Sponsor Giveaway: Wool from Heavens to Betsy
Heavens to Betsy, purveyor of 100% milled wool, recently became a True Up sponsor, and immediately sent me all this gorgeous wool to divvy up. Now, this stuff is just scrumptious. It is woven, not felted/fulled, and the colors are deep, saturated, and beautiful. All the fabrics are 58-60″ wide, about 12oz./yard, and available as yardage. It is definitely soft enough to be worn against the skin (but I love how wool feels and I know some people have lower itch thresholds!). In addition to timeless plaids and stripes, there are a few heathered solids in the mix.
Now, I’ve sewn some with wool felt but not much with woven wool, so I’m wondering what to do with it, other than stare and touch! The Heavens to Betsy blog and Flickr group have plenty of ideas — quilting, rug hooking, stuffed toys, clothing (this stuff is perfect for coats), bags, pillows, scarves, blankets … but I’m wondering what you’re envisioning.
I want as many people as possible to experience this wool in person, so I’m giving away four bundles of two half-yards each (I have to hoard a little for myself!) For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling me a project, even a commercial pattern, that you think you’d use with these fabrics. I’ll pick the winners next Wednesday, Feb. 23, around noon central U.S. time. This giveaway is open to readers worldwide.
Erica, the owner of Heavens to Betsy, provides some tips on working with their wool:
Wool most often has two sides that look alike because of it being woven. This can be an advantage but … The best tip is to ALWAYS “label” ( I use a flower head pin, With the flower on the right side) the right side when cutting for a pattern – especially garments- It is very easy to make a perfect pleated pocket and sew it to the wrong side of a coat panel without noticing until you go to attach the panel.
Wool should be washed first before using. Wash in the washer in warm water and place in the dryer as normal. This will tighten the weave (some call this felting). It will not shrink after that as long as you use the same process. Although, hot water will shrink it more and make it thicker ( good for some projects).
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I really need a warmer jacket for the spring and fall to come. The one I have at the moment is very much loved to the point of the fabric being completely worn down, and it is getting a little breezy. These fabrics are so cute! I think I’d also try to do some needle felting with them, too.
Oh my word! Already saved the shop site and started following her blog…These fabrics are gorgeous. The Uptown Coat by Favorite Things comes to mind or maybe a skirt. Oh the possibilities.
Love your new banner!!! Is that fabric?
Oooo, I would love to make a laptop bag out of it!
Seeing the wool makes me want to pull out my millinery supplies (while brushing up my dormant skills) and create a beautiful hat.
However, I would probably create a fitted suit jacket and a coordinating skirt.
Ooooh, what would I make? Probably warm things for my daughter. And a pair of slippers for myself. I love wool!
I would love to make one of Jodie from ‘Ric Rac’s’ toys with that gorgeous wool. Thanks for the giveaway
I make handbags and would love some of this yummy fabric. I scour shops for wool just like this. I am so glad you ahve featured them!
That wool looks beautiful! I have been wanting to make a nice tailor’s ham with one side of it being 100% wool. I would also probably end up making purses or zipper pouches.
I would make a little winter coat or a skirt for my daughter!
My grandma made a wool quilt in the late 70s… I want to replicate it!
OMG, those looks soo awesome! it screams an autumn coat to me, also an autumn skirt.. or even a cute capelet.
I’d love to make a skirt out of the purple for myself! But with half yards, I’d have to do a patchwork skirt for my daughter with maybe a little pleather thrown in there. Not that I’ve ever worked with either, but there is a first for everything. They look wonderful!
I would make an Oliver and s school days jacket/coat. It would be perfect for that, so warm for all the snow that we have right now. They are beautiful fabrics. Love the colors.
Oh golly, this wool gives me butterflies in my stomach!. No doubt, I’d make a patchy button-down cape thingy.
I would make something for my daughter, maybe a jumper or a cute capelet.
Oh man, these are so gorgeous I’d want to look at them every day. Is it crazy to say that I can see huge, HUGE piles of potholders? And a muff!!! Doesn’t every 47 year old woman need a muff???? (If the answer is no, please don’t tell me!)
Finally I would make a Laptop-Bag for my husband. I looking so long for the perfect “mens”-fabric and here I found it. I think, he would be very happy
I’ve got a Sue Spargo class coming up, I’d love to have some of these!
Definitely check out Sue Spargo’s designs. They are traditional, yet they look new, too.
So I was browsing Heaven to Betsy’s blog and found a super SUPER cute photo of some little baby boots made from wool. You have to take a look at this etsy seller’s photos.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/38599624/no-93-baby-3-button-boots-pdf-pattern-5?ref=sr_gallery_18&ga_search_query=wool%2Bfabric&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=11
If I won, I would make these for my little baby due to arrive in July/August. In any even, I’m book marking this etsy because I’m pretty sure I will be making these boots soon!!!
