Felting fun using natural wool products

For fun I have started felting and started to create some bunny rabbits and hares out of natural fibres including Angora wool. It is a fun process and the end results can create some characterful creatures. If you want to make your own and need natural wool products get in touch.

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Rio, the Sooty Fawn Angora, sitting patiently for his haircut. Afterwards he will be out on the lawn, digging some very big holes!

The National Angora Club is a non-profit making society which promotes the Angora rabbit and its welfare. Our members are spinners, exhibitors and companion animal owners. We sell the surplus wool of our rabbits to go towards the costs of keeping them. We keep our Angoras ethically, making it an expensive hobby. Vaccination alone can cost £70 per rabbit per year! 

We produce Angora wool ethically by shearing the rabbit every three months. This does not harm the rabbit in any way. Rabbits sit quietly on the owner’s knee to be sheared. Wool is sorted into best quality spinning wool (above 2.5 inch staple) and second quality felting wool (coarser wool from chest and tummy, and shorter lengths.) Spinning and felting wool in White and a variety of colours is available by mail order. We also sell wooden bottom whorl drop spindles at prices suitable for just having a go.

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Natural swaying of an English Angora rabbit

Do not be alarmed if your English Angora rabbit sways in their hutch. This is quite normal behaviour and is seen a lot in the White Angora more so than coloured angoras.

English Angora playing in her hutch with a toy ball

English Angora rabbits all have their own individual personalities, they are generally good tempered and calm but do have a playful side. Often when they are ready to be separated from their mother and other babies they can find this process a bit unsettling so it doesn’t hurt to place suitable toys in their hutches for comfort and play.

Before clipping a White English Angora rabbit

Most Angora rabbit owners clip their rabbit with hairdressing scissors, with the rabbit sat quietly on their knees. Most will sit calmly throughout the process occasionally wriggling and the process is not stressful for them. Here is a step by step of the process with photographs of clipping a White Angora rabbit and separating out the good quality wool for use for spinning from a show coat Angora rabbit.

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Angora rabbits like any other domestic rabbit need their nails clipping regularly. It is hard to see the nails though due to their wool and furnishings. However, one of the best times time clip the nails is during coat clipping as part of an all over maintenance and health check.

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This years winner of the Virtual Stock Show under the full coated angoras class is a Sooty Fawn owned by Christine Hamilton

This year we have had to cancel our Swindon Stock Show and AGM twice now due to Covid 19. So a decision was made to hold a virtual show with the judge still being Sarah Elliott. The show date was Sunday 14th June 2020 with closing dates for entries on the 11th June at 6pm.

Rosettes were awarded to the winners of each class

So if you are feeling like you need some Angora bunny time then check out the entries and winners below and details of the virtual show. Thank you to everyone who helped organise the virtual event and for all those who entered and joined in with the lockdown spirit and for allowing us to publish your beautiful bunny photos online.

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Although Woolfest has been cancelled in Cockermouth this year, it has moved online. There will be a virtual Woolfest, Woolfest Online 2020 on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th June. Do visit the Woolfest Online 2020 Facebook page.

The National Angora Club will be there, selling our wool (we hope) and letting people know about our lovely rabbits. If craft members have never been to Woolfest, then take a look! Well worth visiting in person next year.