Project #1: "Sheep's Clothing Cloak" using Leicester Longwool
I LOVE this cloak. To make it, I used a pound of Merino to wet felt a backing (OK, that was a little much, but I was COLD), and then needle felted Leicester Longwool locks (also a pound) painstakingly onto it using the shingling method. The result was very eye-catching; or at least sheep think so!
My review of the fiber: It doesn't get much prettier than Leicester Longwool. The long, ringlet curls with incredible luster come in a variety of colors and can be dyed beautifully. As far as pure aesthetics, it's one of my absolute favorites. That said, that silky shine comes with a downside; I find it somewhat more difficult to felt with, and stray hairs are a definite problem, especially working with locks! But let's be honest; when you're that pretty, you can get away with it.
Reflections on the project: I sell this cloak in my shop, but it's definitely not first on my list of "can't wait to make again" - mostly just because of the sheer amount of work that goes into it! That said, I LOVE wearing this cloak, and if you've been at a fiber festival at the same time as me, you've probably seen me wearing it there! When I make the next one, though, I'll be sure to do a felted backing after adding the locks, so other people don't get as much wool stuck to their clothes wearing theirs as I do in mine! I think the Leicester was a perfect choice for this project.