Hints and Patterns

Try Dyeing Wool Fleeces in the Grease!

I tried dyeing in the grease with white Shetland, and I LOVE the results I’ve gotten. I sorted out 2 lbs of fleece, which is just about what will fit into my largest dye pot. I first prepared the dye bath with the vinegar, dye powder, a squeeze of liquid detergent (Ivory or Dawn) to use as a wetting agent. I then added the DRY fleece, pushing it down into the dye liquid which filled about ½-3/4 of the pot. I then put it on the stove and set it to simmer at a low temperature for at least an hour. Allow it to cool in the dye pot, then wash, rinse and dry the fiber as usual. Beautiful.

My Favorite Ways of Working with Mohair

Always wash it first. Wash it as soon as you can because it will be next to impossible to get clean if you let it sit too long. Don't try to work with it without washing. Mohair grease is not the same as wool grease. Pick it apart a bit before you wash. I do about a pound at a time in my laundry sink and use the blue Dawn. Water as hot as you can get it. First wash: squeeze in a quick 15 count of Dawn - to a swimming pool blue color. Soak for 30-minutes minimum, one hour is better. You can work the tips under water only. Rinse, then do a second wash with a little less Dawn. Then at least two more rinses. I sometimes use laundry blueing in the final rinse to get rid of any yellow cast. Kid mohair will take less washing and very greasy yearling/tight lock will take more.

I like all grades of mohair, finding all of them to be soft/shiny and it's just how you work with them as to how they are perceived. As far as yearling and adult go, I find that the flatter lock structure is actually softer & shinier, although it might not look as attractive initially. Kid can be very cottony & easily damaged. Yearling is classic for Santa beards & doll hair, but can be wirier. I guess that when you get down to it, yearling is my least favorite. Naturally colored mohair tends to be finer & softer overall, if from a good breeding program. The color carrying white goats are very nice. You don't always have to buy kid mohair to get soft mohair.

I will spin pure mohair, but my favorite way of using it is in blends. It adds strength and shine to any wool. As it is not elastic, you will probably want to blend it with wool in most cases, but multiple blends are also possible. I usually blend at the carding stage, but a ply of mohair with a ply of another fiber will work also, depending on the effect wanted. My basic yarn blend is 60% fine or medium fine wool with 40% soft adult mohair.

Mohair by itself will need more twist than wool because it is slippery. It also will usually shed for a while in a pure yarn & then, if well spun, stop shedding. I usually 2-ply it for stability, but a tailspun yarn can be spun as a heft single with a lot of twist. I like to do a tailspun, plied with a contrasting color smooth ply for stability & eye appeal. A tailspun is a yarn spun from a "wad" of slightly opened/picked mohair, leaving curls/tails of the fiber to stick out from the twist. Mohair also spins up beautifully from a carded or combed preparation, with the combed preparation being a little harder to work with as to slickness.

Mohair takes any acid dye beautifully. You get an intensity with it that you cannot get with any other fiber. I especially like to dye the washed, opened locks up & then either card the mixture or spin it up from the wad. When I have my favorite blend made up, I will either dye it in the roving or in the yarn, probably about equally. Depends on what I want to do with it for what effect.

Knitted/Crocheted/Woven Cocoon

Copyright, 1996, updated 2006 – again, feel free to use the pattern, but please don’t copy to publish. Thanks.

Gauge for your own yarn, needles & style of knitting, crocheting or weaving. Choose any combination of stitches & stitch pattern desired. Knit loosely for a good drape to the fabric. This is a great pattern for odds & ends, glamour yarns & experimenting. Try it with a mohair Tail Spun Yarn, knitted up quickly and loosely on Size 13 or 15 needles. Make it with a simple YO, K2tog “lace” pattern. Try it knitted by hand or on a machine - your choice!

If Knitting, cast on the number of stitches need to make a minimum 20" width fabric. 20” gives you a basic, elbow-length, waist length cocoon/shrug/cardigan jacket with no pleating. Knit this to a mimimum length of 60".

For a more glamorous, generous shape, knit a 24”-30" wide by 72 or so" long fabric. This will give you a longer body length, longer sleeves and a fuller look with some pleating.

