top of page

DEMAS Fiber Arts

What is Fiber Arts?

 

There are different processes for working with different fibers, such as  Wool, flax, silk, and cotton. The DEMAS Fiber Arts focuses on the use of wool primarily.

​

When you get wool from the sheep it is dirty and filled with plant matter. The first step is to 'skirt' the fleece, which just means to clean it. Fleece can come from sheep, alpacas, llamas, and yak when you shear it. The animal is not killed so that it can continue to produce material for future projects.

​

​

​

​

​

​

After you 'skirt' the fleece you wash, rinse, and dry the the fleece

​

​

​

​

​

​

After cleaning the fleece, you comb the fleece to produce 'top' which is what you spin into worsted yarn or thread. this is where you get worsted suits. The leftover from the combed wool is 'carded' to produce woolen. 

​

​

​

 

​

When you 'card' wool you cross the strands of wool so that the fibers trap air. This is what produces 'woolen'. The air trapped between the fibers will be warmed by body heat. This is why woolen sweaters, socks, and mittens work so well to keep you warm.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

After you have carded the wool, you can start spinning it. You can spin with a drop spindle or spinning wheel, There are various types of drop spindles. Turkish Drop Spindle, Top Whorl, Bottom Whorland, and Support Spindle. When you spin the fleece you spin them clockwise.

​

​

​

​

​

​

There are two types of spinning wheels.

Saxony Wheel (this is the kind that was used by Sleeping Beauty)

​

​

​

​

​

​

The Castle Style Wheel is a more modern style than the Saxony Wheel.

​

​

​

​

​

​

After spinning two bobbins of singles on the wheel, you will then 'ply' (twist them together counter-clockwise) them together to produce yarn. You then 'set the twist' by soaking it in hot water. Then you 'snap' it to evenly distribute the twist so that the yarn is balanced. Then you hang it out to dry.

​

After the yarn has dried, you now have a finished skein of yarn with which you can crochet, weave, knit, or braid.

​

​

​

​

​

​

Weaving

Belt Loom

​

 

 

​

​

​

Inkle Loom (like the Viking Loom)

​

​

​

​

​

​

Backstrap Loom

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Shaft Loom

​

​

​

​

​

​

Rigid Heddle Loom

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

Hand Weaving

 

 

Lucet (Viking knitting Fork)

​

​

​

​

​

​

Double Lucet

​

 

 

 

 

5-Finger Weaving

​

 

 

 

 

 

Knitting

​

 

​

​

 

 

Crochet

​

 

​

​

 

 

 

Macrame

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

The group is for people who enjoy Fiber Arts, want to learn Fiber Arts, or just want to

hang out with folks who share an interest with you.
 

The group covers a very wide range of Fiber Arts. We do, sewing, knitting, embroidery,

weaving, crocheting, spinning, etc. You can learn fiber processing, from fleece to fabric

is also done.
 

Is there something you have always wanted to try but didn’t know where to start? We

can help with that. The group has people at all stages, beginners, intermediate, and

more.
 

Come join us at various Renaissance faires, Scottish Festivals, events, and Fiber Arts group meet-ups.
 

For further information please contact us at

DEMASFiberArts@gmail.com

Or visit our Facebook group:

DEMAS Fiber Arts Group

bottom of page