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Stitching & Crafting Room:  Wool Felting  |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 21 2004 : 7:37:14 PM
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Hi all,
On my vacation trip we stopped at many craft rooms, fairs, etc. and I found quite a few examples of something called wool felting. I couldn't find anyone to explain it to me, and it's a bit difficult to describe. Most of the examples looked like pieces of wool, not really woven or loomed, with pictures on them, either added (?) or part of the material itself. I have never seen anything like it.
Does anyone out there know what I'm trying to describe? Any books you know of about the craft? It looks like something I'd like to try.
Thanks for your help.
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2004 : 7:42:28 PM
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I have a book called "Felting by Hand" that has some applied things..like strands of other fibers and stuff..really neat. I think it is added as a part of the felt when you make it.I wonder if it is like you are talking about..flowers and stuff. Felting is something I have intended to try for a long time..I have the wool source (sheep, angora goat and angora rabbits) so I should be trying it. Maybe this winter. It sounds like you had a fun vacation!!!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2004 : 10:43:37 AM
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Hi Aunt Jenny,
That book sounds like it would help, I'll check if my library has it.
Also, what you described sounds like what I saw. I've never seen anything like it before. Do you mean you get the wool from your own goats, or do you have a source where you buy/barter for the wool?
Thanks for the information
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2004 : 9:55:22 PM
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from my own. I have only one angora goat, and 4 sheep in different colors, and the rabbits. I do some trading for other exotic fibers or colors I don't have sometimes, but mostly use my own stuff.
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2004 : 8:39:29 PM
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Aunt Jenny, I ordered the book from my library. Can't wait to see what it's all about. I do other crafts, but this one really appeals to me. I had a goat named after me once, and would love someday to have some, but that's one dream that will have to wait. Oh, and I just realized that right outside on our back covered porch, I have a wooden plaque, which I painted, which says "bloom where you are planted"!
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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ElizArtist
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Elizabeth
Newbury Park
California
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2004 : 1:09:23 PM
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There are lots of books on felting some I have are Felt Making by Inge Evers, Knit One Felt Too by Kathleen Taylor, Felted Knits by Berverly Galeskas. Sometimes people just felt unspun wool, sometimes they knit or weave it first loosely and then felt. A couple of years ago our fiber guild had a speaker who taught us needle felting which was really fun that was Ayala Talpai, she is a felting queen! Her website is www.fiberfanatics.com . Another great source for anything fiber related is Interweave press I'm sure they have lots of books and info. Basically wool is a fiber that has little microscopic barbs and when they get wetted, rubbed and/or the temperature changes the little barbs swell up and the wool fibers attach themselves to each other and make one solid fabric. You may have accidently felted a sweater or socks at some point while washing them with too much agitation (such as in the washer) or temperature changes. When intentionally felting something it is very important that you don't buy wool that is treated not to felt it's usually called superwash. With needle felting you don't use water, you use these deadly looking needles that you poke into the wool over and over and the friction and heat causes the fibers to felt. It works well for sculptural type felting. Hope that points you in the right direction on the felting path!
Elizabeth
joyously dancing through life |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2004 : 6:23:24 PM
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Elizabeth, thanks so much for the information. I guess I had some idea of what felting was, I just don't know how to get started. I've never seen any classes here on that, although the university here has a lot of craft classes, perhaps I'll look into it this Fall. Anything I can make with my hands is fun, and makes me feel I've really accomplished something.
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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rabbithorns
True Blue Farmgirl
544 Posts
Allison
Fort Scott
KS
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2004 : 06:59:50 AM
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| If you want some hands-on felting experience, contact your local Waldorf school. They are big on using only natural materials with the children and they do projects with wool and wool roving. They can tell you about a bunch of books on it also. A great resource for the wool and instructions is a shop in Santa Cruz, CA called The Golden Fleece. The Waldorf schools also have at least two seasonal fairs a year and there are many hands-on activities offered - for kids and adults both. |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2004 : 7:13:45 PM
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We do have a Waldorf school but it's quite a way from where I live. I've seen their fairs advertised, but haven't seen a mention of anything like wool felting. I think I'm going to have to put this craft "on hold" for a while,
I've got too much to do at present, with the garden finishing up, my son going back to school, etc. Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions.
