Naturally colored and white mohair fleece and mohair roving for spinning and weaving
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Naturally colored and white mohair fleece and mohair roving for spinning and weaving
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The Mohair Connection "promotes the production and use of naturally colored and white mohair - the "Diamond Fiber". From fiber production to end use items, we focus on quality in our value-added mohair products.
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Why is Mohair Called the Diamond Fiber?
Mohair is one of the most versatile textile fibers. Its characteristics are similar to wool, except that it does not have the scales that can irritate the skin. Mohair has several unique properties that are not found in any other animal fiber
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Insulating capacity - mohair's hollow fibers do not conduct heat; like wool, mohair provides good insulation, even when wet. |
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Durability - mohair can be twisted and bent without damage to the fiber; it is the most durable animal fiber. |
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Comfort - the smooth fibers of mohair do not irritate the skin, even for people who are sensitive to wool. |
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Strength - mohair is stronger than steel of the same diameter. |
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Shrink resistance - because its smooth fibers do not felt, mohair fabrics shrink much less than wool. |
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Elasticity - mohair is very elastic; it can be stretched up to 30%, and will spring back to shape; mohair garments resist wrinkling, stretching, or sagging. |
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Moisture transfer - mohair easily absorbs and releases moisture, moving perspiration away from the skin; it is comfortable to wear in cold and hot weather. |
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Luster - one of mohair's most important qualities is its ability to take dye and to display brilliant colors that resist fading by time or hard wear. |
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Lightweight - mohair's smooth fibers can be made into fabrics that have a cooling effect; it is ideal for summer garments. |
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Non-flammability - mohair will not burn unless it is exposed to a direct flame. |
Fine
mohair roving for handspinning
from the Mohair Connection
100% Mohair
50% Mohair/50% Finnsheep (medium gray)
50% Mohair/50% fine Romney (white)
50% Mohair/50% fine Border Leicester (white)
50% Mohair/50% Shetland (white)
Coming soon: White Kid Mohair/Lamb Border Leicester & Black Kid Mohair/Lamb Border Leicester - super and bouncy.
All roving is $6.25 per 4oz plus shipping.
We offer raw (unwashed) white and colored mohair for the handspinner and fiber artist. We have variety of natural colored animals producing lustrous fiber in shades ranging from pale gray, rich pewter, brown, solid midnight black, dark champagne, and silver/taupe. White mohair is available in grades from strong, for rug making, to fine adult, yearling and kid, favored by our craftsmen customers for dolls and santas.
Most of our colored mohair is sold through our mailings prior to shearing day and on shearing day (Fiber Jubilee). We have white mohair available at this time. If you are not presently on our mailing list for advance sale notice, please call or email and we will make sure you receive information prior to the Spring 2001 Fiber Jubilee (Saturday, April 7, 2001).
The prices of raw mohair are: colored and white kid, first and second clip, $15 per lb.; colored and white yearling, $14-$15 per lb.; adult colored $3-$12 per lb. and white adult $2-$8 per lb.
About our mohair and mohair/wool products . . .The word mohair is derived from the Arabic meaning "choice" or "select." Mohair is a strong, lustrous fiber that makes an ideal yarn and fabric. It drapes well and resists wrinkling or shrinking. It is stronger and warmer than wool, keeping heat in during cold weather and is a barrier against hot summer temperatures. Mohair isn't "itchy" because it doesn't have scales like wool. It accepts dye with an exuberance that is unparalleled. Natural colored mohair has variations of shades that are exceptionally beautiful. Mohair can be blended with other fibers to take advantage of the best qualities of each. Wool and mohair blends have luster and strength from mohair (depending on the amount of mohair in the blend), and bounce and body from wool.
Raw mohair is easy to wash because it doesn't felt like wool. I do a rinse in really hot water to get most of the dirt and grease out then let it sit in a sink of hot water to which I have added a liberal amount of Joy dish detergent. I move it around a bit, then a final rinse in hot water, put the fiber in a large mesh laundry bag, toss it in the washer and spin the water out. Voila! Clean mohair. (I have tried washing it in the mesh bags sitting in the washer, not agitating and I haven't been satisfied with the results.)
Mohair is easy to spin. Because it is a smooth fiber, it drafts beautifully. First clip kid mohair can be a little challenging because it is so fine.