Play with and use up some of your lengths of fabric in your stash. This is perfect for those mill ends of velvet, jersey, rayon or whatever you had to have, but didn’t know what to do with. Embellish as you like. Combine fabrics and techniques. Remember, you are making a “glamour garment”, so anything goes.

THE KEY TO THIS GARMENT IS IN THE FOLDING. LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE DIAGRAM BELOW. IF NECESSARY, COPY IT, CUT OUT THE SHAPE & TRY FOLDING IT BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE REAL GARMENT. IT IS SOMETIMES EASIER TO GET THE CONCEPT IF YOU MAKE A MOCK UP IN FABRIC SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE SEAMS, EASING & PLEATING OR GATHERING COME IN.

a (7"from edge)a c (7"-8"across center)d b (7"from edge)b

c d

Match Corner A to Point A** along top length. Match Corner B to Point B along top length. Match Corner C to Point C along top length. Match Corner D to Point D along top length. Pin, then seam AC along length, and do the same for DB, easing in any fullness along the seam. These are the shoulder/sleeve seams. CD is the back neckline, and it is here that a pleat will come in if you have chosen to make the longer/more generous cocoon. In that case, the original length of CD will be greater than 7"-8" & should end up at that measurement after pleating. The gaps created from AA and BB will be the armholes. Adjust any figures to your measurements.

**Alternately, you may just fold up the ends along the top edge (not trying to match a-a or b-b), just matching c-c and d-d. In this case, to "square off" the wrist you would tuck in the triangular flap left after folding & sewing and tack it down.

Fiber/Yarns/Equipment | Kilt Hose | Stock Sales List | Picture Gallery | Specials

About the Flock | Shows&Workshops | Hints&Ideas | Home | Customer Showcase

Mohair/Wool Tam Pattern with Variations

Materials: 4 oz. 2-ply mohair/wool, Size 6-8 (or size to obtain gauge) double point needles, 16" circular needle for one version, and straight needles for the 2nd version (two of the double points may be used).

Gauge: 4-5sts/inch, suggested Size 6-8 circular and/or double point needles (size can be adjusted by felting)

Directions for Both Circular and Straight Worked Versions

Note: Specifics for straight worked version are in brackets { }.

Cast on 8 stitches onto one needle and distribute onto three needles. {[Cast on 8stitches.} Join stitches, and on first round, increase into each stitch by knitting into each stitch twice (16 stitches). Work one round even. {Even rows are purled.}

2nd increase round: Increase into first stitch (as above), Kl. Repeat around (total 24 stitches). Work one round even. {Even rows are purled.}

3rd increase round: Increase with eyelet as follows:[ (YO,K1) K2]. Repeat (total 32 stitches). Work one round even.

4th increase round: Increase with eyelet as follows: [ (YO,K1) K3]. Repeat (total 40 stitches). Work one round even.

Continue in this manner up to 20 stitches between increase units (the YO,Kl). When this is reached, purl around on the even round, knit one round, purl one round. {Knit 3 rows.}

1st decrease round: [(YO,K3tog) K19]. Repeat. **Note: This is a double decrease and if preferred, SSSK instead of K3tog can be used - as in sample. Work one round even. {Even rows are purled.}

2nd decrease round: [(YO K3tog) K18]. Repeat. Work one round even. {Even rows are purled.}

Continue decreasing as above until 11 stitches between decrease units (the K3tog,YO) (total 96 stitches). Begin K2P2 ribbing at this point and work for about 1" or desired depth. Cast off loosely.

Finishing and Fulling (Felting)

Work in ends. If you have used the straight knitted option, seam carefully, making sure not to sew the edge eyelets closed.

Now comes the fun part. The tam is probably too large (if not, ignore this step). You will full it down to size. The easiest way to do it is to alternately boil the tam in a saucepan on the stove, dunk it in a sinkful of cold water, and tumble it in the clothes dryer on hot. This will shock the yarn and cause it to shrink down to size. When it is the size you want (check it periodically while still slightly damp from the dryer), stop. You may brush the nap up as desired on either the fulled or plain version.