HELP WANTED: Spinning, Knitting, and Crocheting for the Toronto Zoo
by Tasha
Spinners, Knitter and Fibre Artist plus Animal Lovers!!!
Project Proposal
Do you love animals? Do you have skillz in the processing, spinning, knitting, crocheting department? Interested in making a difference in your community. Want to be a part of an exciting project from the ground up? I am looking for like minded folks to help me out with a fundraising project for the Toronto Zoo. I have big ideas, but alone I can only do so much. So here’s the deets:
- The Toronto Zoo has told me it is possible to save the fur and hair from the animals when they are groomed in the spring.
- The fur/hair/wool then must be washed and cleaned
- Spun into yarn
- Made into products
and finally donated back to the zoo to sell in the gift shop.
If you can help please contact me, Melissa, at junctionknitting@yahoo.com
Tags: Crochet · Knitting · Spinning · Wool · Yarn
Filed under: Help Wanted
1 LadeeBee // Oct 20, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I especially need to know if there are people out there that can process the raw wool. If you have any interest whatsoever in this please let me know. I am going to create an email list and keep people posted as I move forward with the project.
2 Ele // Oct 20, 2009 at 3:40 pm
You might also want to recruit the felters – both need and wet felting can be done with various animal fibres.
(I don’t have any personal expertise here)
Good luck!
3 LadeeBee // Oct 20, 2009 at 8:08 pm
This is a good point Ele. I should’ve said fibre artists! Because really the hair and fibres are so versatile. We can really create anything we want with it. I love this suggestion and I would like to invite anyone that can participate to reply. The more the merrier. When we are ready to get to the “creation” stage of the process I am open to creating anything that is marketable. It’s just about raising money for the zoo and connecting people with the animals.
4 liligo // Oct 22, 2009 at 7:34 am
I could help with knitting, if someone else can create a pattern to follow.
5 Katelyn Di Giulio // Oct 22, 2009 at 10:07 am
I sew…maybe I can sew animals like zeebras and then use their hair to make the tuft of hair that runs down their back, sewing it between the fabric?
Add me to the list!
Kate
6 Claire // Oct 22, 2009 at 10:47 am
I have just learned how to spin with a drop spindle. I’ve also been reading up on processing raw wool and I think I can do it. Please add me to your list.
7 LadeeBee // Oct 22, 2009 at 11:17 am
Great idea Kate! I love it. Send me an email so I can add your email to my growing list of volunteers for this project. I am so encouraged by the response to this project. I knew people out there would be excited!
Please email me at junctionknitting@yahoo.com
I am going to send out updates to everyone in a week or two to let them know what our next steps are.
By the way, as long as you want to help you’re in! Don’t worry about your ability or skill level we can all contribute something to this project.
–Melissa
8 Kim // Oct 22, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Hey – this is a fab fab idea. I have just started to experiment creating nuno felt, which is hand felting wool and other fibers (the camel hair etc. would be perfect) and shrinking them to silk. I own a sewing and design business and I also have experience using heirloom plant dyes with natural fibers. I think I could be of help – this is a great project!
9 Kathy // Nov 20, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Wow! what a neat idea! Add me to your email list. I can knit and sew.
10 Cathrine // Nov 21, 2009 at 2:40 am
Thank you for the mention of crochet:) Count me in; I also sew – and have “adopted” critters from the zoo in the past.