Mohair /wool blends blends: We mix our mohair with thoughtfully selected fine wool. The truth is, we're downright picky about the fleece we use for our handspinners roving. Although we do have breed preferences, the wool we use is chosen based on individual characteristic. We select wool that complements the qualities and color of mohair and adds bounce and loft. Most of our roving is 100% mohair or a blend of 75% mohair/25% wool.. All of the fleece we select, whether Finnsheep or Navajo Churro, has a staple length of at least 2 1/2" (a must for blending with mohair), is fine, soft and highly crimped for multiple use - next to the skin items or outerwear. Because we strive for a superior end product, we know that it is essential to start with superior wool. So, here's a plug for some of our coveted suppliers - Finnsheep wool from Sandy DeMaster, The Wee Croft, Oconomowoc, WI (414-646-5845); Romney wool from Elise Herout, Black Oak Romneys, Antioch, IL (847-395-7032); Border Leicester from Lora Valenta, J & L Farm, Two Rivers, WI (920-793-1838), and Navajo-Churro from Hall Burdsall, Union Valley Sheep, Black Earth, WI (608-767-3930).
Here's some information about the wools we use that you may find useful.
Romney: Romney is one of the "luster long wool" breeds of sheep. The fiber has luster, well-defined crimp, a staple length of 4-8 inches, and a numerical count of
48-54. White Romney readily takes dye and the natural black, gray, silver and
brown colors of Romney sheep are splendid.
Finnsheep: The fleece is
semilustrous, has a numerical count of 50-60 and a staple length of 3-6 inches.
The fiber is highly crimped with a silky handle and adds bounce to mohair
blends.
Rambouillet:: The Rambouillet originated with Spain's famous Merino flocks. The fleece is very
soft with a tight crimp which adds elasticity and loft. The average staple
length is 3 inches and it has a numerical count of 60-80. Rambouillet wool can
be used for baby wear and next-to-the-skin knitted or woven fabrics. All of
these characteristics make it a good choice for blending with
Mohair.
Border Leicester: The fleece is long, lustrous and curly. Fine
Border Leicester has a silky handle and is a good marriage to mohair. Staple
length is 6-8 inches with a numerical count of 36-48. We like to blend our kid
mohair with Border Leicester lamb fleece.
Navajo Churro: Churro is
wool traditionally used by the Navajo Indians to make rugs. The fleece is
admired for its luster, silky hand, variety of natural color and durability. The
Navajo Churro is double coated breed; the staple length of the outer coat is
4-14" and the undercoat 2-4 inches. As with all breeds, fleeces vary from animal
to animal, from coarse to fine and silky.
We offer two and three ply yarns that are 100% mohair or 75% mohair/ 25% wool. The mohair is generously donated by our pampered Angora goats and the wool is thoughtfully selected to add bounce and loft to the yarn. We have a range of natural colors, supplied by our colored Angoras, as well as white and unique colors developed using dye materials supplied by nature or concocted using Gaywool and Cushing dyes.
Current offerings are two ply yarns, 75% fine mohair/25% fine
wool:
Unique color #9629, Tasman Twilight - soft taupe purple,
reminiscent of an early evening sky
Unique color #9630, Adelaide Hills
- a muted silvery gray-green that goes with just about anything
Unique color
9631, Nalligine - a burnished yet mellow terracotta
Yarn is offered
in 1/4 lb. skeins at $16 per skein.
A few words about yarn structure, or "Why
Ply"?
Creating a high quality spinning yarn involves more than fiber
selection and preparation and spinning technique. Yarn character is equally
influenced by the number of strands in the end product. In addition to
increasing the fiber diameter, plying changes the appearance and physical
properties of the final yarn.
Singles yarns are smooth, rounded and tend to vary somewhat in diameter over the extended yarn. Singles yarn has a soft, smooth hand that tends to flatten out when knitted. This characteristic makes it a good choice for intarsia designs. However, because the whole structure of the strand is exposed to abrasion, it has little resistance to pilling.
Two-ply yarns are bumpy with hills and valleys developing as the two stands are twisted together. These irregularities, however, tend to even out as the two strands are plied together. This produces a pebbly surface when knit and a hand that is more bouncy and robust. Two ply yarn is a good choice for most types of knitting.
Three-or-more-ply yarns are smoother, both in appearance and feel. The addition of the third strand fills in the valleys of the two ply without increasing the yarn diameter as much as one would think. The yarn,and the knit fabric is soft, smooth and regular. Adding additional plies does not significantly change the appearance or hand of the yarn but does increase the yarn diameter. Multi-ply yarns can be used in all types of of knitting but are especially suited to garment elements such as cowl necks and batwing sleeves where drape is important.
N6623 Lake Lorraine Rd., Delavan, WI 53115 (608) 883-2025 skmiller@idcnet.com