***Felted Hat***

Wet felted hat made with Alpaca wool and a ceramic flower button 

I've been wanting to make a felted hat for the longest time. The other day I was in the yarn shop and, low and behold, they had alpaca wool, something I have been looking for and wanting to try for felting. I have watched several videos on how to wet felt a hat, so here is a combination of techniques that I used to make my felted hat...

Step 1:  Partially fill a water balloon with warm water and then blow it up to about twice as large as you want the finished hat to be and put it tied end in a bowl. The bowl and water in the balloon will help to keep things from moving around too much.

Step 2:  Wet and cover the balloon with a thin layer of dish soap.

Step 3:  Place sections of wool (I used alpaca) over the balloon.

Step 4:  Continue placing the wool over the balloon going in the same direction.

Step 5:  Complete one layer of wool around the balloon.

Step 6:  Using a spray bottled filled with warm soapy water, wet down all of the wool.

Step 7:  Wrap pieces of wool around the balloon going in the opposite direction.

Step 8:  After spraying the wool, add a layer of thinner pieces of wool going in the original direction. Then you can add decorations or embellishments to the outside of the hat.

Step 9:  Spray all of the wool to gently wet it down and then cover it with tulle (or you can use the top part of a pair of pantyhose), making sure that all the wool is covered.

Step 10:  Turn the balloon and wool over and tie the pieces of tulle together where the balloon is tied.

Step 11:  Fill the sink (or a large container) with warm soapy water and gently make sure all of the wool becomes wet. Then gently press the wool against the balloon to get as much water out as you can in order to move the balloon to your work area.

Step 12:  With your hands and fingers, gently rub all around the tulle being careful not to move any embellishment. After rubbing for about 10 minutes or so, do a pinch test on the wool. If the wool is sticking together, you can take the tulle off to continue the felting process.

Step 13:  After you have removed the tulle, continue rubbing the wool on the balloon using bubble wrap. When the wool and embellishments have felted together and you can see the wool is starting to shrink, pop the balloon (over the sink) and remove it. Rub inside and outside of the hat to make sure all of the wool is felted.

Step 14:  This is the fulling stage. Fold the wool piece in a square and throw it flat in the sink. Keep turning it over and re-folding it to make sure it that as it shrinks, it maintains its shape. After several folds, refolds and throws, start rinsing the wool. Alternate rising in warm and cold water, first in warm water and then in cold water, and keep checking the shape and size. As the wool hat starts to take form, gently squeeze it to get the water out and also squeeze it in a towel so you can try the hat on to make sure it is forming into the size and shape you want for your hat.

Step 15:  After you make sure all the soap has been rinsed out and the hat is the size you want, shape it and let it dry. You can trim off the edges or unwanted extra wool, but be sure to rub and felt those areas were you cut so they are not left open.

Step 16:  Now it's time to add a little something extra. I have a friend who makes beautiful ceramic art and things, so I decided to add this very cute ceramic flower button she made to my alpaca wool felted hat. If you are interested in purchasing a ceramic button for your hat, please check out Lauren Mesa's Facebook page...

 

https://www.facebook.com/LaurenMesaArt 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Here are some photographs of my hat so you can see it from different angles.

 

 

 

 

Alpaca Wool Felted Hat with Ceramic Flower Button
♥ I thought it looked cute sitting atop a rock in our garden waterfall ♥

***Cat Cave***

Cat Cave...the perfect felted vessel that serves as a comfy hiding or sleeping place for kitty, as well as a piece of felted art...My inspiration came after visiting family and learning that their cat likes to sleep on top of the bookcase in the living room. I started thinking how cool it would be to have a felted vessel serve not only as a place for the cat to spend time, but it would also look like a nice piece of art on top of the bookcase.

Felted Cat Cave



Here are the steps I followed to make my cat cave using the resist method.

1.  Cut out a 20-inches across round piece of thick cardboard for the resist and place it on top of a piece of bubble wrap, bubble side up. (The final project after shrinkage will be approximately 15-inches across and it will take approximately 6-8 ounces of wool roving.)


2.  Place thin pieces of wool roving around the edge of the resist making sure half of the wool is hanging over the edge.

 

3.  Place rows of wool roving horizontally to cover the resist.

4.  Cover with a piece of tulle and sprinkle with warm, soapy water just enough to wet the wool. After all the wool is wet, gently rub olive oil soap on top of the tulle. 

5.  Gently rub the top with the tips of your fingers in a small circular motion. When wool has started to felt together, remove the tulle.