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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ElizArtist
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Elizabeth
Newbury Park
California
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2004 : 9:15:40 PM
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Oh I love the Golden Fleece. I used to live in Santa Cruz and wish I still did (or Hawaii). There is a new felting book out that I just saw today at the yarn shop which has needle felting in it and looks very good. I'll have to examine it more thoroughly when I go to work on Saturday.
joyously dancing through life |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2004 : 1:19:22 PM
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I too have been meaning to learn how to felt wool. I have several books but have never had or taken the time to try it. This summer I went to Wisconsin to visit my daughter and help with her new son and my first grandchild. We went to several of the local art co-op galleries and found that many artists are now making sculptural forms out of felting wool! They were fascinating and beautiful. One in particular that I fell in love with was of a Navaho woman with a waterjar beside a well. The felting was so intricate you could see the pattern of the weave in her garments and the brickwork of the well as well as the design on the water jar. It was $248.00, more that I could afford, but nevertheless wonderful. How on earth do they do this?
Eileen
songbird |
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ElizArtist
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Elizabeth
Newbury Park
California
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2004 : 11:17:49 PM
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My guess is on the reason you could see the weave pattern in her garments and the bricks is because the fabrics were woven ones and they weren't felted fully to the point where the texture is lost. I have felted knitted items that still show the knit stitches. I thought it wasn't really as good as it could be but didn't want to keep washing the projects. But now that you mention this as a design possibility that changes things. I see how someone could use the texture to their advantage. Hmmmm
Elizabeth
joyously dancing through life |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2004 : 12:38:27 PM
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Some of the items I saw in W.Virginia were as described by Eileen - the wool designs were not really felted, but you could see the knitting/weaving. I thought they were beautiful just the same. Texture adds a lot to a handmade item. I have a lot of wool clothing which I no longer wear - doesn't fit, is too warm, etc. I was going to give them away but now I'm thinking of ways to incorporate them into handmade pillows, etc. - I just saw some patchwork wool items in a catalog, and they were really expensive. I could do that, I thought! Just need time...
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2005 : 2:31:41 PM
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Back to the felted wool question: I have now taken a few old sweaters and gotten them to the stage where they are, more or less, felted! (I washed them in very hot water and put them in a warm dryer). I am planning to make purse out of them (saw it at a craft sale). Should I cut the wool first then sew the seams or vice versa - I'm afraid that once I cut the wool will unravel. The books on felting from the library weren't much help. Any suggestions?
Cecelia p.s. the purses were very simple squares, rectangles, etc.
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2005 : 7:17:48 PM
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If you are just sewing straight seams I don't see why you couldn't do it either way. As long as the felting has shrunk everything nice and tight you should be able to cut out whatever you need and then finish the seams however you prefer. If you have the ability to serge, that takes care of the seam and the finish but a medium zigzag works just as well. Sounds like you've got some fun projects going on, good luck!
with a happy heart |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2005 : 3:47:01 PM
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Bramble - thanks for your input. I was thinking of a zigzag for the seam finish, but I will probably also put in a light lining. Don't have a serger . I may have to just finish the seams by hand, the wool may be a bit heavy for my machine.
Cecelia
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2005 : 4:56:10 PM
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Cecelia-- I don't have a fancy machine but some times you can adjust your presser foot tension to accomodate thicker items. Give it a try before you do all that hand work, save that for the fun stuff!
Have you been to Florida and back? You and I are in the midst of some yucky weather right now, sunshine would be a welcome commodity!
Happy Valentine's Day!
with a happy heart |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2005 : 5:53:20 PM
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Hi Bramble -- I can do that with my machine and will try--sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Do you have any ideas what I can do with cotton sweaters? I don't think they will shrink as the wool will (if the cotton ones shrink, it won't look like felted wool). I have a number of cotton sweaters which I am not using/wearing and would like to get some use out of them. I think I could make up some bags out of them, and maybe do crewel embroidery on the fronts. The weather here (WNY) hasn't been yucky, just cold; we had about 5" of snow and the temps only going up to 17 tomorrow (Fri.). We leave for Fl. Sunday.
Cecelia
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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Elizabethq
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Elizabeth
Houston
Tx
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2005 : 4:51:12 PM
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I make lots of wool felt crafts. I have found a great source to buy wool felt. www.bighornquilts.com. 1 yard goes a long ways. I make little pins and christmas ornies for gifts out of it.
Elizabeth |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2005 : 06:54:45 AM
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Well, I managed to felt the old wool sweaters by using hot water in the washing machine and the clothes dryer! Instead of making purses, etc. I decided to make a rug. I've been cutting out the wool pieces into large squares, and stitching them together using the largest zigzag stitch on my machine. Seems to be working - by winter I'll have a nice wool rug to put my cold feet on.
Cecelia
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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Stitching & Crafting Room: Wool Felting |
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Wool Felting
