Well here goes.... my first foray into blog-world creative arts. So, I was inspired to make a doll (for a friend - but need to keep it under wraps for now) after browsing Etsy.
This led me to a link:
for a beautiful doll made by the very clever Nicole Owens. Which in-turn encouraged me to begin my own blog ....... in the hope that I might stop procrastinating and start creating - and here we are.
I have a gorgeous selection of hand-dyed merino fleece that I have had for a few years (this is just a small sample of the amazing colours). I was shown a while ago how to wet-felt and needle-felt, but have never really found the time to actually do it!!!!(relate??). To cut a long story short, I thought this might be the perfect first project for my blog and will be the beginning of my Nicole Owens doll when my felt becomes beautiful auburn hair.
da da! First step, decide on the colour
(probably the hardest part)
Best to do this in a wet-tolerant area (kitchen, laundry, outside) because it IS VERY WET!!!
You will need:
Sushi Mat( or bubble wrap - haven't tried this but was told it works?)
Dish wash liquid or liquid laundry detergent
piece of lace curtain or similar fabric (same size as sushi mat)
Hot water (I use it from the kettle)
Tip: The hotter the water the quicker the fibres will bind together, but be careful, make sure you use rubber gloves.
Gently layer fleece in a horisontal direction across the mat, then position the next layer in a vertical direction. I do this in three layers for a medium weight fleece, but you will get a feel for how many layers you need after a practice. Make sure that there aren't any gaps that you can see the mat through before you begin.
TIP:To pull the fleece apart, you need to be gentle - pretend it is a cloud that you are working with.
Lay net over fleece and sprinkle with detergent and gently pour some hot water over. Using your gloved hand, gently work up a lather with the soap. (Until it looks soapy)
This is where the muscle work starts! Keeping the net in place roll the sushi mat over. Roll back and forth, adding more hot water and a little more soap and repositioning fleece now and again (including flipping sideways so that it is getting even rolling). This bit can take a while, but it is also the sudsy/messy/fun part for those of us that are tactile! You will know that it is ready when it feels thick and there are no thin see-through areas. When you think it is ready, rinse through with cold water to remove all soap, then gently roll dry in the sushi mat. At this point you can also pop it into the clothes drier to thicken it up, or just lay flat to dry.
Voila!!! Lovely auburn wool felt.....
So that's how to get a flat piece of felt! ...and it's beautiful merino wool...lovely!
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