Rainbow LS7 inspired in wool - Advice needed

[ChaosFollows]

So I'vee been playing with roving again, making some long wrappy roving dreads. Vaguely inspired by LS7's synth style.

Advice needed because I am trying to find a way of keeping them looking more wrappy and less merged together...it may be impossible...but heres some pics of before and after felting. Any ideas and input welcome.

FYI: These are mostly merino roving, the dark purple in corridale I think. And they were felted in a 30min cold machine wash.

BEFORE FELTING:




AFTER FELTING:




Bugger...forgot to resize these. But you get the idea right? Any input?

[danixdorko]

I haven't worked with wool before, but maybe if you felted the base dread, then wrapped them and ran them through again?
That might over felt the dread itself though.. I'm not sure, but it could be something to try.
I still like the look of them afterwords, but the texture before they're felted is ace. I hope you figure out a way to make it work!

[MrsEss]

Are you machine felting them hon? Try a colder wash, or needle felt the accents on. Aside from that, mine used to look that way when they were slightly over cooked from heat.

Quietsleeper makes hers without any water or heat, just lots and lots of palm rolling.

[ChaosFollows]

I thought about maybe felting base first then adding accents after.

And they were machine felted on cold setting on the quick 30 cycle. Dont think i could have given them less! To be fair they dont feel over cooked, still nice and squishy! And I still really like them, just not quite what I wanted.

I read about only hand rolling them but rolling unravels the wrappy bits so I think I'd have to do that differently...

Another idea I had was to just dunk in warm/hot soapy water and then hang over the washing line until dry. No agitation. See if that sort of just seals them with out cooking them!

Mass experimentation time!

[MichelleBichos]

Actually, I think they look great as they are! Gorgeous colours too

[xalternmommyx]

I love them... they look amazing before felting, would be awesome if they were wearable that way lol

[miasmahair]

Twist them up tightly before washing machining them (in the direction of the twists, obviously ), that's what I do and it keeps the wrapping nice and swirly.

[ChaosFollows]

I SWEAR i already replied to this?! With fancy multi quotes too! Damnit.

I really like them too, just not the style I was going for....a happy accident

And Cathy I will give that a try next time! your roving is SOOO lush. Do you machine felt all yours? x

[Psychotika]

In my opinion, before felting it looks much cooler.
Isn't it possible to wear it like that? Of will it fall apart? -I'm no roving expert, haha-

I think it's better to felt the base part, and then wrap it with another colour.

[miasmahair]

Thanks! Yeah bro, I machine all mine, though I end up wet-felting them all a little bit afterwards. This is what I meant by twisted up (and for SEs I poke the end through the loop at the top), it seems to keep the wrapping smooth and in place.

Make sure you post some pics when you try!

[dread_addiction]

I love them... they look amazing before felting, would be awesome if they were wearable that way lol

this !!!

[*,meme,*]

Wowwweee, i mean initially i thought the first photo was them and was like oh cool, they have alot of stylized potential.
But the finished product !!!!!!!

So amazing. Keep it up.

[LittlePinkFaery]

I think if you wore them as falls you could get away without felting the colours in the washing machine. Possibly criss crossing cotton over it to keep the wool in place. It wild need road testing as falls to see if they stood up to wearing . Just an idea!

[The-Halloween-Master]

I like the look of them, I think it looks like alien hair