Step by step wet felting tutorial for beginners
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- Опубліковано 31 бер 2020
- This video takes you step by step through the process of creating a beautiful piece of flat felt from start to finish. I recorded this to support participants in my ‘Eco print meets sculptural felt pods, vessels and simple three dimensional shapes’ online workshop so I used natural un-dyed fibres but of course the technique may be used for dyed wool too.
For your information during this demonstration I cut my bubble wrap 75cm x 60cm (30” x 24”) and used 44g merino (1.5oz) plus a small amount of tencel embellishing fibre.
Here are written step by step instructions to accompany the video.....
Cut your bubble wrap to size and position one piece bubbles up on your table
Lay out your first layer of wool in a vertical direction (each shingle should overlap, see video)
Very lightly sprinkle hot water on your wool
Place your net on top
Soap through your net (wet, net, soap)
Carefully peel off your net
Lay a second layer of fibre at right angles to the first making sure to overlap the shingles as before
Wet, net and soap
Peel off the net then carefully neaten your edges using three or four fingers (demonstrated on the video), I refer to this as ‘sweeping in the edges’
Add your embellishing fibre over part of the surface
Lightly wet again but this time only on the embellishing fibres, net and soap
Briefly rub through the net making sure everything is flat and soapy but not swimming in water
Remove the net very carefully making sure no embellishments have stuck to it
Sweep in the edges again
Place your second piece of bundle wrap on top, bubbles down
Add a little sprinkle of water on top of the bubble wrap and a sweep of soap. NB It’s important that for the next stage of the process your hands glide on the surface of the bubble wrap and don’t move the fibres inside too aggressively hence the soap
Starting at the top glide your hands up and down in one position for a count of ten (up and down is one) then continue until you have covered every part of the fibre
Gently lift up the top piece of bubble wrap, sweep your edges in, replace the bubble wrap and give it a light press/rub to make good contact
Carefully turn your package over making sure not to slap it down hard on the table. Press down on the bubble wrap all over then lift the top piece off. Sweep the edges in, replace the bubble wrap, wet/soap lightly then repeat the rubbing process in a different direction to the first time
Repeat these steps as per the video until such time as your fibre has become a delicate piece of matted felt. If you are unsure when this is I recommend another few sessions of rubbing. You can never do too much but it’s easy to do too little!
The next stage of the process is to roll your lightly felted wool up within the bubble wrap and then roll this package inside a towel. The towel supports the felt and makes it easier to roll
Roll your package as per the video for a maximum of 30 rolls in one direction without pressure. If you I find that the package is flattening a lot stop, sometimes this happens after only 20 rolls
Unroll your piece, remove the bubble wrap and check the edges, sweep them in as necessary then replace the bubble wrap and turn the package upside down so that you can work on the other side again
Repeat the rolling changing direction each time you turn the felt over and after a while you will see your fabric shrinking! As the wool tightens and felts under your hands start using a little more pressure. With experience you will be able to feel this happening, don’t stress if you can’t at the beginning
Once your felt has shrunk in every direction is should now be ready roll on itself to achieve a nice finish. I like to use a linen tea towel for this as I find it gives a lovely surface but any towel will do, just not your fluffiest one
Roll a few times in different directions with the surface of your felt up and down, stretch the edges to achieve as even an outside edge as possible. Little organic waves are normal especially if you have not felted before so don’t panic
When you are happy with your felt give it a good rinse it under hot water until it runs clear and squeeze (not wring) it almost dry
If you are not going to print your sample iron it on both sides using the hottest setting of the iron and stretching the edges to shape as you go
Step back and admire your beautiful felt!
I’ve many years experience teaching felting and eco printing in all over the world as well as over five years facilitating online workshops. In 2022 my Eco Print & Wet Felt Club membership launched. If you’re interested in joining my newsletter list it’s the best way of keeping up to date with tips, free tutorials and upcoming news.
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Thank you, Nicola for this excellent video. I used to felt years ago, loved it. Kept all my equipment and roving. Tomorrow I will get everything set up and have a day of it. Loved being in your kitchen. Loved this video!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Mary! I'm happy that you are starting to felt again, have fun! Once you have some samples made you might enjoy my video about making felt beads from scraps. Whatever you make please feel free to share on my new community tab, it just went live this past weekend.
I made felt! Thanks for the great instructions. My previous attempts, years ago, were no fun at all, but this turned out great! Lots of room for improvement, but now that I've had a little success I can't wait to try again! Now I want to try eco printing it!
Very thorough and informative. Thank you🙏
Thanks a million Sandi, I'm glad that you found it informative!
Thank you Nicola for a great tutorial. I've felted before but have just finished a piece as per your tutorial and it's the best piece of quality felt I have ever done. Again many thanks for such precise instructions.
Thanks so much Rose for letting me know you found the video helpful. I’m delighted that you enjoyed it and have made a beautiful piece of felt!
Subscribed! Thanks for such a clear and precise method. I'm finally achieving some consistent and beautiful results!
Awesome! Thank you!
A great informative lesson, learnt more from this one video than watching probably eight other ones , thanks very much 💕
Gosh Lisa, thanks for the lovely comment. Happy felting!
Just found your channel. Wow! It is the first time I have seen the layers sprayed between each layer. You are so clear with your directions. Wish i lived closer for an on sight workshop.