I love wool! I often refer to the ‘power of wool’ as its warmth and coziness and durability. I am currently collecting wool to make an embroidered quilt and these colors would look smashing with the neutrals that I have. Thanks for offering this great sharing!
I would love to make some patchwork blankets
I love woollen skirts! Might try this pattern: http://www.farbenmix.de/en/roemoe.html
Lovely fabric!!
wool lover here… newbie sewer. I’d definitely make a little wool skirt to wear with leggings! I wore them tons years ago and would love to bring back the look for my wardrobe
oh, so lovely. I’d love to make a little red riding hood-poncho for a little girl with the red one.
Ooh, I am so in love with wool right now! I would make a casual purse/bag with some sweet vintage fabric lining.
Oh I have been drooling over their wools for so long! I would love some to sew up a little jacket for DS.
I’d definitely make a new bag/purse that fits my netbook. Or maybe throw pillows for my random assortment of chairs.
i would make a Wagga (a type of Australian quilt) or a bag it just looks lovely…
My first patchwork project using wool was a bag and a waistcoat I made last year from scraps I had collected from skirts I have made over the last 5 years. I was a bit scared to try patchwork but they were only scraps so nothing to loose. I loved both and have been wearing/using both a lot. I would love to win some of the gorgeous wool you have shown in the post and let the creativity I have run riot.
Thanks for being so generous and showing us what is out there in the big fabric world
I would absolutely make a capelet with satin lining.
I’ve got a Sue Spargo quilt top that I started in a class with her back in 2008 and I’d LOVE to put the finishing touches on it with some of this gorgeous wool.
I know exactly what I would make from one of those lovely wools. When I was little my mother sewed me several helmet hats from tartan wool, like in her favourite pattern ‘black watch’. I’d love to make one for my daughter, and maybe try and enlarge the pattern so I can have one, too! I have a vintage pattern from my MIL. It includes a couple of other patterns, like a tam, which would also work well with the wool. Picture of it here if you would like to see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/norwayneedles/84293812
Ohhhh lovely!!
I know very clearly what I would do with it.. a cape.. and a laptop bag… oh yes…
it would be fantastic to win!
Me Too! A cape! I would love to be making a cape out of any of these.
Seeing these beautiful fabrics stacked up like this the first thing that comes to mind for me is a lap quilt using big squares to showcase the fabrics and backed in flannel. Another idea would be a slim knee-length coat with some English Country touches like leather patches on the elbows. The collar would be the most important feature in this, it would have to look great pulled up.
So glad I found you site and this generous giveaway!
Thanks so much for opening it worldwide-I am a wool addict for applique work but have real diffs getting the right weight here in Ireland,
I have no problem knowing what I would make-I see some great Autumn colours there and it would have to be the Autumn quilt by ‘Heart to Hand’-just perfect for it.
Fingers and toes crossed and thanks for the chance:)
Shazy
I’ve always wanted to learn how to make a rag rug, and this would be the perfect excuse to start! These are beautiful, I could imagine a hundred different winter projects. Thanks for the giveaway!
A gorgeous giveaway! I would probably make a handbag or tea cosy. Glad to have discovered your blog. Isabelle x
Gorgeous fabric! I haven’t sewn with wool but if it is good for coats then I would probably make a coat/cape for my daughter. I love making small things!
I’d love to use the wool to make a lap quilt in a liberated style, mixed in with heavier weight linen…Jus imageine the texture and warmth..absolutely divine!
Wow – lovely fabric. I would make a lovely handbag with some and with the rest I would make some little Love Bunnies. They would look great in these fabrics.
So beautiful.
I am into Baby things right now, since I am expecting and so are 2 of my cousins! So, I’d make a baby blanket, and a matching animal (a bird, a deer or a lion, depending on the color of the wool)…
I’d make this bear carrier, adorable and practical!
http://www.oliverands.com/blog/2011/02/little-things-to-sew-bear-carrier.html
I am thinking an Oliver & S School photo dress for a wee one year old’s winter wear would be just the thing.
A magnificent and luxurious throw using my Babylock embellisher to work the fibres in together – wools like these are the perfect materials for embellisher work. Try Googling Cefn Burgess to see what you can do with some woven wools, an embellisher and an eye for colour. He uses Welsh wools, but I don’t mind where mine come from – I collect anything that takes my fancy!
im drooling luv luv wool i felt recycled sweaters however would luv to try this wool on a pillow with maybe a sue spargo design
I would make myself wool slippers for the extra cold winter we’re having. Then I would make some ultra cute messanger bags, then mittens, then more slippers, and more mittens. I love, LOVE the pink plaid. I would be extra happy with that.
id love to work on some floral headbands with wool, or some smallish wool embroidary works….pretty stuff!