Cheating at felt making

Its sample time again. Was busy last night felting an old woolen blanket - whilst that was being pummelled in the washing machine, I got out my felting kit and turned my sewing machine on.

I sandwiched 3 layers of merino tops between water soluble fabric and then hooped the sandwich in my machine embroidery hoop. I experimented with the bird and flowers using 2 different thread colours - although the shapes do not relate to my project's design work I have them in mind for something else felted.

The shapes below require a little more trimming but overall I am pleased with them. I think I prefer the less is more approach to allow the surface to actually look felt like. I was cautious at first because I was worried I wouldn't have enough stitching to keep the wool together.



I experimented with 2 ways of dissolving the soluble fabric : cold water rinsing or pouring over the contents of a recently boiled kettled. I think I prefer using the kettle I have a better rinse out of the soluble fabric (if its not rinsed properly then things remain rather stiff) also I think the "felt" actually felts a bit better - as you are shocking the wool fibres. This something I actually want to have a go at trying with some woollen tapestry thread to make some felted mini pom-poms - this was shown in class but I never got round to doing it as I had a myriad of other things to do.