I saw roving and felting needles at Joannes

[ilikethedesert]

I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about it. Me thinks more sad. I was in Joanne Fabrics and on an end cap they had tiny bits of brightly colored wool roving packed into little bags and overpriced. They also had felting needles and multi needle tools with bright plastic handles. Now don't get me wrong, I love needle felting and think its great that other people discover the joys and that they can make their own toys, art, etc... But I feel like this display was selling out the whole thing.

There is something primal and beautiful about knowing where your wool comes from, buying your supplies from a small business and creating.
Buying it from a large chain store where everything is packaged in plastic with fancy labels just doesn't seem right.

THanks for letting me vent.

[Baby Hopes]

I was actually excited to see the roving and felting supplies at JoAnns. I'd love to know my wool supplier and buy from small business, but the truth is I don't. I don't even have a clue as to go about doing that. I imagine if someone were to really get into felting, they'd start searching out the best on their own. Who knows, maybe now more people will put their feet in the door and try it out.

[Miss Information]

I know what you mean, but at least it puts it out there for people to try. And quite honestly, I did "buy out" and buy one set of the needles and the colored wool roving. I also have natural wool batting I got from weirdollsandcrafts and can tell you that I prefer the natural wool over the roving from the store, because the roving from the store looks "spiky" even after using the needles a million times. The natural wool batting doesn't spike all over the place. I need to find a way to dye it, because I want the colors for certain projects and I have a ton of it (I didn't realize 2 lbs of wool batting goes a LONG, LONG way).

[isaberg]

$350/lb is a lousy deal, even with the 50% off coupons...

I've been selling roving on the side for a few years, and someone off of Craigslist sent me a note asking about the JoAnne's stuff a few months ago. I did the math, and realized that JoAnne's is selling colored roving bits for $350 a pound. Really. Just a few grams in a tiny little package for $3 or so, and it adds up. Most (local, sustainable, hand-dyed) roving sells for $16-40/lb. And yeah, it doesn't have the snazzy packaging, but really!

[Baby Hopes]

How does someone go about finding a local source? For someone like myself (with zero experience) the whole idea is overwhelming.

[isaberg]

Hmm. Find a spinning group in your area and ask them - here's a worldwide list: http://www.interweave.com/spin/resou...ds/default.asp

Call local knitting shops. Minnesota department of agriculture has a "Made in Minnesota" listing of small local producers of absolutely everything; Texas might have it. Check Craigslist. Anybody else have good ideas?

[isaberg]

Oh yeah - look in your phonebook for anyone selling weaving or spinning equipment. If they sell spinning wheels, they will absolutely know where to find roving.

[CallMeKelly]

I looked it up on google, but I searched for sheep first and narrowed it down from there to a sheep farm.

[ilikethedesert]

isaberg, you're work is awesome!!!!!

I don't necessarily get my wool locally, but online from a small US farm. Being vegan in almost all aspects of life, I have the moral issue of using wool to deal with. THe way I work around it is to only buy my wool from a source that doesn't eat or breed their sheep.

THAT is hard to find so if anyone knows of any farms like that, please pass along the info to me! I've only been able to find one farm so far!

[isaberg]

Originally Posted by ilikethedesert

isaberg, you're work is awesome!!!!!

Thanks. It keeps me distracted. :-)

Originally Posted by ilikethedesert

THe way I work around it is to only buy my wool from a source that doesn't eat or breed their sheep.

THAT is hard to find so if anyone knows of any farms like that, please pass along the info to me! I've only been able to find one farm so far!

Well, what I would suggest for that is track down sheep shearers in the area. Call up any sheep farm at all, or any vet (cause the vet would know the name of any big-animal vets, who might know) and get their shearer's name. Then call them up to find out whether they do shearing for anybody who has a couple pet sheep out back. Because that's what you want. Most of the time, folks with pet sheep just give the wool to the shearer, rather than keeping it.

Another route for finding someone? Post a request on Craigslist.

The problem with that is often that they're some random breed with lousy wool, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Anyone: if you ever do find wool right off the sheep, it's very easy to send it off to get it washed/carded. You aren't _required_ to go all granola about the process, if you don't want to. :-)

[ilikethedesert]

That's a great idea!!!!! THANK YOU!! I love my supplier but it would be nice to have more than one. I was given one fleece that I washed and have been hand carding as needed. One of these days I'll try dying it myself. Just haven't gotten there yet!

[Baby Hopes]

MyStupidSpaceBarIsBroken...sorry...ButIFoundASpinn ingGroupInMyTown!...I'mSoExcited!!

[ian'smommaya]

this is a wonderful thread. isa your stuff is incredible. i love the colors.
tell me you sell the dyed wool.