Description
Just like the rugs I make, these cushions are 100% sheep-friendly, no sheep are harmed in the process of making them. They are made from only felted wool which is then sewn onto a linen back. They are very soft and cuddly, just like our sheep in fact!
To make these cushions I use up the left-over locks of wool from my rug making.
I’ve written a bit about the cushion making process here and you can see some photos of how I make them too. I really enjoy making them, they are a great way to use up every last bit of wool, but best of all, I love working with natural fibres and transforming “scraps” into something useful and lovely.
This cushion is made from wool from a friend of ours who keeps lots of different types of sheep including Mules and Herdwicks. They have a smallholding not far from us and have a similar ethos to the way they do things. Like us, their sheep have names are tame and friendly.
To make this cushion I’ve used creamy coloured locks from a “Mule” fleece. Mules are fabulous little sheep, there are several types of “Mules” but the Mule who provided the wool for this cushion is a cross between a Swaledale and a Blue Faced Leicester, giving the best traits of both. Both of these breeds produce beautiful wool, “Swalies” have long flowing locks, while BFL’s have soft, silky wool which is commonly used for hosiery, dress fabrics and hand knitting.
The cushion I’ve made from this particular Mule fleece is ultra soft with cute, curly locks measuring between three and four inches.
The back of the cushion is 100% linen. You will notice there are two buttons on the back which allows you to remove the cover for washing.
Inside the cushion there’s an inner which is stuffed with wool. These are the leftovers from whatever fleece I’m working on. To ensure the stuffing is lovely and clean, I soak it in a soapy 60’c bath to remove the lanolin and then I wash it as I would normally wash wool. Once it’s dry I sift through it and remove any bits of grass and hay etc. Finally, I fluff it up and add some drops of cedarwood essential oil as a moth repellent.
Should you need to wash your cushion, simply remove the inner part and gently soak the cover in warm water using a wool/silk detergent followed by a refreshing vinegar rinse to keep the pH happy. Lay flat to dry. More washing info will be included when I send it out to you.
Please note, although I carefully wash each felted item I make, you may still find tiny bits of hay/moss/seeds hiding away in the fleece. Because of the gentle washing methods I use it would be really hard to remove every single little “meadow sprinkling”. Hopefully you shouldn’t find too many though!
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