felt:felt_making

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felt:felt_making [2025/12/05 10:12] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1felt:felt_making [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Felt making+This topic is part of [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. 
 +====== Felt making ======
  
  
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-## What is felt making?+===== What is felt making? =====
  
 Felt making is making fabric by locking together fibres (generally wool) using friction and moisture. This is the traditional 'wet' felting technique, although now there's also needle felting, which doesn't require moisture or friction. Felt is probably the world's oldest textile. Felt making is making fabric by locking together fibres (generally wool) using friction and moisture. This is the traditional 'wet' felting technique, although now there's also needle felting, which doesn't require moisture or friction. Felt is probably the world's oldest textile.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Ancient felt carpet discovered in the Pazyryk burial grounds in the Altai Mountains.+_Ancient felt carpet discovered in the Pazyryk burial grounds in the Altai Mountains._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Wet felting+==== Wet felting ====
  
 Hot, soapy water and friction are used to mat, compress and fuse wool or other animal fibres together to make felt. Hot, soapy water and friction are used to mat, compress and fuse wool or other animal fibres together to make felt.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Kazakh yurt covered with felt.+_Kazakh yurt covered with felt._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Needle felting+==== Needle felting ====
  
 Interestingly, needle felting as a craft developed from an industrial process, rather than the other way around. The technique developed within the last 100 years, with triangular-shaped needles with notches that push and intermingle the wool fibres to create felt - no water or friction is required. Non-woven fabrics from piano felt to tennis balls are made this way. Interestingly, needle felting as a craft developed from an industrial process, rather than the other way around. The technique developed within the last 100 years, with triangular-shaped needles with notches that push and intermingle the wool fibres to create felt - no water or friction is required. Non-woven fabrics from piano felt to tennis balls are made this way.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### History+==== History ====
  
 Legend has it that felting was discovered when travellers put wool in their sandals to prevent blisters, and the combination of sweat and the friction of walking created basic felt socks! Legend has it that felting was discovered when travellers put wool in their sandals to prevent blisters, and the combination of sweat and the friction of walking created basic felt socks!
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 <caption> <caption>
-Upcycling an old dress using nuno felting techniques.+_Upcycling an old dress using nuno felting techniques._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Needle felting.+_Needle felting._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What are the benefits of felt making?+===== What are the benefits of felt making? =====
  
-### Self-provisioning / personal+==== Self-provisioning / personal ====
  
 Gaining any craft skills can help meet your and your family's needs, save you money and bring a lot of satisfaction and pleasure. Felting (and especially needle felting) can be very therapeutic, and the rubbing involved in wet felting can keep you fit. Gaining any craft skills can help meet your and your family's needs, save you money and bring a lot of satisfaction and pleasure. Felting (and especially needle felting) can be very therapeutic, and the rubbing involved in wet felting can keep you fit.
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 If you enjoy it and are good at it, you could potentially gain an income [or a job](/self/self-employment), by providing things for your community. If you enjoy it and are good at it, you could potentially gain an income [or a job](/self/self-employment), by providing things for your community.
  
-### Decentralising power away from corporations+==== Decentralising power away from corporations ====
  
 Providing things for ourselves in communities helps prevent extraction, decentralises power away from corporations (which makes it more difficult for them to corrupt democracy) and democratises work. Providing things for ourselves in communities helps prevent extraction, decentralises power away from corporations (which makes it more difficult for them to corrupt democracy) and democratises work.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Wet felting in the woods with kids.+_Wet felting in the woods with kids._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Building community and preparing for any potential collapse scenarios+==== Building community and preparing for any potential collapse scenarios ====
  
 In case of any kind of collapse scenario (broken supply chains, environmental destruction, financial crash, war, civil unrest etc.), we're going to have to look after ourselves in our communities, and so the more people with useful skills the better. In case of any kind of collapse scenario (broken supply chains, environmental destruction, financial crash, war, civil unrest etc.), we're going to have to look after ourselves in our communities, and so the more people with useful skills the better.
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 The UK has over 60 registered sheep breeds. Many smallholders use sheep for conservation grazing as well as for meat and wool. Sheep are integral to lots of smallholdings and mixed farms, which are vital for resilient communities. However, wool has fallen in value so much that it is often considered a waste product these days. Anything that can add value to local British wool has to be a good thing. The UK has over 60 registered sheep breeds. Many smallholders use sheep for conservation grazing as well as for meat and wool. Sheep are integral to lots of smallholdings and mixed farms, which are vital for resilient communities. However, wool has fallen in value so much that it is often considered a waste product these days. Anything that can add value to local British wool has to be a good thing.
  
