#angora fiber

[unidentifiedmammal]

Okay i am still procrastinating on a larger/more comprehensive post but heres some of the colors i have so far from lichens, both AM and BWM (Ammomia method, sometimes called ammonia fermentation but there's no actual bacterial activity; then the boiling water method, literally what it sounds like)

I took them under 3 different indoor light sources to try to show the variance of the colors, sadly not the sun as it is hiding behind the clouds as of late

from left to right: first two lavender-like purple are silk, dyed with an fuzzily-ID'd lecanora/ochrolechia like lichen that was AM prepared; the second one used the same lichens but prepared different (second ammonia soak)

the third one is wool using a similar lichen that was also AM prepared, i was almost worried it wouldnt work/i messed up the vat because i set the pH too low but surprisingly it didn't brown out and turned a lovely pink salmon color

the white is the base color of the silk

the fifth one is some french angora rabbit that i dyed using ruffle lichens via the BWM method; a lovely intense orange

the 6th and 8th were dyed with ruffle lichens (BWM) as well a long time ago so i don't recall the details

the 7th was dyed with usnea lichens (BWM) around the same time as 6 and 8

Finally, the last two tiny strings were AM dyed a long time ago and i almost forgot about making them!

Of course, all lichens should be collected from deadfall, not directly from a tree/rock/etc to avoid overharvesting. It's also important to keep chemical safety in mind if you work with ammonia, or even things like alum and vinegar!

All the yarn was spun myself on a drop spindle too, after dyeing the fiber clouds (very technical term i know)

I have more posts i want to make on lichen dyes and the making/using thereof once i get my head screwed back on correctly, specifically some recent shenanigans concerning the first three yarns! the chemical pigment itself, the history, the troubleshooting, etc. Which i think will be very cool

Bonus drop spindle, and a ruffle lichen comparison!

You can even see an orange spot on the otherwise minty slate green of the ruffle lichens where it had started to decompose!

[stitchinforfair]

This is going to be me at the Fiber Festival tomorrow. I cannot wait to get my hands on local angora and wool!

Guilty as charged 😁✌️

[angoragoats]

Mother and newborn

[g3nderfuckdoll]

angora is a geep plushie whos geepussy is a ripped seam with a cute lil button clit 💕🧸 she gets sewn up as aftercare by her owner and loves it 🪡💕🩷💞🩷💞🩷💞🩷

[sas-afras]

thinking about preston learning how to knit/crochet… give that man some hobbies that aren’t Having Survivors Guilt and Alcoholism

[yarndrag]

my fursona Angora! she is a magical geep plushie. shes crocheted and its eyes are wet felted w wool and silk and hand stitched together. made by my hands and I love her 🐑🐏🧶💞✨

[blackmageeljin]

COME CHECK OUT MY MAKERPLACE STORE

https://www.michaels.com/makerplace/storefront/little-brown-bat-ranch

I have metaphysical jewelry!!! Soon I will have EVEN MORE JEWELRY and eventually I will have GOAT FIBER. AND BEE PRODUCTS!!! But our hive is in its first year so we may not have any honey or wax to harvest until next year, but still!

[melonpond]

I think having 2,000$ to spend at a fiber festival could cure me

[amimere]

tdf update 1:

[ID in ALT]

first project of tdf is done! a small and slightly uneven skein of 100% angora yarn. the fiber was bought as "second class" so the staple length was all over the place, hence the unevenness, but despite this it was a joy to spin :D

[angoragoats]

Not even a week old

[g3nderfuckdoll]

Im not sure i ever formally introduced Angora (she/it)! She is my fursona a magical geep plushie who eats yarn 🩷

i crocheted her and wet felted its eyes with wool and silk and then handstitched her together🪡 it was all very intimate 🧶🐏💖

18+ interaction only pls

[qipsir]

As a vegan who used to use a LOT of felt in crafts, the only thing I will note is try to make sure you're buying from a place that actually treats the sheep well. Yes, sheering doesn't hurt the sheep - unless it gets nicked by the sheers - but as far as I know the whole vegan debate with wool has to do more with how the sheep is cared for when alive, not the wool itself.

Angora, wool, heck you can even make yarn out of shed dog and cat fur. Even people hair!

Besides. If you go out of your way to find a fiber farm that you know takes good care of their animals and you get your wools and yarns from there, congrats you're also supporting a small/local business :]

Specifically on the note of angora rabbit fiber, check out cedharhillfiberfarm on Instagram and TikTok. They have some videos of both sheering their rabbits and plucking the fur while spinning it to show the reality of the process when it's done gently and correctly

Happy crafting

P.S. Honey is also vegan. it's a rather popular observation with beekeepers that if bees aren't happy with the conditions they're living in, they can and will just up and leave. Again, farming facilities are ideally not where you want to be getting your stuff from, but bees produce more honey than they could ever need. It's fine to collect the honey. There's actually a really cool flow hive invention that shifts the honeycomb panels so the honey can be collected without disturbing the bees and I'm so looking forward to seeing it become a more common practice

P.P.S. if you are looking for a non-animal derived textile, there are PLENTY of plant-based textiles as well. I actually just found a shop that sells mulberry silk yarn and I am so incredibly hyped to be able to get some. Linens, hemp, bamboo, cotton, seriously there are so many types. Plastic textiles are NOT necessary.

[botchallthethings]

OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS ANGORA RABBIT. IT IS SO SOFT.

[benswift-eyeskull]

Dining Room Kitchen Dining Atlanta An expansive transitional kitchen/dining room design example

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

see many people do this >:)

*coral = color

** EEW 6 = electric spinning wheel

*** said mohair fleece can be combed into functional fiber to spin w patience n strength

**** rainbow mini sheep (rainbow not in order)

[cyberneticdryad]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Things I would like from the fiber fair this weekend in order of priority:

Buttons (for the shirt I'm crocheting right now)

Rolags (as I haven't spun with them before)

Angora, Cashmere, or Mohair (as I haven't spun them yet)

Sock blockers (to finally entice me to finish my socks?)

Rambouillet (as it has been my favourite to spin by a mile)

Crochet patterns? (still mulling over all this Mohair yarn...)