Carding and Felting

Tone carding wool. The word carding comes form latin 'cardus' and it means thistle. If you haven't seen a carder, there are bent bristles (like a stiff hair brush) on it. Carding is to comb the wool to make it soft and fluffy. The carders we are using have been used on the island for at least 70 years.

Tone and I are new in the game, but after trying for a while, it went better and better. We were preparing wool for the kids to felt sitting pads. A journalist came from the local newspaper and made a story on the private 'off school' program we have.

Here is some already carded wool.

Kirsten and Tone went to a meeting with a group of women, who take care of old Norwegian traditional hand crafts (Husflidslag), to practice hand felting before we showed the kids. In this photo, the wool is arranged before the felting process starts.

Here is Kirsten working on her piece. Hand felting is lots of work.

Tone done with her finished piece.

The day has come for the journalist to visit, and we are ready for the kids to card and felt their own sitting pads. Jonas and Axel preparing veggies (and fruit) for snacks while we are working.

Marcus and Barbara in the kitchen. (Note: the kids ate ALL the fruits and veggies).

We tested how wool doesn't burn. Jonas holding matches and a piece of wool we tried to burn.

This is a 'rough' carder. You turn the crank, the drums (with bristles on)  spin and the biggest knots come out. The kids really liked this 'contraption'....

Tone talking about how wool is safe when around fire. It doesn't get stuck to your skin and burn like polyester and other man made fabrics. She told a story of some boys (whom she knows) who played with fire and the only part on their bodies that didn't get severely burned was where they had wool underwear on. Wool is used in seating and other fabrics in buses, airplanes and so on.

Veronica carding wool for her sitting pad.

Here is Veronica's sitting pad almost done.

After you have gained the shape you want on your piece, you have to 'throw' it; smack it hard onto a floor or counter. Barbara and Sigrid hard at work.

After felting, it was time to check out the newborn lambs. A little cleaner and nicer than the day before.

The little ones are just too cute.

In the background, Tina, the journalist who came to write a story on the kids.