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Challenge
Challenge
- Make a piece of felt using wool roving, water and a sandwich bag.
Extra Credit
Extra Credit
- Add an LED circuit to illuminate your creation
Materials:
Materials:
- Sandwich bag with a "zipper" closure
- Towel
- Bubble Wrap
- Rubber Shelf Liner (optional)
- 2 pieces of cardstock - 5.5" x 8.5" with line drawn at mid-point (4.25")
- Small amount of soapy water
- Clear water, for rinsing
- Rolling pin, for flattening finished piece
- Bits of wool roving (NOT "superwash" - it won't felt)
Watch the whole process.
Watch the whole process.
Supplies
Supplies
Sandwich bag, bubble wrap, shelf liner, wool roving, 2 half-sheets of cardstock, soapy water, towel
Step 1
Step 1
Using cardstock as your guide, pull off small tufts of wool place one thin layer of roving horizontally.
Step 2
Step 2
Add a second layer vertically.
Step 3
Step 3
Take small bits of the colored wool and create your design.
Step 4
Step 4
Tip: Use small bits of wool and leave space between items to allow for shrinking.
Step 5
Step 5
Place the second piece of cardstock on top of your design, making a "sandwich."
Step 6
Step 6
Slide the "sandwich" into the bag and carefully remove the card stock.
Step 7
Step 7
Here's it is, inside the sandwich bag.
Step 8
Step 8
Add soapy water into the bag, pressing on the bag to get all of the fibers wet.
Step 9
Step 9
Squeeze out the excess water (leave about one tablespoon in the bag) and seal. Make sure no fibers are stuck in the "zipper."
Step 10
Step 10
Set a piece of bubble wrap on top of the rubber shelf liner, and place your sealed bag on top. Begin gently rubbing the fibers with your flat hand - side-to-side, up-and-down. Turn the piece over and work on the other side too.
Step 11
Step 11
After about 5 to 10 minutes, take it out of the bag and rinse it in cool water.
TA DA!
TA DA!
Here's the finished piece, all ready for using as a coaster, or attaching to any other project you can imagine.
Comparison
Comparison
Notice how much the wool shrinks after only 5 to 10 minutes of rubbing!
Now go and create your own designs! You are limited only by your imagination!
Now go and create your own designs! You are limited only by your imagination!
Here are some suggestions:
Here are some suggestions:
- Use a gallon-size bag and make a larger piece of felt. It will take longer to become felted, so adjust your timing accordingly.
- After your piece is dry, add beads or other embellishments.
- Adhere your creation to the front of a hand-made card or sign and frame it for a one-of-a-kind gift.
- Use it as a coaster. (Felt is naturally water-repellant, but not water-proof, so use caution on some sensitive surfaces).
Learn more about felt-making by visiting your local library and checking out some books on the subject, or search online for "wet felting." You will find many great resources and ideas!
Resources
Resources
Many of you asked where you could buy the wool for felting, and I promised to add a page to the website to include some of my favorite sources and resources for more info on felting.
Wool Sources
Wool Sources
Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival
Outback Fibers - Online Ordering
Dharma Trading - Undyed Wool Roving
*If you want to dye the wool with Kool-Aid, click HERE for directions.
Make sure you let the wool cool slowly after it is dyed. If you move the wool or "shock" it with cold water, it may felt, and that would be sad.
Tutorials
Tutorials
A Beginner's Guide to Felting - With Kids
Video Tutorials from LivingFelt
A "Felted Soap" Tutorial - Good Clean Fun!
My Favorite Site for Learning How to Felt and Where to Buy Wool - FeltingLessons.com
Google Sites
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