-### Environmental+==== Environmental ====
  
 Felting can make use of a local resource, with short supply chains, where you can see the way it's produced. It's also renewable, biodegradable, repairable and recyclable if it all goes pear-shaped (a failed hat can become a tea cosy). Felting can make use of a local resource, with short supply chains, where you can see the way it's produced. It's also renewable, biodegradable, repairable and recyclable if it all goes pear-shaped (a failed hat can become a tea cosy).
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 <caption> <caption>
-A selection of felt handbags.+_A selection of felt handbags._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Felting can be used to make clothes, bags, hats, pictures, jewellery and 3-dimensional or stuffed objects like toys or waste baskets. You can also make felt rugs - the equivalent of sheepskin rugs, but without having to kill the sheep to get it. Wet felting is very easy, doesn't need specialist kit and can be done with kids. Needle felting, on the other hand, involves sharp things and so may not be so good to do with kids. There are no right and wrong methods - however, there's good and bad felting in terms of whether it's useful for the purpose for which it was intended. For example, if you're making a picture, it's fine if it's loosely felted, but if you're going to use the same piece for a handbag, it will probably fall apart if it's not tight felted or fulled (a cleansing and thickening process) enough. You can attend courses to learn general felting techniques or how to make specific items. You can find courses via the [International Feltmakers Association](http://www.feltmakers.com/). They run regional workshops and you can find out what's happening in your area. Felting can be used to make clothes, bags, hats, pictures, jewellery and 3-dimensional or stuffed objects like toys or waste baskets. You can also make felt rugs - the equivalent of sheepskin rugs, but without having to kill the sheep to get it. Wet felting is very easy, doesn't need specialist kit and can be done with kids. Needle felting, on the other hand, involves sharp things and so may not be so good to do with kids. There are no right and wrong methods - however, there's good and bad felting in terms of whether it's useful for the purpose for which it was intended. For example, if you're making a picture, it's fine if it's loosely felted, but if you're going to use the same piece for a handbag, it will probably fall apart if it's not tight felted or fulled (a cleansing and thickening process) enough. You can attend courses to learn general felting techniques or how to make specific items. You can find courses via the [International Feltmakers Association](http://www.feltmakers.com/). They run regional workshops and you can find out what's happening in your area.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Close-up of the end of a felting needle, showing notches.+_Close-up of the end of a felting needle, showing notches._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-You can do wet felting on your kitchen table. Coarse wool takes longer to felt, so it's probably best to start using finer wool. Use a net (debris netting from building sites works) / old vegetable sack / net curtain / bamboo mat placed on a towel. The washed, carded wool to be felted is placed on top of the net material. Small amounts are overlaid like roof tiles. Do it in a couple of layers - the second layer overlaid in the opposite direction to the first. Then either another piece of net (etc.) is placed on top, or it's all folded over so that the wool is between two pieces of netting. Warm soapy water is rubbed in a circular motion. The rubbing creates friction and the water provides moisture to cause the wool to shrink and mat to create felt. See [here](/craf/craft) and the first video above for more on the techniques of wet felting.+You can do wet felting on your kitchen table. Coarse wool takes longer to felt, so it's probably best to start using finer wool. Use a net (debris netting from building sites works) / old vegetable sack / net curtain / bamboo mat placed on a towel. The washed, carded wool to be felted is placed on top of the net material. Small amounts are overlaid like roof tiles. Do it in a couple of layers - the second layer overlaid in the opposite direction to the first. Then either another piece of net (etc.) is placed on top, or it's all folded over so that the wool is between two pieces of netting. Warm soapy water is rubbed in a circular motion. The rubbing creates friction and the water provides moisture to cause the wool to shrink and mat to create felt. See [here](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/crafts/felt-making/further-info/instructions-making-felt-picture-using-wet-felting-techniques/) and the first video above for more on the techniques of wet felting.
  
 Needle felting allows you to use coarser wools that might not wet felt so easily. You can buy felting needles online - [Wingham Wool Work](http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/) and [World of Wool](http://www.worldofwool.co.uk/) (both in Yorkshire) are good sources, and there's a lot of good information on those sites too. Needles are pushed backwards and forwards through the wool and into some sort of pad, so that you don't stab yourself. You can learn needle felting on courses, or you can find instructional videos like the one above. Needle felting allows you to use coarser wools that might not wet felt so easily. You can buy felting needles online - [Wingham Wool Work](http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/) and [World of Wool](http://www.worldofwool.co.uk/) (both in Yorkshire) are good sources, and there's a lot of good information on those sites too. Needles are pushed backwards and forwards through the wool and into some sort of pad, so that you don't stab yourself. You can learn needle felting on courses, or you can find instructional videos like the one above.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Felted flowers in the woods.+_Felted flowers in the woods._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:crafts|Crafts & making]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/crafts). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [International Felt Makers Association](http://www.feltmakers.com/) - information, online courses, resources - [International Felt Makers Association](http://www.feltmakers.com/) - information, online courses, resources
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 - [Niki Collier](https://www.nikicollier.com/free-felt-classes/) - free video tutorials - [Niki Collier](https://www.nikicollier.com/free-felt-classes/) - free video tutorials
  
-- [Liz Gaffney](/craf/craft) - basic instructions for making a picture with wet felting+- [Liz Gaffney](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/crafts/felt-making/further-info/instructions-making-felt-picture-using-wet-felting-techniques/) - basic instructions for making a picture with wet felting 
 + 
 + 
  
 +===== Related topics =====
  
 +- [Craft production](craf:craft)
 +- [Knitting & crochet](knit:knitting)
 +- [Sheep](shep:sheep)
 +- [Alpacas](alps:alpacas)
 +- [Low-impact clothes](licl:clothes)
 +- [Natural dyes](ntdy:natural_dyes)
 +- [Sewing](sewi:sewing)
 +- [Weaving](weav:weaving)
 +- [Yurts/gers](yurt:yurts)
  
-## Specialist(s)+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
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