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Felt - A Useful Accessory for Floral Design

A step by step tutorial on wet felting

by Janthia Holt

Wool in its many forms is a current trend in floral art. Gregor Lersch has very recently produced a book dedicated to its varied use in floral designing. ‘Floral Craftsmanship Plus Wool’. Using natural products such as paper and wax is popular. There have been smaller and bigger trends throughout the ages, when floral artists use non-floral materials to enhance plant material. The intention is always to make the design more exciting. The same applies to wool, especially as its fibrous structure and flowing movement can appear very floral.

If you have carded wool it its easy to try wet felting. Here's an easy Step by Step instruction.

Materials you will need

  • supply of wool
  • bubble wrap
  • hot water
  • liquid soap
Materials Needed

The Process

  • Step 1 Lay bubble wrap smooth side up on a flat surface.
  • Step 2 Tease out wool fibres and make a vertical layer of fibres.
  • Step 3 Place more fibres horizontally to make another layer.
  • Step 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the desired thickness is achieved.
Felting Step 2
Felting Step 3
  • Step 5 Drizzle hand wash soap over the fibres then place a second piece of bubble wrap on top.

Note: If you wish to add embellishment, add it prior to Step 5, but add another light layer of wool fibres on top.

Felting Step 5
  • Step 6 Roll up the bubble wrap and place in hand-hot water. Twist, pummel and beat the bundle for several minutes. Imagine having placed a good woollen jumper into the washing machine by mistake!
Felting Step 6

When the bundle is unwrapped, there is your felt!

Finished Felt

The basic felt can be used as an embellishment, pleated or cut into strips and looped through a design, or used as a cover for a container to provide texture and interest.

Glass Container wrapped in finished felt

Why not rekindle your love of flowers by embellishing your designs with some woolly components!

NOTE: (Remember that in a floral design, the plant material must predominate.)

Design using container wrapped in felt

There are many suppliers of wool products: Lehner Wolle and Wingham Wool Works in Europe have products available by mail order, but there are many suppliers here in New Zealand too. There are also local farmers and life stylers who may have fleece available. Some useful web addresses for carded wool supplies:

www.creativeoutlet.co.nz (Rotorua)
www.craftyorwot.com (Richmond, Nelson)
www.kanecarding.co.nz (Dannevirke)
www.deayarns.co.nz (Wellington)

 

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