Custom Weaver Adds Value To Wool

Custom Weaver Adds Value To Wool 34-2-7 Peggy Hart can turn low value wool into high value blankets and throws. Hart's business, Bedfellow Blankets, works with all types of wool, alpaca and mohair using standard weaves or custom designing a weave for clients. "For more than 10 years I wove and sold blankets at craft shows with yarn I bought," explains Hart. "Then a couple friends asked if I could weave wool from their flocks and I realized this could be a valuable service to others." Originally, Hart went to school for fabric design and later worked in a New England fabric mill. When most fabric mills went out of business or went to computerized looms in the early 1980's, Hart bought several of the old mechanical looms and set them up in her barn. She describes them each as a ton and a half of greasy gears, wheels and pulleys. Hart's business took off when a state group, Communities Involved in Sustainable Ag, used a grant from the USDA to commission her to make blankets out of Vermont wool. They bought the wool at a premium from state sheep producers and then sold the blankets. "The first year I did 300 blankets; the second I did 900," says Hart. "At that point they decided they didn't want to sell blankets and discontinued the project. Now many of those sheep producers are doing it on their own, sending me their washed and spun wool to make into blankets. I have woven blankets for dozens of farmers all over the country." Hart refers wool producers to several small, independent mini-mills who will wash and spin wool and other natural fibers. Minimum batches of 50 to 100 lbs. at one such mill cost $20 per finished pound of washed and spun wool. Once Hart has the spun fiber, she gives the owner a choice of traditional weaving patterns, such as herringbone or windowpane. She can also produce a custom design. Roughly two months later, the customer has the blankets or throws. The minimum amount of spun wool Hart needs for her loom is 40 lbs. That is enough for 17, 48 by 72-in. throws or 8 full-sized blankets. Hart charges on a sliding scale with throws running $65 to $80 and blankets twice that. "Throws will typically have 2 to 2 lbs. of wool, so the sheep farmer will have invested $40 in the yarn and $80 in the weaving," explains Hart. "I suggest people charge $160 selling throws retail. A full-size blanket is about 5 lbs., so the farmer will have $100 invested in the yarn and $120 or more in the blanket. I sell Merino (a premium wool) blankets for $400 each and lower quality wool blankets for $300." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Peggy Hart, Bedfellow Blankets, 8 Martin Rd., Shelburne Falls, Mass. 01370 (ph 413 625- 2730; info@blanketweave.com; www.blanketweave.com).

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