A single wool fiber is made of scales.  The scales are
  designed to move dirt and moisture away from a sheep’s
  body.  They are also designed to keep sheep cool in the
  summer and warm in the winter by allowing the scales to
  open up or close down.  Felting takes advantage of these
  natural properties.  When heat and moisture are applied
  to the wool fiber, the scales open up.  When the PH level
  of the fiber is changed by adding soap the scales swell
  and are transformed into a strand of hooks.  When the
  fibers are agitated together tangling occurs and it causes
  the fibers to move closer together into a dense matt
  (like dreadlocks).  Submerging the piece into cold water
  closes the scales and locks the fibers together. 
  The result is a permanently interlocked matt of fibers or felt. 



      HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?


  The process of felting is taking a lot of loose fibers
  (knitted, woven, crocheted) and rubbing them against
  each other when they are warm wet and soapy.  The
  scales open up and the fibers get tangled together;
  when they cool down and the scales try to close
  back to the shaft to form the fiber, they all lock
  together into a fuzzy new arrangement that we call felt.
  Technically, the process is fulling and the result is a
  piece of fabric or felt.


                    More simply:
  HEAT + MOISTURE + AGITATION = FELT


  The heat and moisture come from hot water; the addition
  of soap helps soften the fibers so they tangle together
  more, which aids in the felting process. Agitation causes
  the fibers to lock together; the longer you rub the piece
  the denser it gets.


            HOW DO YOU FELT?

  You can felt in the washing machine or you can felt by hand.


            WHY FELT BY HAND?

  I like to felt by hand because I am able to witness the magic
  transformation of knitted/crocheted yarn into felt. Felting
  by hand keeps YOU in control of the felting process. 
  YOU can felt anywhere; this method does not require electricity. 
  YOU can stop the process when it is done to your satisfaction,
  without running the risk of too much shrinkage. 
  YOU can change agitation directions so that felting happens
  evenly; your project does not become distorted, and you can
  achieve the shape you want. 
  YOU have the option of stopping the process at any point
  to achieve the look you want; felt it a little so there is still
  some stitch definition or felt it until you can’t see the stitches
  at all.
  YOU are literally making your own personal fabric out of
  shrunken wool.


NUNO FELTING


  Nuno felting is a Japanese fabric felting technique. It
  melds loose wool fiber into a sheer fabric such as silk,
  gauze or chiffon. Other fabrics or open weaves can
  be used as the felting background, resulting in a wide
  range of textural effects, transparency, texturing and
  layering. This creates a lightweight felt that can totally
  cover the background fabric or be used as a single
  decorative design. Scarves and clothing drape well,
  are flexible, airy,  and will not stretch out of shape
  like normal felt.



DO YOU LIVE IN THE JUNEAU AREA?
HOST A CLASS IN YOUR HOME!!

      Customize your class to learn the skill you and your friends are most                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 interested in!! Schedule more than one by skill level and techniques.
     WET FELTING: fulling fiber into felt and Nuno felting.  Two examples are
     shown on this page.  The green scarf above was felted using a silk scarf blank. 
     The rainbow wall hanging below was felted using wool roving on cheesecloth. 
     Fulling felt uses fleece or knitted/crochet projects felted from wool and then
     fulled either by hand or in a machine.
DRY FELTING or needle felting uses a barbed needle to tangle and shorten
     the fibers.  Needle felting used as embellishment can be taught on a scarf
blank, purse, or the two shapes below.



















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WHAT  IS  FELTING?