Etsy Craft Party at the Transistor!

Posted by on 2013/05/23

 

The transistor is hosting an Etsy Craft Party!  Member Rachel Faul is organizing this event.

When:  Thursday, June 20, 2013 6pm-10pm

Where:  Orem Transistor

RSVP:  http://oremcraftparty.eventbrite.com/  We’ve hit 50 RSVPs and are full!  If I’ve asked you personally if you would come, don’t worry about whether or not you need an RSVP.  I’ll make sure there’s room.

What will we make?

*wool dryer balls

*fairy egg in a glass vial pendant

*mini embroideries

Project details from Rachel:

The dryer balls will be more than just that; I’d like to show how to select wool thrift store sweaters for various making purposes, how to unravel them into yarn, how to turn some of the yarn into roving with cheap wire slicker brushes ($4.50 at the grocery store, rather than $25-50 for a wool carder), and how to use felted wool, wool yarn, and wool roving to make a sturdy dryer ball that won’t unravel. Hopefully people will come away with a thorough knowledge of how to recycle a wool sweater for lots of different uses.

 

making an upcycled wool dryer ball

 

If enough people are interested in other projects for a class at a later date, there are lots we could do. Some I’m considering offering (depending on interest) in the future are:

bent wood rings
homemade ipad stylus
LED jewelry, possibly with a lemon juice flower battery (depending on interest and time)
sensory toys for autistic kids (and other kids with sensory challenges), especially those made from recycled wool, cashmere, linen, and silk – if anyone wants, we can discuss weighted toys for proprioceptive reinforcement, pocket calming items, communication books/cards, etc.

 

So… what is recycled wool good for?  Here are some of wool’s properties that make it great for so many different purposes.  This is why I’m so passionate about recycling it and keeping it from being wasted in landfills.

 

  • strong, flexible fibers resist breaking far better than other fibers like cotton, rayon, and even silk
  • resists tearing (see above)
  • naturally antimicrobial and resistant to mildew
  • resistant to body odors (and other kinds of stink)
  • resists dust mites, making homes less prone to causing allergy-induced respiratory distress and asthma
  • wicks away moisture effectively without becoming waterlogged (due to the layers on the shaft of the fiber)
  • can absorb 30% of its weight in water without feeling damp – cotton feels damp after absorbing just 15%
  • regulates body temperature
  • naturally insulating – good for home insulation, as well
  • protein based, making it easy to dye with nontoxic food coloring and natural acids – which doesn’t bleed color
  • felting ability makes it much more versatile for different kinds of shapes and density
  • can be left with the natural lanolin to be extremely water resistant
  • different types of wool have different thicknesses of fiber, increasing their range of applications
  • wool batting doesn’t shift, unlike down and other materials
  • extremely fire resistant and self extinguishing
  • wrinkle resistant
  • easy to sew, non slippery
  • breathable, soft, and comfortable
  • resists dirt, easy to clean (due to the scales on the wool fibers)
  • deters static (by retaining very small amounts of water in the fibers)
  • mostly non-allergenic (allergies more likely when wool is processed with harsh chemicals)
  • alpaca wool contains no lanolin and is hypo-allergenic
  • “itchy” wool usually has more than 3% of its fibers thicker than 28 microns
  • merino wool, which has very fine fibers, is resistant to pilling
  • helps prevent bedsores and skin ulcers
  • eco-friendly and renewable

I’ve put together a pinterest board with a bunch of different, beautifully inspiring, recycled wool projects on Pinterest. A couple weren’t made with recycled wool but can easily be done with it. The board is here: http://pinterest.com/rachelfaul/recycled-wool/

I’ve also compiled a bunch of my own pictures of recycled wool projects from the past few years into a flickr set here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocafa/sets/72157634124230009/

 
Orem Transistor, Public Events

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