Wet Felting - Absolute Beginner!!

Been trying something different! Wet felting! At least it's a craft where you have to stand up! So, in 45 mins I transformed gorgeous bright Merino wool tops into scrunched dollops of rather oddly coloured felt! Don't I feel like I have achieved something!! ;-)

Seriously though, its really easy. Not that I'm saying my attempt is any good colour wise, it is technically felt - which is what I set out to do! They are drying on the radiator at the moment - when dry they will be magically transformed (by me!!) into a two layered flower with a beaded centre - to be used as a hair bobble! (and to think I could have spent 99p to buy one - it wouldn't be the same!!!)

The technique is good exercise too! and you get your hands cleaner than you could possibly imagine! You basically pull out the merino wool and place it down on a bamboo mat

- when you have your pattern you then cover with a net (like a net curtain made of nylon or the like) and you wet the wool. Then you rub soap in.. and keep rubbing until the wool mats together.

Then you rinse it out carefully and put it back in the bamboo which you then roll up tight and roll the whole thing back and forward.. in all directions, for what seems like an eternity! (10 mins!) Then you pour near boiling water over the felt, let it cool a wee bit then pour boiling water again. Then a wee bit of repeating the rolling and the boiling water and you are done! Very clean hands and two small pieces of felt! Voila!

It's nice to try something new! This time next week I will of course be an accomplished designer of felt items (hats, scarves, bags, purses.. etc!!) rattling them up in an evening and selling them in some designer craft store for £££s. You have to have a vision! ;-)

I'll post a pic of the finished hair clip when I've done it!