Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[craftyhunnypie]

Right all you clever lot from the craft weekend.. how do I do it?

My felting kit came this morning - just over £6 for a good sized kit off ebay.

I need step by step instructions please. I know I layer, soap, roll & bash - but need a bit more explanation.

Do I wash it then? Do I use water too. nDo I leave it rolled up to dry? Help, I'm dying to try this tonight.

 

Incase you haven't noticed..in times of trouble ....I craft!

 

Emma.x

[ClaireG]

Layer the fibres on a piece of bubble wrap, bubbles up. Make sure you don't put the fibres right to the edge so that you can roll it. Layer each layer of fibres in opposite directions. When you've finished layering, squirt washing up liquid over the fibres and then spray with water. Then start rolling up the fibres in the bubble wrap, keep rolling and squeezing until the fibres knit together, roll one way then the other. Then unwrap and start bashing, throw on a floor, hit a table or wall etc. The felt will shrink and get thicker. If it doesnt appear to be shrinking and felting wet the fibres again, you might need to do this before you start bashing. When your happy with your felt go and rinse it under the tap, leave unrololed to dry.

 

I hope that makes sense!

[Omletina Kyckling]

Hi Emma,

 

What you say "I know I layer, soap, roll & bash" you've just about got it!! There's not much more to it than that....when I did my little felting masterclass on Sunday they all looked at me like I was mad, as if they could never make felt with a bit of bubblewrap, wool and soap but everybody made some fab felt - it's difficult to go wrong really!!

 

I have found a fabulous online tutorial which might help you - this is for a scarf but it follows the basic technique needed. We didn't have any fancy bowls to do it in or anything like that, just the bubblewrap which is what will rub the wool to felt it.

 

Once you have the felt, rinse it out (and I put some fabric conditioner on) - some put vinegar on before this to firm up the fibres, but I never have. Depending on what you plan to do with it, you are better off drying it flat.

 

if you need to know anything specific, give me a shout! I can send you my mobile number so you can ring me if you get stuck, when you're doing it!

 

It's very satisfying, you get rid of a lot of aggression!

 

Good luck!

 

Here's the weblink

http://www.ehow.com/video_4435360_materials-making-felt-scarf.html

[craftyhunnypie]

yay I've done it! A lovely piece of pinky purple felt with splashes of orange. It's just drying out. Hubby wondered what I was doing with squirty soap & bubble wrap bent over the bath. He wonderedeven more when I rolled it up & bashed it around the bathroom. What great fun it was though. Just wonder what I will make from it.

 

Emma.x

[Omletina Kyckling]

Pictures, pictures, PICTURES!!!!

[Couperwife]

yep, pictures

 

*impatiently taps fingers waiting for photos*

 

isnt it fun

 

I loved doing mine, im going to make a camera case with my red one

 

cathy

x

[Sunshine]

I've just watched the online tuturial that Omletina posted and have now really want to do some felting. When i was in Scotland last week we went in lots of small independent shops and i was amazed at the prices for a small flower felted broach.

 

Where do you all get your felting wool from? On the tuturial she had a big piece of red wool and then a roll of turquiouse wool. Which is best to use? If i just used the smaller roll of wool would it be thick enough?

 

Oooh i want some felting stuff now!!!

[craftyhunnypie]

I got my kit from art thou wooly on ebay. £6 ish for a decent kit

 

Emma.x

[Omletina Kyckling]

Hi,

 

I've used Texere yarns, Winghamwoolworks and also World of Wool for my merino wool in the past - they are all really good!

 

Felting is very addictive....I'm planning to make a nuno felted coat next!!

[Snowy]

I was looking at my little patch of felt only yesterday, and trying to imagine how much i would need to make a coat! I don't think I have the floor space

[Ygerna]

Make a coat! is that possible. That would be totally amazing.

[Omletina Kyckling]

Make a coat! is that possible. That would be totally amazing.

 

It's possible, but you need a lot of space, a lot of time and a lot of money (the latter is the stopping point) as you'd need a lot of merino wool and also silk (if nuno felting as this shrinks down by about half when felting!!) - it's a thought for the future....you can make jackets and coats up by making scarf sized panels and joining them, I think that'd be the way to do it, when I get around to it!

[Ygerna]

*sigh* DH is going to be so cross with you all; now I HAVE to try this too

[Lesley]

Just tell him it's a new way of getitng the kitchen floor really clean

[ubereglu]

Just tell him it's a new way of getitng the kitchen floor really clean

 

And sides...I flooded the kitchen worktop when I had a go at home! There are pictures on my blog if you're interested.