Teddy Bears and Critters - Australasia

I am in a mood of sharing tips, hehehehehehe!

Some of you might have not tried it yet.

Sheep wool is great for stuffing bears : it can be stuffed very firmly.

I now get mine from a friend living nearby who has a few sheeps. He gives me the dirty wool for free (he used to through it away).

I need to wash it before use.

First I remove all the straw pieces etc by hand.

Then I wash it with handwash powder soap. I use water lightly warm (not hot, as the wool would felt).

I put a part of the wool (not too much at the time) in the bath and stir gently with my hands for a few minutes. Sheep wool contains lanolin, which is very greasy, smelly, orange, and has insecticide properties.

I usualy need to do a second bath in clean soapy water (and a third one when needed). Then I rince it in two or three bathes of clean water (always stir very gently to avoid felting).

Then I put it outside to dry.

It never gets as clean as the wool you can buy from your favourite retailers, but a little lanolin left can only do some good to the bears as it keeps insects away. Plus it smells great.

So if you have sheeps nearby, think about asking if you can get some wool!

Beary hugs,

Sophie.

Sophie I always use wool in my heads when I am going to needle felt a face and in the muzzle when I want it to be really firm...you're right about it packing down firmly...it's great!