5.  Lay down another piece of bubble wrap, bubble side up, and flip over the resist and bubble wrap.

6.  Remove the bubble wrap and then with wet, soapy fingers wrap the overlapping fibers onto the top of the resist.

7.  Like before, place thin pieces of wool around the edge of the resist making sure half is hanging over the edge.

8.  Place thin pieces of wool in horizontal rows to cover the resist. 

 

9.  Like before, cover with a piece of tulle and sprinkle with warm, soapy water just enough to make the wool wet. After all the wool is wet, gently rub olive oil soap on top of the tulle. Now both sides of the resist have a layer of wool. 

 

10.  Repeat this process on both sides again. This time lay the wool fibers in vertical rows to fill the middle.

 

11.  The next two layers will form the outside of the vessel. At this point, you can mix or blend wool colors or add decorations.

 

 

12.  Make two more layers of wool in the same way as before only on the last layer, do not overlap the edge, just lay the wool to cover the top of the resist. Now there are 4 layers of wool on both sides of the resist.

 

 

13.  After the last layer of wool has started to felt together, remove the tulle and put a piece of bubble wrap on top with the bubble side against the wool. Sprinkle a little soapy water on top of the bubble wrap and gently rub the top in a small circular motion for 5 minutes, making sure to also cup your hands around the edge.  Turn everything over and rub the other side for 5 minutes. Repeat another 5 minutes on each side making sure to periodically reposition the bubble wrap so the bubbles are in different places.

 

 

14.  Roll up everything using a pool noodle and tie it together.

 

 

15.  Roll gently 30 times. Unwrap and turn the project 1/4 turn, roll up and roll another 30 times. Repeat rolling (30 times) and 1/4 turn for 4 times. Turn the project over and repeat the rolling (30 times) and 1/4 turn 4 times, gradually increasing the pressure. Repeat until the resist starts to buckle.

 

16.  Carefully cut a hole where desired being sure to only cut to the resist and not through it. Gently pull the resist through the hole. Rub the cut edge with soapy fingers to join the fibers together.  

 

17.  Put the project between two pieces of bubble wrap, bubbles toward the wool, and roll 30 times each 1/4 turn. Run your fingers inside the project to make sure no fibers are felting together. Turn over the project and repeat rolling 30 times each 1/4 turn.

 

18.  Complete fulling and shaping using your hands or a tool such as a metal spoon. You can also use the bubble wrap to create friction with the wool to be able to shape the project. The area of wool that was at the edge of the resist will need to be worked out to remove any wrinkles.

 

 19.  Rinse the project alternately in hot and cold water several times. Soak the project in vinegar water (1 tablespoon vinegar/1 qt. water) for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Gently squeeze, but do not wring it out.

 20.  Re-shape the project and set on a rack to dry.

 

 

 Here is the finished project...

 

Felted Cat Cave

 

Felted Cat Cave - Vessel

 

 I hope kitty enjoys the Cat Cave....

 

 

 

 



 

 

*** Valentine's Day Scarf ***

Valentine's Day has always been special to me... a time to give that little something special to your loved one that tells them you love them and hold them dear. I know, for some people it's just another day of commercialism - business for the candy, flower and card industries, but for me it's the act of giving that token of love and affection that brings a smile to my face.

My eye is drawn to hearts...I love them. So, in honor of Valentine's Day, I designed a wet-felted heart scarf.

  



Valentine's Day wet-felted scarf



It still amazes me to watch how a scarf (or any other project) changes as it goes through the various steps in the process of wet-felting. For this particular project, I wanted the finished scarf to be a thicker felt, so I laid out three layers of thin pieces of wool, plus the hearts and a variety of small pieces of various colors of wool.

Wool roving in thin layers and design

View of hearts design

Close-up of hearts

I used a lavender scented soap in the hot water to start the felting process, so the room was filled with the lovely aroma of lavender...

Working the wool pieces together

After completing the felting, rolling and fulling process, I re-shaped the scarf and laid it out to dry.



It being winter and the felt being a thicker, it took a little longer to dry. As it was drying, the colors of the scarf started to come alive. It's like magic!



I designed the scarf so you can fold over a portion of the top to create two rows of hearts. I am very happy with how it came out.

Showing the top of the scarf folded down to make two rows of hearts
 

  

Valentine's Day wet-felted scarf (front)

Valentine's Day wet-felted scarf (back)

I hope everyone has
a Happy Valentine's Day and remember... 

 

A bell is no bell 'til you ring it,

A song is no song 'til you sing it.

And love in your heart

Wasn't put there to stay -

Love isn't love

'Til you give it away.

 

-Oscar Hammerstein, The Sound of Music