams I've used, so there's less "squeaking" to > start > with. But... add the felt, and I hardly notice it. It's been a > nice > pillow. > Someone else mentioned using quilting batting between the block > and the > block cover. This would work well too, I think... as long as you > get a > good quality cotton batting that doesn't have slubs of cotton > chaff in > it and is not thick. Some battings are synthetic, and quite > high-loft, > and these would be entirely unsuitable, imo..... > > Clay > > C Johnson wrote: > Hello everyone, > > I am interested in the layer of felt, Clay, Did you use wool or > acrylic > felt? > Thanks, > Susie > Morris, IL > > > I needed a pillow for a large project. I ordered foam blocks > from Ken > > van Dieren (he's in the US, as I am, but I'm sure you can find a > > source in the UK). My pillow is wider than it is high, because I > > reasoned that the space at the top would be wasted. So, I have > three > > 5.5" blocks on each side, and three 11" blocks going down the > middle. > > (14 and 28 cm) so the total width is 22" (about 56 cm) and the > height > > is 16.5" (42 cm). I started my work near the top of the center > block, > > and as I've progressed, I've just moved the blocks up. I also > made a > > pair of "half-blocks" which are 11" wide but only 2.75" deep. This > > makes it easier to move the blocks in smaller steps. > > My blocks are covered first with a layer of felt and then with navy > > twill. It is a very satisfactory pillow, and I expect to use it > for a > > lot of things. > > > > > > - > To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the > line: > unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > New *MapQuest Local* shows what's happening at your destination. > Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out > <http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001>! - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
