The Fibre Garden : sliver
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sliver
Flax Top – Bleached
100% Flax (linen) fibre.
Very clean combed top in a fairly narrow sliver, bleached to a bright ivory white. Staple length is 5 to 6 inches.
This may be a good choice for those curious to try spinning flax for the first time. Our supplier suggests it can be either dry or wet-spun and no distaff is needed since it's already in a well-prepared form. It feels pretty soft for flax. Anybody up for the challenge?
The various dyed colourways we carry begin with bleached flax, since it provides a good white base that won't lend the brown or tan tones that natural flax would give. Since this is a plant or cellulose fibre dyers must use fibre reactive dyes. Natural dyers must resort to techniques used on cotton, such as alum-tannin premordanting, or Aluminum acetate. Flax strikes just fine in an indigo vat.
That being said, when blended with protein fibres, acid dyes will leave the flax alone during dyeing, which makes for some wonderful streaky or heathered effects, depending on how well the fibres are blended.
PRODUCT of ITALY
Merino – Light 19mic (Sliver)
Classification: FINEWOOL
Carded sliver/roving with very little veg. A lovely ash-grey, lightly streaked with charcoal. This will create a nice heathered yarn and will be extra-fun to dye. At 19 microns, it's nice and soft for against-the-skin wear. Merino is ever-popular with spinners and certainly being used like crazy by felters.
This supply has a staple length around 4 inches, which is fairly long for Merino. Felting properties are excellent.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Merino – Medium 19mic (Sliver)
Classification: FINEWOOL
Carded sliver/roving with a small amount of veg. Medium-brown in tone with a generous sprinkling of ash-grey, creating a lovely heathered yarn. At 19 microns, this is nice and soft for against-the-skin wear. Merino is ever-popular with spinners and certainly being used like crazy by felters.
Merino has a staple length from 2.5 to 4 inches. Felting properties are excellent.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Merino – Superfine White 16-mic (Top)
Classification: FINE WOOL
This is very special Superfine 16-micron Merino in a natural creamy-white colour. Very clean combed top. Excellent for spinning or felting by itself, but also perfect for blending with soft luxury fibres such as Angora, Cashmere, Yak or Qiviut. Felting properties are excellent. Staple length is in the 2.5 to 3 inch range.
PRODUCT of ITALY
Merino – Superwash White 22mic (Top)
SUPERWASH Merino. Classification: FINE WOOL
The most common fibre offered as Superwash, this is lovely combed Merino top in an ivory-white colour. Micron count is 22, which is plenty soft for against the skin wear and a multitude of other uses. Perfect for knitting items that require easy laundering. Wool is conditioned through an enzyme process that strips off the outer scales, which prevents felting. This also makes for a different effect during the dyeing process, because Superwash fibre sucks up the dye quickly.
Merino rates high for softness. Staple length is generally 2.5 to 4 inches. The Superwash treatment makes for a slippery feel during spinning when compared to untreated Merino, so it's not necessarily a good choice for beginners.
NOTE: Superwash fibre is NOT GOOD FOR FELTING.
PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND
Merino – White 19.5 mic (Top)
Classification: FINE WOOL
Creamy-white natural combed top, this is always extremely clean and free of vegetation. Very popular with our spinning and felting customers.
Merino rates high for softness, and this 19.5 micron fibre is excellent for against-the-skin wear and a multitude of other uses. Felting properties are excellent. Staple length is in the 2.5 to 4 inch range.
NEW ZEALAND WOOL, processed in CHINA
Silk, Red Eri (Sliver) – 50g
100% Eri Silk.
A less common silk for spinners but widely cultivated in India and also known as Endi, Errandi or Peace Silk. Because the cocoons are not harvested until after the moth emerges, this is considered to be an acceptable fibre by some vegans. Used for all kinds of fabrics for garments as well as bedding, pillows, etc.
This is in beautiful combed top, our current supply is MUCH redder than this photo, a stunning cinnamon red. Eri silk comes in several natural shades.
PRODUCT of INDIA