Today our friends from "I love you more than rainbows" blog (well they our real life friends, but also have a home ed blog!) came over for a crafting morning. Jasmin said she fancied a spot of felting, so we set to it. She decided on her colours and that she would make a brooch from flat felt cut out and sewed together. Autumn decided to make a picture, Debs to make a mobile phone case, and I couldn't make up my mind so decided to just make some flat felt which I could go on to make something out of later. Evan, however, decided to make some slippers!
I have made felt now quite a number of times using different methods, but this one we used today is by far my favourite for it's fullness of fun.
For speed I'm going to do a quick bullet point list of the method, for fullness you will have to explore elsewhere.
1. Lay out a square of bubble wrap about 40% larger than the piece of felt you want.
2. Tease out wool so that it is fairly evenly spread out.
3. Lay out the teased wool first vertically down your bubble wrap.
4. Lay out more teased wool this time horizontally on top of the first layer.
5. Add any detail on top with teased wool - wisps, stripes, swirls. (remember that the result will be an approximation of your design, intricate designs can be done using appliqué or needle felting.)
6. Sprinkle soapy water across the wool, spreading thinly and evenly (or use a spray - much quicker and easier!)
7. Put another layer of bubble wrap, (or plastic bag) over the wool.
8. Roll up tightly.
9. Secure with elastic bands (3 or more works well)
10. Cover with a towel if you want to avoid getting wet hands (secure with more bands)
... NOW FOR THE FUN BIT
11. First squeeze the tube gently across the middle all the way along
12. Now whack it, throw it, and generally have a brilliant, silly time with it.
(we threw ours down the stairs, whacked them on the floor, door frames, and you can hold them between 2 people and wiggle hard too!)
13. After about 5 minutes or so remove the bands and carefully unroll.
14. Check it over for bits your don't want and that the process is working well. This checking process is important to make sure it is all done at the same time, as once the process gets past a certain point it is difficult to incorporate any stray bits.
15. Re-roll and repeat.
16. Repeat processes 12-15 until you feel it is all coming together nicely, and looking less translucent.
17. When you are happy with it, it is time to finish it by plunging and chucking. (my personal favourite bit)
18. Take the unrolled felt and plunge it into cool water.
19. Squeeze it out leaving it wet without dripping
20. Keep in the ball and chuck it hard onto a hard surface.
21. Gather up using 2 hands and repeat. Do this lots of times, re plunging if it gets too dry.
22. When you can see it has reduced in size significantly, thickened up and puckered across the surface, you have done.
23. Rinse it out and dry.
As Evan was making a 3D object he utilised a slightly different method. Here goes:
1. Make a template, using oilcloth or similar, of your feet about 2cm bigger all round.
2. Follow other method up to 7 making sure 2 separate pieces are done, and both about half a hands width extra around the sides.
3. Put template on top and fold excess around the template
4. Now follow 7-16
5. Open up hole in the middle and remove oilcloth.
6. Place on feet.
7. Ensure wet.
8. Put on a pair of wellies.
9. Jump, stomp, dance around for about half an hour. ENJOY.
10. Remove, check and repeat if necessary.
11. When happy do the plunging and chucking but only a few times as we don't want to shrink it too much.
12. To finish you can sew any bits on you like, add some leather soles, decorations or anything you like really.
13. ENJOY
I have made felt now quite a number of times using different methods, but this one we used today is by far my favourite for it's fullness of fun.
For speed I'm going to do a quick bullet point list of the method, for fullness you will have to explore elsewhere.
1. Lay out a square of bubble wrap about 40% larger than the piece of felt you want.
2. Tease out wool so that it is fairly evenly spread out.
3. Lay out the teased wool first vertically down your bubble wrap.
4. Lay out more teased wool this time horizontally on top of the first layer.
5. Add any detail on top with teased wool - wisps, stripes, swirls. (remember that the result will be an approximation of your design, intricate designs can be done using appliqué or needle felting.)
6. Sprinkle soapy water across the wool, spreading thinly and evenly (or use a spray - much quicker and easier!)
7. Put another layer of bubble wrap, (or plastic bag) over the wool.
8. Roll up tightly.
9. Secure with elastic bands (3 or more works well)
10. Cover with a towel if you want to avoid getting wet hands (secure with more bands)
... NOW FOR THE FUN BIT
11. First squeeze the tube gently across the middle all the way along
12. Now whack it, throw it, and generally have a brilliant, silly time with it.
(we threw ours down the stairs, whacked them on the floor, door frames, and you can hold them between 2 people and wiggle hard too!)
13. After about 5 minutes or so remove the bands and carefully unroll.
14. Check it over for bits your don't want and that the process is working well. This checking process is important to make sure it is all done at the same time, as once the process gets past a certain point it is difficult to incorporate any stray bits.
15. Re-roll and repeat.
16. Repeat processes 12-15 until you feel it is all coming together nicely, and looking less translucent.
17. When you are happy with it, it is time to finish it by plunging and chucking. (my personal favourite bit)
18. Take the unrolled felt and plunge it into cool water.
19. Squeeze it out leaving it wet without dripping
20. Keep in the ball and chuck it hard onto a hard surface.
21. Gather up using 2 hands and repeat. Do this lots of times, re plunging if it gets too dry.
22. When you can see it has reduced in size significantly, thickened up and puckered across the surface, you have done.
23. Rinse it out and dry.
As Evan was making a 3D object he utilised a slightly different method. Here goes:
1. Make a template, using oilcloth or similar, of your feet about 2cm bigger all round.
2. Follow other method up to 7 making sure 2 separate pieces are done, and both about half a hands width extra around the sides.
3. Put template on top and fold excess around the template
4. Now follow 7-16
5. Open up hole in the middle and remove oilcloth.
6. Place on feet.
7. Ensure wet.
8. Put on a pair of wellies.
9. Jump, stomp, dance around for about half an hour. ENJOY.
10. Remove, check and repeat if necessary.
11. When happy do the plunging and chucking but only a few times as we don't want to shrink it too much.
12. To finish you can sew any bits on you like, add some leather soles, decorations or anything you like really.
13. ENJOY
Beth what a fantastic morning, a truly fab, full of fun, and crafting with friends. The best felting process ever too and Jasmin's favourite lunch. wow... Thank youxxx
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