BETHE ORRELL
Wool Blankets
By Bethe Orrell
Have you ever worn wool? Did you think is was scratchy around your neck. Well, that is partly fantasy for most wools. Sweaters were made to be worn, but the finishing on the wool is what makes it itch in many cases.
I have found wool to be one of the most intriguing fibers of all. Having raised sheep at one time and visited to a New Zealand sheep farm are some of the experiences that led me to choosing wool for the blankets I weave. They are soft and warm, lightweight, and I find wool to be one of the premier fibers to weave.
There are many varieties of sheep found throughout the world. The domestic breeds are generally raised for multiple purposes, i.e., wool, meat, milk. There are approximately 200 sheep breeds who fulfill these various needs. Geographically, particularly in the UK, sheep are described as highland or lowland breeds. In other cases, sheep are described by their adaptation to various climates.
Sheep produce a wide variety of types and natural colors of wool. Merino sheep, which produce a dense, curly fleece currently dominate the industrial world. The Corriedale
There are merino sheep which depending on where and how they were raised can be the softest of wool varieties or it can be course and thick for carpet weaving. Then there are other varieties like Lincoln (mostly for coats) Rambouilett, Shetlland (think Fair Isle sweaters.)
The two wool varieties I use for blanket weaving are merino and a local historical breed known as churro. Churro sheep have an extra set of horns on them. They are raised mainly in northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. They are thought to be of Spanish origin, but the wool was used for eons by the native peoples of northern New Mexico, the Navajo and Hopi in particular.
Churro is what many of the Spanish and Native American rugs and wall hangings are made from. The sheep come in several natural colors from dark to creamy white and can be used as is or if the guard hairs are removed - those are the non-wicking hairs that keep the sheep dry in rain or snow – Churro can be a lofty yarn for blanket weaving. I use churro because I live in New Mexico. I can buy the yarn from sheep farms in Taos, Espanola, Mora, Las Vegas and other rural areas of northern New Mexico, then send it to be cleaned, spun and coned for my uses.
For warp in blankets I often use Merino, finely spun and soft. I can combine this merino with alpaca, mohair, even cotton to end up with a blanket that is lightweight with a very nice drape and comfortable to wrap yourself in on a stormy New Mexico winter night next to the pinon fire with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
Bethe Orrell is a production weaver in Tijeras, New Mexico. She runs Bees Fiber Studio, which makes towels, blankets and rugs, mats and napkins. She owned Good Fibrations in Edgewood,New Mexico and was a one time director of Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center. Find her on the web at beesfiberstudio.com
By Bethe Orrell
Have you ever worn wool? Did you think is was scratchy around your neck. Well, that is partly fantasy for most wools. Sweaters were made to be worn, but the finishing on the wool is what makes it itch in many cases.
I have found wool to be one of the most intriguing fibers of all. Having raised sheep at one time and visited to a New Zealand sheep farm are some of the experiences that led me to choosing wool for the blankets I weave. They are soft and warm, lightweight, and I find wool to be one of the premier fibers to weave.
There are many varieties of sheep found throughout the world. The domestic breeds are generally raised for multiple purposes, i.e., wool, meat, milk. There are approximately 200 sheep breeds who fulfill these various needs. Geographically, particularly in the UK, sheep are described as highland or lowland breeds. In other cases, sheep are described by their adaptation to various climates.
Sheep produce a wide variety of types and natural colors of wool. Merino sheep, which produce a dense, curly fleece currently dominate the industrial world. The Corriedale
There are merino sheep which depending on where and how they were raised can be the softest of wool varieties or it can be course and thick for carpet weaving. Then there are other varieties like Lincoln (mostly for coats) Rambouilett, Shetlland (think Fair Isle sweaters.)
The two wool varieties I use for blanket weaving are merino and a local historical breed known as churro. Churro sheep have an extra set of horns on them. They are raised mainly in northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. They are thought to be of Spanish origin, but the wool was used for eons by the native peoples of northern New Mexico, the Navajo and Hopi in particular.
Churro is what many of the Spanish and Native American rugs and wall hangings are made from. The sheep come in several natural colors from dark to creamy white and can be used as is or if the guard hairs are removed - those are the non-wicking hairs that keep the sheep dry in rain or snow – Churro can be a lofty yarn for blanket weaving. I use churro because I live in New Mexico. I can buy the yarn from sheep farms in Taos, Espanola, Mora, Las Vegas and other rural areas of northern New Mexico, then send it to be cleaned, spun and coned for my uses.
For warp in blankets I often use Merino, finely spun and soft. I can combine this merino with alpaca, mohair, even cotton to end up with a blanket that is lightweight with a very nice drape and comfortable to wrap yourself in on a stormy New Mexico winter night next to the pinon fire with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
Bethe Orrell is a production weaver in Tijeras, New Mexico. She runs Bees Fiber Studio, which makes towels, blankets and rugs, mats and napkins. She owned Good Fibrations in Edgewood,New Mexico and was a one time director of Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center. Find her on the web at beesfiberstudio.com
