OT(sort of) sheepskin

As some of you may remember, I make (among lots of other things) wearable
farm art. It is for competitions held at field days in Australia and New
Zealand. Two years ago I won the Australian National title and won a trip to
new Zealand to compete in their comp. with a design called "Viva Las Vegas"
A picture is here ( first picture)
http://www.eyrepeninsulafielddays.co...t_examples.htm
Garments have to be made with stuff found or produced on a farm. I have made
heaps of different designs and will eventually post pictures and have used,
tractor parts, wire netting, wool bales, inner tubes, sheep poo (makes
lovely beading on garments!) beans, wheat copper wire etc. etc.
I want to use sheep pelts for the next one but can't seem to find any info
on tanning that leaves the wool on. Can anyone help or point me in the right
direction?
Thank-you........Amelia

Loved the outfit, Amelia!
I did a quick 'google' and came up with various site that described the
tanning process of sheepskin and shearling (skin will wool still attached).
I've also visited Egli's sheep farm in Northern Ontario and purchased scraps
from them for use in crafts (I know, it sounds crazy to tote two bags of
fleece scraps across Canada - but now I regret not buying more!) and if you
contact them, they might be able to pass on some pointers. Their website
is:
http://www.eglifarm.com/
They have all sorts of things to do with sheep so they would probably have
some answers!
Cynthia

"romanyroamer" wrote in message
...
As some of you may remember, I make (among lots of other things) wearable
farm art. It is for competitions held at field days in Australia and New
Zealand. Two years ago I won the Australian National title and won a trip
to
new Zealand to compete in their comp. with a design called "Viva Las
Vegas"
A picture is here ( first picture)
http://www.eyrepeninsulafielddays.co...t_examples.htm
Garments have to be made with stuff found or produced on a farm. I have
made
heaps of different designs and will eventually post pictures and have
used,
tractor parts, wire netting, wool bales, inner tubes, sheep poo (makes
lovely beading on garments!) beans, wheat copper wire etc. etc.
I want to use sheep pelts for the next one but can't seem to find any info
on tanning that leaves the wool on. Can anyone help or point me in the
right
direction?
Thank-you........Amelia

Hi Chris,
I'm actually using lamb tails.........Buggers to skin! They are so easy to
tear. Because they were very dirty, I put them through a double cycle on the
washing machine. They have come out extremely white and supple. I have
rubbed cooking salt into each one and they are in a bucket. Is that O.K or
should they dry out? I noticed that fluid is collecting in the bottom (well
duhh.that's what salt does!) do I just keep empting that out? I tried to
email you but it bounced. Thank-you.
Thank-you Cynthia,
I went to a towel factory in Tasmania (a long,long way from home) did I buy
towels? No way I came away with bags and bags of wonderfully coloured
threads that I have used to weave rugs and toweling scraps that have been
used for a myriad of things
...........Amelia



"Cynthia Spilsted" wrote in message
...
Loved the outfit, Amelia!
I did a quick 'google' and came up with various site that described the
tanning process of sheepskin and shearling (skin will wool still
attached).
I've also visited Egli's sheep farm in Northern Ontario and purchased
scraps
from them for use in crafts (I know, it sounds crazy to tote two bags of
fleece scraps across Canada - but now I regret not buying more!) and if
you
contact them, they might be able to pass on some pointers. Their website
is:
http://www.eglifarm.com/
They have all sorts of things to do with sheep so they would probably have
some answers!
Cynthia

"romanyroamer" wrote in message
...
As some of you may remember, I make (among lots of other things)
wearable
farm art. It is for competitions held at field days in Australia and New
Zealand. Two years ago I won the Australian National title and won a
trip
to
new Zealand to compete in their comp. with a design called "Viva Las
Vegas"
A picture is here ( first picture)
http://www.eyrepeninsulafielddays.co...t_examples.htm
Garments have to be made with stuff found or produced on a farm. I have
made
heaps of different designs and will eventually post pictures and have
used,
tractor parts, wire netting, wool bales, inner tubes, sheep poo (makes
lovely beading on garments!) beans, wheat copper wire etc. etc.
I want to use sheep pelts for the next one but can't seem to find any
info
on tanning that leaves the wool on. Can anyone help or point me in the
right
direction?
Thank-you........Amelia