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Wool Textiles Designed & Milled from our Local Fibershed

Posted on November 05 2019

Wool Textiles Designed & Milled from our Local Fibershed

Wool Textiles Designed & Milled In-House at the JG SWITZER Workshop


We design, mill, and sew every piece. Our workshop is located in The Barlow, a maker space in West Sonoma County, an hour north of San Francisco.

 


We begin with locally-sourced wool from Fibershed-certified wool, fibers/natural dyes, & labor sourced in our Northern California fibershed. These bioregional textiles function hand-in-hand with principles of ecological balance, local economies, and regional organic agriculture. 

 

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A CANVAS

Our canvas is locally farmed Dorset and Suffolk wool from Bodega Bay.

 



PAINTING WITH WOOL

We paint with wool using "oil pigments" comprised of different breeds of sheep. Wensleydale, Bluefaced Leicester, Shetland, Navajo-Churro, Icelandic, Gotland and Romney Fleeces are a few of the breeds used in our one-of-a-kind pieces.

 

 



DESIGN OF THE FABRIC

Using a painter’s palette of natural colors from local and Heritage breed sheep, we use a handheld needle felting tools to tack the colors together before they go through the needle loom. 

 

 

"LUNA" THE NEEDLE LOOM IS ONE BIG SEWING MACHINE

Weighing 7.5 tons and comprised of a motor with 10,000 felting needles, the needle punch process sews the wool fibers together.  This is aided by the scales and composition of wool, which loves to adhere to itself.

 

 

 

RAW FLEECES MEETS MODERN DESIGN

We love working with nature's finest fiber: wool, to create textiles that incorporate the raw, untreated wool in the colors that nature made. 

 

Above: Roll of Gotland sheep fleeces sprinkled on large batt of local canvas.

 

Above Left: We can create a multitude of fabrics and custom work in very speedy turnarounds since everything is done under one roof. Above Right: Uncut fabric for soon-to-be pillows

 

 

9' x 5' Installments for Private Residence 

LEGENDS BLANKETS

  • Queen measures 90”x100” and can be tucked or draped.
  • King measures 100”x110” and can be tucked or draped; this should be plenty for a CA King, but please take your measurements before ordering to be sure since not all beds are created equally.
  • Traveller Throws typically measure min 45”x70” unless otherwise specified
  • Silk Pillow Slip Standard/Queen 31.5”x19.5"
  • Silk Pillow Slip King 39.5”x20.5”

UNFORBIDDEN FUR

  • Throws and blankets are in various sizes and can be used as rugs, large throws or partial coverage.

LITHUANIAN LINEN

  • Queen Ashley Duvet Cover: 91”x91” fits standard Queen
  • King and CA KING Ashley Duvet Cover: 104”x91”
  • Ashley pillow cases: Standard/Queen 21”x30” and King cases 21”x40”

WOOL

JG Switzer Blankets, Throws, and Pillows

CARE:  We recommend Dry Cleaning Only for our wool and fur blankets, pillows and throws.

MAINTENANCE: Being a natural fiber, wool is wonderful at keeping itself clean and does not need to be cleaned frequently.

Wool

To stay moth free, wool blankets can be regularly shaken and hung to air, especially before and after being stored. We recommend using lavender sachets or making a combination of three essential oils: rosemary, lavender and lemon and then using a dropper, add a few drops every month or so to a cotton ball or two and store it close to your wool. Lavender is a natural moth repellant. We can not, in good conscience, recommend moth balls due to contents and odor.

Keeping everything clean is essential. Many stains can be removed by gently removing excess dirt with a soft brush (usually sold at fabric stores), rinsing the stain with cold water – spot cleaning and airing to dry. Use gentle and mild soap to spot clean, such as Eucalan, Zero or Woolite, and a little goes a long way

STORAGE: Before storing blankets, give them a good shake to rid them of any excess particles or dust and have them professionally dry cleaned. Store in a cool, dry place. Wool does NOT like damp or overly hot storage. Blankets should be folded with no weight on top of them.

FORBIDDEN FUR BLANKETS & PILLOWS

CARE: Fur blankets must be cleaned by a fur specialist or a dry cleaner that has expertise in fur. Ideally, bring all fur to a furrier who knows how to properly clean a fur blanket. For stains or spot treatments, use a soft sponge or clothe and wipecarefully using a small amount of gentle detergent such as Zero, Eucalan or Woolite. Air dry the damp spot.

MAINTENANCE: Shake occasionally to remove particles and excess dirt. Do not vacuum or brush fur. Avoid direct sunlight as much as possible since too much light can cause fur to oxidize and change color.

STORAGE: If six months or more, it is best to store at a furrier for the best humidity and temperature. At home, find a dry, cool place. Hang on wooden hangers or store in a cotton or linen breathable storage container.

JG Switzer pieces are lasting, welcome gifts for many special occasions: weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and are more exciting than a dozen roses as a “morning after” thank you. We will do our utmost to package any gift with thematic tissues and a special note from the sender.  We currently can offer a miniature dried floral arrangement of lavender for all special occasion gifts and if possible, will wrap the item as a gift accordingly, as you wish. Please choose Gift Message option and we will include your note in shipped pieces.

Special Occasion Gifting can include:

  • Wedding gifts
  • New Home
  • Anniversary
  • Birthday
  • Morning After gift - Flowers are so…yesterday
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Mother’s Day
  • Special Occasions
  • New Baby