Hi Eileen, wetting and soaping between each layer was a deal breaker for me when I first discovered the technique! I’m delighted that you enjoyed the video and who knows, maybe at some stage I’ll be near enough for you to join a workshop! Where do you actually live? I won’t be teaching internationally this year but will definitely be further afield sometimes during 2023.
fun and interesting nicola! you are such a careful and thorough teacher. i wish i were sitting on the stairs near freddy watching! this is lori (times five) bye now! xox
What a perfect name for you on UA-cam Lori, wish you were here beside me and Freddy too! Xxx
It seems like a very cool innovation to use bubble wrap in this process, but I'm curious to know what people used before it was available.
Prior to bubble wrap many people used reed or rush mats and indeed many still do at times, me included!!!
Great video. May I ask, if you were to not roll out it out and just stop after all the rubbing, would that make it a perfelt?
I’m glad that you enjoyed it and found it helpful! In relation to prefelt, sometimes I would stop the process very early on and at other times a little further along the line. It’s possible to stop when the fibres are just tangled together enough not to fall apart BUT if you leave it for a little longer and then cut out shapes to use in another piece the cut edges will not blur as much once felted. Does this make sense?
@@clasheen thank you so much.
Where can we buy a “scraper”? Is that what you called your little spray bulb? Ingenious. I suppose , absent such a good tool a spray bottle could do? Thank you for sharing this!
I possibly called it a sprayer Patricia although more usually refer to it as a ball brause! Where do you live? If you let me know I might be able to tell you an online supplier in your general area. Otherwise, you can buy these from specialist bonsai suppliers but felting ones might be easier to find. I should add that a spray bottle will work but personally I find that it hurts my neck and the fibre can move a little if you are not careful. Many people do use them though!
@@clasheen found a supplier already, bay set it is! TY
Brause ball! Spell check??!! TY
Ball brause! Great that you’ve found a supplier, I was going to recommend Marie at Living Felt if you are in the US.
@@clasheen I did find Living Felt, marvelous! In Texas no less so paying the exchange rate and shipping but thrilled to get started. Just purchased 2 Icelandic fleeces from the spring sheet - quite rough and to me perfect for felting. I run it through my carder and make my own roving. Your technique demo has answered many questions for me ! I was experimenting with so so results. Your instructions will make all the dif!
Why is bubble rub nesecery for felting
Hi Sameena, the bubble wrap supports the fibre, contains the water and the bubbles help gently work all the wool and embellishments together. It's also possible to use a bamboo mat or blind but bubble wrap is much more flexible and the easiest to use, as a beginner but also as an experienced felter!
Вам надо поучиться у российских мастериц. Долго смеялась, глядя, как вы 25 минут раскладывали 2 слоя шерсти!
Возможно, вы смеялись, но это сделано для того, чтобы продемонстрировать совершенно новым мастерам войлока, как создать свой первый кусок войлока. Пошаговое руководство в помощь.
Yes! In my opinion they are masters I have learned so much,,,,,,Ukrainians too. Sometimes there are English captions
I tried to hear and understand the soap but my ears are not the greatest. Couldn't understand the ingredients in soap.🤗
Olive oil Marseille soap. Made in France 🙂
Thanks @thelakaes for answering this question and I’m sorry that I missed it before now.
I love using olive oil soap Tammy when I am felting. Marseilles is available from health food shops usually but any simple, natural soap will work perfectly but I recommend those without any artificial colours or scent.
Terrible video. Probably good technic but. Where is your Mike. Can barely hear you. Also whatever you are demonstrating is off camera half the time. Too bad. I’m sure I would learn something if not for the technical difficulties
Thanks for your feedback Ton. This video was recorded to document the felting process from start to finish and I appreciate that the sound could be better. For this reason I included everything so that for those first time felters who wanted to follow along themselves could do so.I intend recording a new video with proper light and sound but won't be taking this down now as it's helped a lot of people.
Ton, Everyone with a brain would learn a lot from this video! Just open your ears, eyes and brain. That's all you need. We aren't having a competition here, see whose camera is better, whose microphone is more quality or who is more fun today. If there is something you think it couldve been better, say it nicely. You don't have to be rude. There is so much effort and time put in this video. I actually don't see any problem with it. She is teaching something here and doing a very neat, organized job. If I didn't watch her video, I was gonna ruin my project and waste all that material and my time. I appreciate her video!
@@mihricanbelenkoylu6402 you totally miss the point. I said I could learn a lot from this video. The technical problems prevented me from doing so. You do know the difference between constructive criticism and derogatory remarks I hope. As to comparing mikes and cameras. I am not a you tuber so I possess none of those. Again you have much to offer, but it gets lost in the translation. Instead of being thin-skinned be happy that someone points out ways to improve what could be a great program
@@clasheen thanks. I did not mean to be critical, because you are very talented. It would be a dynamite you tube presentation with a few tweaks. I appreciate your sharing you artistry with us
@@mihricanbelenkoylu6402 Thanks so much Mihrican and I'm very happy that you found the video helpful! It was never intended for UA-cam in the first place but because it was too long for a private platform I uploaded it anyway. I hope that you are enjoying your felting and wish you all the best!