Felt is likely one of the oldest forms of fabric known to humankind, predating weaving and knitting. It’s a non-woven textile created by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together. At its heart, felting transforms fluffy wisps of wool into dense, durable material through manipulation. Two primary methods dominate the modern felting landscape: the ancient technique of wet felting and the more contemporary approach of needle felting. Both paths lead to fascinating textures and forms, but they travel very different routes using distinct tools and processes.
Unraveling the Magic: What Makes Wool Felt?
Before diving into the techniques, let’s understand why wool is the star of the show. Wool fibers, particularly from sheep, possess microscopic scales along their surface. When these fibers are subjected to moisture, heat, and agitation (in wet felting) or repeated piercing with barbed needles (in needle felting), these scales open up and interlock with the scales of neighbouring fibers. This interlocking process, multiplied thousands of times, creates a tangled, matted fabric – felt. While other animal fibers like alpaca, mohair, and cashmere can also be felted, sheep’s wool, especially breeds like Merino, Corriedale, or Romney, is most commonly used due to its excellent felting properties.
Wet Felting: The Power of Soap, Water, and Elbow Grease
Wet felting is the traditional method, relying on water, soap, and physical agitation to bind the wool fibers. It’s a wonderfully tactile process, though it can be a bit messy and requires some physical effort.
The Wet Felting Process Explained
The basic steps involve laying out layers of wool roving (unspun wool) in overlapping, perpendicular layers on a waterproof surface like bubble wrap or a bamboo mat. The direction and thickness of these layers influence the final fabric’s strength and drape. Once the wool is arranged, warm soapy water is sprinkled over it. The soap acts as a lubricant, helping the fibers slide against each other, while the warm water helps the scales on the fibers open up.
Then comes the agitation. Initially, this is gentle pressing and rubbing, often through a netting layer to prevent the fibers from shifting too much. As the fibers begin to catch and mesh, the agitation becomes more vigorous. Rolling the wool layout tightly within the mat or bubble wrap is a common technique. This rolling, often hundreds of times in different directions, combined with occasional throwing or ‘fulling’, encourages the fibers to migrate, tangle, and shrink, forming a cohesive piece of felt. The process continues until the fibers are fully integrated and the felt has reached the desired density and size – significant shrinkage occurs during felting.
Materials for Wet Felting
- Wool Roving or Batts: The primary material. Different types yield different results.
- Warm Water: To help open fiber scales.
- Soap: Preferably a gentle, natural soap like olive oil soap (Castile) or specific felting soaps. Harsh detergents can damage fibers.
- Work Surface: Bubble wrap (small bubbles up) or a bamboo sushi/matchstick mat provides texture for agitation.
- Netting: Tulle or sheer curtain material to hold fibers in place initially.
- Towels: For soaking up excess water.
- Optional: Pool noodle or PVC pipe for easier rolling, squeeze bottle or ball brauser for applying water.
What Can You Make with Wet Felting?
Wet felting is excellent for creating both flat and three-dimensional pieces. Flat items include scarves, wall hangings, placemats, and fabric yardage. By using a ‘resist’ – a template made from thin plastic or floor underlayment placed between layers of wool – you can create seamless 3D objects like bags, vessels, hats, slippers, and pods. The wool felts around the resist, which is removed once the felting is complete.
Important Water Temperature Note: While warm water helps the felting process, excessively hot water can sometimes ‘shock’ the fibers or make them felt too quickly and unevenly. Conversely, cold water won’t be as effective at opening the scales. Aim for comfortably warm, not scalding hot.
Needle Felting: Sculpting with Sharp Objects
Needle felting, sometimes called dry felting, is a newer technique that gained popularity relatively recently. Instead of water and soap, it uses specialized barbed needles to tangle the wool fibers together. It’s a dry process, making it less messy and more portable than wet felting.
The Needle Felting Process Explained
The core of needle felting involves repeatedly stabbing a cluster of wool roving or batting with special felting needles. These needles aren’t smooth; they have tiny notches or barbs along their shaft. As the needle enters the wool, the barbs catch the top fibers and push them down into the lower layers. When the needle is withdrawn, the barbs release the fibers, leaving them tangled with others deeper within the mass. This stabbing action, repeated hundreds or thousands of times, gradually compacts and shapes the wool into a firm, felted form.
Needle felting is typically done on a supportive surface, like a dense foam pad or a specialized brush mat, which protects the needles from breaking and provides a base to work against. The process allows for precise control, making it ideal for creating detailed sculptures, adding surface embellishments to existing fabrics (including pre-made felt), or creating felted ‘paintings’.
Materials for Needle Felting
- Wool Roving or Batts: Carded batts can be easier for sculptural work, while roving works well too.
- Felting Needles: Available in various gauges (thicknesses) and barb configurations (e.g., triangular, star, spiral). Coarser needles (lower gauge number, like 36) work faster for initial shaping, while finer needles (higher gauge number, like 40 or 42) are used for details and smoother surfaces. Needles are brittle and sharp!
- Felting Surface: A high-density foam pad, a firm sponge, or a brush-like felting mat.
- Optional: Needle holders (for single or multiple needles), finger protectors (leather or silicone), wire for armatures in sculptures, glass eyes for figures.
What Can You Make with Needle Felting?
Needle felting excels at creating three-dimensional objects, particularly figures, animals, and whimsical sculptures. It’s also perfect for adding detailed patterns, images, or textures onto flat surfaces like wool sweaters, bags, or wet-felted pieces. You can create intricate pictures by layering and felting different colours of wool onto a backing fabric.
Wet vs. Needle Felting: Key Differences
While both techniques result in felt, they cater to different styles and projects:
- Process: Wet felting uses water, soap, and friction. Needle felting uses barbed needles and repeated stabbing.
- Mess Factor: Wet felting involves water and soap, requiring a waterproof setup. Needle felting is dry and relatively clean.
- Pace & Scale: Wet felting can create large pieces of fabric relatively quickly but involves significant physical effort. Needle felting is slower, especially for large areas, but allows for intricate detail and sculptural forms.
- Texture: Wet felt tends to be denser and flatter (unless formed around a resist). Needle felt can range from soft and fuzzy to very firm and sculptural.
- Portability: Needle felting is highly portable; you just need your wool, needles, and a small pad. Wet felting requires more space and access to water.
- Safety: Wet felting risks are minimal (slippery floors). Needle felting requires caution due to the extremely sharp barbed needles.
Getting Started with Felting
Whichever technique tempts you, start simple. For wet felting, try making a small flat piece like a coaster or a simple pod using a resist. Focus on laying out the wool evenly and getting a feel for the rolling and fulling process. For needle felting, begin with a basic shape like a ball or a heart, practicing how to control the wool and achieve a firm, smooth surface. Always use a felting surface and consider finger guards, especially when starting out. Patience is key for both methods; felting takes time, but watching the fibers transform is part of the magic.
Felting, in either form, offers a unique way to connect with natural fibers and create beautiful, durable textiles and sculptures. Whether you prefer the splashy energy of wet felting or the precise sculpting of needle felting, transforming a puff of wool into something solid and tangible is a deeply satisfying craft.
