Where some of my Highland Cow fibres come from // A fibre mill tour // Crafty Fibres UK

[@catherinehartley7649]

A massive thank you to Crafty Fibres and yourself for filming such an interesting process. I can see myself revisiting this video quite a lot. The mill looked rather familiar to me, then I looked up the address. They are only 4 miles away from my home. it will be nice ordering from such a local business. Cx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

What!! I should have popped in for tea!! Looking forward to catching up xx

[@saskiaverdoes8079]

I think you felt like a kid in a toy store. Beautiful to see all this.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes definitely! Thanks for watching xx

[@28paws70]

How fascinating!! Incredible volume of fiber, too.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It really was and all the space needed for the machines, a really huge set up xx

[@valeriecoulthard4776]

Fantastic video as always Philippa. So interesting to see all the processes that go into producing the wools we can use in our crafting. Also great to see your creations appreciated and displayed, well done 😊xx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much Valerie xx

[@aroundtheworldfibers]

How great to see the factory where these products are made. I cannot get over the size of some of those machines. They are massive. Thanks so much for the tour. I'm glad they took you through.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you liked it and yes, so much huge equipment needed to process the wool, I can't imagine the costs involved, thanks for watching xx

[@bethmegansmith4642]

Brillo video. the machines look Victorian . Made to last xxxxx thank you for sharing wonderful xxxxxxx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

You’re welcome 😊

[@bethmegansmith4642]

@@feltsbyphilippa 🥰

[@AlisaHof]

What a fascinating process. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you liked it, it was a huge place xx

[@lilyroseshandmade6525]

This was so interesting thank you. Really enjoyed seeing the process and different machinery 😊

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you enjoyed it! xx

[@andyk1k1]

How wonderful, I would do pretty much anything to visit a mill like that x

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It was really interesting but I hope to find another mill with more carded wools and possibly some of the dying process too xx

[@Mossibones]

This is so fascinating and amazing to see! I absolutely love that they're finding a way to further disperse waste products for use elsewhere. I've come to absolutely love noil (one of the byproducts you mentioned) for needle felting. It gives me the texture of nepps while being so much easier to felt in to a piece! I also adore that they have an archive of different animal and fiber types. That must have been so interesting to see and I bet they're a great archival source for fiber historians. I wonder what about newer machines makes them much harsher to use on fibers? Thanks for taking us along on the tour!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I think the older machines are slower and give more time to process the wool better, not completely sure but maybe a possibility. It was a fascinating tour and yes, I found all the old fibre really interesting, I wanted to get them all out but didn't quite have time for that, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it xx

[@eddyposh72]

Another great video. Kapok is what we used to use as stuffing before man made fibres came along. Think it is still used in quality furnishings.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks for the info! I have never heard of it, always so many new things to learn! xx

[@eileenprevost5663]

Very fascinating! Nice to see what goes on behind the scenes to supply products we need and use!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to visit another mill with more carded wool and also look at the dying process, thanks for watching xx

[@xtraChloenary-Feltmaker]

So cool they gave you a tour and allowed you to film! It's so fascinating seeing the machines and learning about fibres. (tbh, I know very little about fibres seeing as I work with them every day. But I'm not bothered enough about it to sit down and learn. As long as it felts, I'm fine...)

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you enjoyed it! I was so pleased they said yes to me filming it xx

[@LilHeavenlyTreasures]

This is very interesting. I did not know all that. It was great to watch the process.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you liked it xx

[@nicolamoore4760]

Very interesting to see all the machines etc. Also good that all that fibre is not being wasted

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes, I didn't know that about them when they first contacted me so it's great to know it now xx

[@BeverleyMead]

That was so interesting thank you for sharing

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks and glad you liked it xx

[@pollykearsey-gutkowski5212]

I'm thinking bison..? Great video as always, thanks Philippa!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Yes!!! You got it first, well done, can't imagine it will process well but very interesting to see xx

[@shammamurphy4172]

Who knew?!? What an interesting tour you took us on. Thank you, so nice to see that no wool is wasted. Was that bear hair? I saw bear on WoW the other day was very confused.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It was great to go in, really enjoyed it, still want to visit another mill for more carded wool but always learning, it was bison but very similar to bear in feel and colour xx

[@shammamurphy4172]

@@feltsbyphilippa Bison! Wow, that is interesting. I hope you get to visit the one Cammy Wilson from the Sheep Game visited in Scotland, it was so interesting! I found this factory interesting due to the small businesses and no waste.

[@spagirl]

Love Love your posts!! Thank you for taking us on your tour..

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks for watching xx

[@gaiaspirit5313]

That was amazing to see, thank you Philipp :)

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Glad you enjoyed it, I still want to visit a mill with more carded wool but it was a good place to look round xx

[@gaiaspirit5313]

@@feltsbyphilippa I'm sure you will, be waiting for the day :) Love your little journeys (Always Following) Hugs, hope you have a GREAT weekend :)

[@joanotto9984]

I think it is buffalo. Great to see behind the scenes.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

A pretty close guess, it's bison, very coarse and another waste material so it's great they will turn it into useable fibres xx

[@barbaracallan7672]

❤

[@barbaraa6098]

Loved the tour, thanks for sharing. I'm from across the pond, love your work and teaching.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Thanks for watching! It was an interesting visit and I am very pleased I could video it xx

[@cchap2386]

Great video, Pippa! Kapok is a tree that produces seed pods with white cotton-like fibre inside of it 😊 I had no idea wool needed a certain amount of moisture! Do you know whether my wools, which are stored in clear plastic containers with tissue paper, are in danger of becoming brittle and unuseable over time? We live at the ocean.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

I don't think they do as most channels I watch say to store them just like you have, maybe the mill needs them extra supple for all the processes. Interesting about Kapok, I had no idea, I thought it was an animal but makes sense if the fibre is cotton like , thanks xx

[@chocmintz]

How fab you got a tour and great to see so many fibres too xx

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It was! Can't believe I got a full tour xx

[@robynmoonshadow4416]

brown and course? sounds like Camel. They do have some hair I would never even think you could use..amazing!

[@feltsbyphilippa]

It's bison, a very coarse fur but I reckon they also have processed camel at some point, thanks for watching and guessing xx

[@robynmoonshadow4416]

I think Im going to have to try Bison now Lol TY @@feltsbyphilippa

[@SacredSoulArt]

Bear fur?

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Very similar but it is Bison fur, excellent guess xx

[@spagirl]

Goat

[@feltsbyphilippa]

Actually it's Bison! Very coarse but great that they will turn it into a useable fibre xx

[@corinnetippit7983]

Alpaca

[@feltsbyphilippa]

A good guess but it is Bison fur/wool, very interesting x

[@dawnmason2378]

Hmmm! Interesting but not sure how or why they would have Arctic Fox fur or any of the other animal fur for that matter 🤔. Im happy for someone to explain it to me.

[@feltsbyphilippa]

They have been sent it from customers to make blends out of them, some very unusual ones, the company has been operating for over 100 years and they keep all the samples xx

[@Phil-vc4fy]

Hi Dawn, they keep a reference sample of any sample received from suppliers around the world. The archives go back over 20 years.

[@dawnmason2378]

@@Phil-vc4fy thank you for clarifying 😊